Washington Administrative Code
Title 132U - Whatcom Community College
Chapter 132U-126 - Student rights and responsibilities policy
Section 132U-126-010 - Definitions

(1) "Business day" any day, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays), during which college offices are open.

(2) "College community" shall include any person or entity with a connection or relationship with pursuit of the college mission.

(3) "College premises" shall include the college campus and includes all land, buildings, facilities, vehicles, equipment, and other property owned, used, leased, or controlled by the college.

(4) "Complainant" is an employee(s), applicant(s), student(s), or visitor(s) of Whatcom Community College who alleges that they have been subjected to behavior that is a violation of this policy.

(5) "Consent" means knowing, voluntary, and clear permission by word or action, to engage in mutually agreed upon sexual activity. Each party has the responsibility to make certain that the other has consented before engaging in the activity. For consent to be valid, there must be at the time of the act of sexual intercourse or sexual contact actual words or conduct indicating freely given agreement to have sexual intercourse or sexual contact. A person cannot consent if they are unable to understand what is happening or is disoriented, helpless, asleep, or unconscious for any reason, including due to alcohol or other drugs. An individual who engages in sexual activity when the individual knows, or should know, that the other person is physically or mentally incapacitated has engaged in nonconsensual conduct. Intoxication is not a defense against allegations that an individual has engaged in nonconsensual sexual conduct.

(6) "Conduct review officer" is the vice president for student services or other college administrator designated by the president to be responsible for receiving and for reviewing or referring appeals of student disciplinary cases in accordance with the procedures of this code.

(7) "Disciplinary action" is the process by which the student conduct officer imposes discipline against a student for a violation of the student conduct code.

(8) "Disciplinary appeal" is the process by which an aggrieved student can appeal the discipline imposed by the student conduct officer. Disciplinary appeals from a suspension in excess of 10 business days or an expulsion are heard by the student conduct appeals board. Appeals of all other appealable disciplinary action shall be reviewed through brief adjudicative proceedings.

(9) "Filing" is the process by which a document is received by a college official responsible for facilitating a disciplinary process. Documents required to be filed shall be deemed filed upon actual receipt during office hours at the office of the specified college official. Unless otherwise provided, filing shall be accomplished by:

(10) As used in RCW 28B.10.901 and 28B.10.902, "hazing" includes any act committed as part of a person's recruitment, initiation, pledging, and admission into, or affiliation with a student organization, athletic team, or living group, or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization, athletic team, or living group that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious psychological or emotional harm, to any student or other person attending a public or private institution of higher education or other postsecondary educational institution in this state, including causing, directing, coercing, or forcing a person to consume any food, liquid, alcohol, drug, or other substance which subjects the person to risk of such harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. "Hazing" does not include customary athletic events or similar contests or competitions.

(11) "Guest" is any person who is not a member of the college community, who is on institutional property or attending an institutional function that the invitation of and/or hosted by a member of the college community.

(12) "Preponderance of evidence" is defined as "more likely than not" and is the standard of responsibility that is used when determining whether a violation of the student rights and responsibilities has occurred.

(13) "President" is the president of the college. The president is authorized to delegate or reassign any and all of their responsibilities as may be reasonably necessary.

(14) "Reporting party" is a student or another member of the college community who reports an alleged violation of this code that has been committed.

(15) "Respondent" is the student against whom disciplinary action is initiated.

(16) "Service" is the process by which a document is officially delivered to a party. Service is deemed complete upon the hand delivery of the document, or upon the date the document is emailed or post marked by the mail service. Unless otherwise provided, service upon a person shall be accomplished by:

(17) "Student" includes all persons taking courses at or through the college, whether on a full-time or a part-time basis, and whether such courses are credit courses, noncredit courses, online courses, or otherwise. Persons who withdraw after allegedly violating the code, who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with the college, or who have been notified of their acceptance for admissions are considered "students."

(18) "Student conduct code" or "code" is the student rights and responsibilities policy in this chapter.

(19) "Student conduct officer" is a college administrator designated by the president or vice president for student services to be responsible for implementing and enforcing the student conduct code.

(20) "Student group" for purposes of this code, is a student organization, athletic team, or living group including, but not limited to, student clubs and organizations, members of a class or student cohort, student performance groups, and student living groups within student housing.