Student Conduct and Remote Instruction
While our teaching, learning, and student services methods have clearly changed, our policies have not. The Student Conduct office at PSU is dedicated to helping provide a safe and inclusive college experience for all of our students, faculty, and staff. To assist in ensuring this environment exists remotely, we have compiled information about how faculty and staff can refer students of concern, and how students can report concerns to this office. Much of the referral advice and processes will not change; we already have online reporting options and a robust online conduct system that allows us to document and track violations and concerns and reach out to students.
The Code of Student Conduct addresses many behaviors that might become an issue remotely, including, but not limited to:
- Harassment
- Stalking
- Lewd behavior
- Involvement in college activities (including synchronous classroom activities, Zoom sessions, etc.) while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Violation of syllabus policies
Behaviors to Consider
We do not expect these issues to occur. However, in a new environment with so much demanding our attention, it is possible that behaviors of concern could go unaddressed. It is important that you understand we are only able to address behaviors if they are reported to us. You are an important part of keeping our campus community safe. When reports are received through the options listed above (under How to Report), we have several different teams available to help address the concerns.
Harassment: Sending or posting insults, threats, inappropriate language, inappropriate sexual language or media, etc. to instructors and/or students. Some of this could also be Title IX (gender discrimination) harassment, which could include their home lives.
Mental Health: Students may be suffering from poor mental health that could manifest as inappropriate messages, suicide ideation, harm to others, etc. After your instructors report, the Dean of Student Life Office will likely interact with the students, refer to resources, and follow up with them.
Academic Misconduct: Instructors not accustomed to online and remote teaching may not know what to anticipate with regard to common forms of academic misconduct in this medium. Some will be more familiar, such as turning in papers with material that has not been cited, accessing an unauthorized answer key, copying/sharing information from others, etc. Others will be less familiar, such as a person pretending to be the student to complete assignments or take exams, uploading and/or selling of their academic materials, etc. Here is how instructors can support academic integrity and protect their materials:
- Have a Statement in Syllabus: This sample syllabus statement could be useful because it clearly states what constitutes academic integrity:
- Academic Integrity: Students are prohibited from committing or attempting to commit any act that constitutes academic dishonesty. By way of example, students should not give or receive (or attempt to give or receive) unauthorized help on assignments or examinations, including selling/buying and/or uploading/downloading instructors’ classroom information without express permission from the instructor. Students should properly acknowledge and document all sources of information (e.g. quotations, paraphrases, ideas) and use only the sources and resources authorized by the instructor. If there is any question about whether an act constitutes academic misconduct, it is the students’ obligation to clarify the question with the instructor before acting. For more information, please see the PSU Code of Student Conduct.
- Mention Often: Students are more likely to act with integrity if they think it is important to instructors. Instructors should mention their expectations frequently with their students and have them in their instructions as much as possible. Examples include: “Consulting an answer key on the Internet or Teacher’s Edition is not allowed,” “Students may discuss the assignment with others, but each student is responsible for turning in their own final work,” “Do not ask someone else to take the test for you or take a test for someone else.”
- Change Assignments/Exams (next term): Now that all of your instructors’ materials are online, if they were not already being uploaded to databases or shared with current or future classes, they will definitely be out now. It is now more important than ever that instructors change their assignments and exams by at least 10% and to do so every term from now on.
Faculty are also welcome to add the following to their syllabi, in order to best address disruptive behavior:
- Appropriate Classroom Behavior: Interaction both inside and outside of Zoom is necessary and helpful to the learning experience. Insults, threats, inappropriate language and images (including things that could be viewed as harassment) should not be sent to each other, including non-school accounts. If you feel you have received concerning communication, please report it to the instructor immediately.
How to Report
Concerns Regarding Students
- Concerning behavior of students can be reported by:
- Completing the online Incident Reporting Form;
- Emailing Claire Araujo, Director of Student Conduct (clairela@pdx.edu), or by emailing conduct@pdx.edu;
- EMERGENCIES should be reported to the Campus Public Safety Office by calling (503) 725-5911.
Concerns Regarding Faculty or Staff
Concerns regarding faculty or staff should first be discussed with the instructor/staff when possible. If this does not resolve your concern, you should contact the Chair or Director of the department which that faculty or staff works for (i.e. Chair of Philosophy Department, or Director of Disability Resource Center).
Consultations
The Student Conduct staff will be consulted regarding the following concerns:
- Inappropriate language used in asynchronous or synchronous settings
- Harassment or threatening behavior in the (a)synchronous learning environment
- Recording/sharing without permission
- Use of alcohol or drugs before or during classroom instruction (i.e., student is intoxicated on a Zoom call; student is using drugs during a Zoom call)
- Academic misconduct issues
- Student engaging in disruptive behavior during synchronous sessions
- Student reporting sexual discrimination, harassment, or misconduct by another student
- Even if the behavior is occurring off campus, you will need to inform the Office of the Dean of Student Life and/or the Title IX Coordinator, (titleixcoordinator@pdx.edu)
The CARE team will be consulted regarding the following concerns:
- Student reporting mental health concerns
- Student reporting unsafe living environment (including limited access to food, hygiene products, medication, etc.)
- Student reporting financial concerns
- Student reporting violent living environment (witnessing and/or experiencing interpersonal violence)
- Personality or behavior changes
- Student reporting intent to harm self or others
The Threat Assessment Team will be consulted regarding the following concerns:
- Student reporting intent to harm self or others
- Student reporting they have been threatened with physical harm
- In these cases, contact Campus Public Safety at (503) 725-5911 immediately. Police will be able to access the student’s address and collaborate with their local emergency services.
The Title IX Coordinator will be consulted regarding the following concerns:
- Student reporting sexual discrimination, harassment, or misconduct
- Even if the behavior is occurring off campus, you will need to inform Title IX Coordinator, Becca Lawrence (titleixcoordinator@pdx.edu), as Portland State University can provide information about resources to the student
- Be mindful of pregnant/parenting policies under Title IX; if a student is requesting accommodations due to pregnant/parenting status, contact Title IX Coordinator, Becca Lawrence (titleixcoordinator@pdx.edu).
The faculty member’s Department Chair or Academic Dean can be consulted regarding the following classroom management concerns:
- Student not completing (a)synchronous work
- Student arriving late to synchronous sessions
- Student missing synchronous sessions
- Student engaging in disruptive behavior during synchronous sessions
- [While these behaviors may not constitute a referral, you are invited to collaborate with the Dean of Student Life office on how to address the behaviors and refer the student if the behaviors continue.]
Interim Actions
A student can be removed from an online synchronous class meeting for that session, but not be restricted access to the course until the instructor has communicated with the Student Conduct office. The Student Conduct office can put interim measures into place once a report has been received and if the office determines there is significant cause to do so. Interim measures can include removing the alleged student(s) from synchronous class activities, instituting a No Contact Order, and more.
Applicable Laws
Continue to be mindful of the laws in place to protect students’ information and classroom experiences, including but not limited to: Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Americans with Disabilities Act, recording laws, and Title IX (including pregnant and parenting students).
Other Helpful Resources