Code of Conduct

Student Conduct Expectations

Students are expected to abide by the school rules and policies, and to respect their teachers, their classmates, and the educational opportunity they are enjoying. If a student is disruptive in class, he/she may be asked to leave and then marked absent. Disruptive classroom behavior includes, for example: talking to other students during instruction, answering cell phone calls, sending or receiving text messages, leaving class frequently or for extended periods of time, sleeping, disrespecting the instructor or other students, using one’s native language in class, and doing activities not related to the class. Students should also respect the work and study environment of the IEP, including behavior before and after classes in empty classrooms and hallways. They should conduct themselves as they would in a place of business and higher education.

Student Conduct Codes and Rules

Students need to be aware of the rules related to alcohol use, possession of drugs, property theft, sexual abuse and assault, verbal abuse, academic dishonesty, and many more topics. Please read the rules below and ask instructors and staff to help you understand their meaning. The rules are grouped into three main areas: honesty, respect, and responsibility. If your behavior in class is found to be a violation of any of the conduct codes, you will receive a Guidelines for In-class Behavior and Academic Integrity form.

(1) Honesty: This means living a life of honorable and fair actions that reflect well on your person and character. To do the opposite is to act in a dishonest way such as lying, stealing, vandalizing, cheating, misrepresenting yourself, and misusing school facilities.

(2) Respect: This means living a life that values the rights of others to live in a safe environment that promotes the educational ideals of the school. To do the opposite is to act in a disrespectful way such as engaging in physical and verbal abuse, intimidation, harassment, disruption of teaching or school activities, and failing to follow any directions given by faculty or school administration. If a student’s behavior in class becomes a problem (to the teacher or other students), the Campus Director will meet with him or her to discuss the problem.

(3) Responsibility: This means living a life that reflects well on the school and community. To do the opposite is to act in an irresponsible way such as using and distributing drugs or other illegal substances, neglecting to meet financial obligations, illegally distributing alcoholic beverages, and illegally possessing firearms. The list below is a guide to some problems you should avoid. Participating in these actions can lead to dismissal from DLC and even criminal charges. This list is only an example; it is not a complete list.

  • Academic Misconduct: using another student’s work as your own or hiring someone to take an exam for you, etc.
  • Poor Attendance: not going to class, always arriving late to class, etc.
  • Cheating: looking at another student’s paper during a test, text messaging or using your cellular phone or personal electronic device during a test, etc.
  • Rude Behavior: talking to other students while the instructor is speaking, making noises during class, listening to music during class, etc. Also included are indifference, disrespect, or rudeness towards fellow students, or DLC employees, whether explicit or implicit (any disorderly/antagonistic conduct on school premises).
  • Plagiarism: stealing ideas from other sources like the internet, a friend’s paper, print material, etc., and presenting them as your own in an essay or presentation without giving credit to the source.

Problems that will be addressed by law enforcement (City or State Police):

  • Having Controlled Substances: buying, keeping, or using illegal drugs like marijuana, ecstasy, cocaine, etc.
  • Alcohol: driving while drunk, giving alcohol to someone under the age of 21 years-old, public urination, public intoxication, etc.
  • Sexual Harassment: unwanted touching or suggestive language, unwelcome and persistent attention towards someone, etc.
  • Sexual Assault: non-consensual sex, forcing someone to have sex, etc.
  • Dangerous Driving: speeding, disregard for posted traffic signs and signals, etc.
  • Assault: fighting, attacks on other persons with or without weapons, etc.
  • Theft and Vandalism: stealing and destroying or defacing public or private property.

(4) Other unacceptable behaviors

  • Intentionally or chronically speaking languages other than English during class time;
  • Not bringing your textbooks and other necessary materials (i.e. paper, pen or pencil, etc.) to your classes;
  • Use of a cell phone or any other communication devices during class (cell phones must be turned off during class);
  • Threatening, intimidating or coercing fellow students or DLC employees on or off the premises at any time, for any purpose;
  • Engaging in an act of sabotage; negligently causing the destruction or damage of school property, or the property of fellow students or employees in any manner;
  • Removal of school property from the premises without prior permission from management or unauthorized use;
  • Conducting a lottery or gambling on school premises;
  • Use of school telephone, fax, computers, office supplies, or other school properties without approval from the school;
  • Smoking in restricted areas or at non-designated times;
  • Posting, removing or altering notices on the school premises without permission from the school;
  • Soliciting, selling, or collecting funds for any reason on the school premises;
  • Bringing pets of any kind to school;
  • Viewing contents that are sexually explicit, violent or others that may be found offensive to others on the school premises whether using a computer in the computer lab or the student’s personal computer;
  • Downloading any active-X controls or harmful files, or creating or modifying any of the computer files or programs of the school that would affect the computer system;
  • Obscene or abusive language – or any act of harassment toward a fellow student or a DLC employee (DLC has a zero-tolerance policy towards any verbal and physical abuse);
  • Violation of any of the school policies posted as amendment or addendum.

If you engage in any of, but not limited to, the unacceptable activities, you can be dismissed from the school.