District Policies

Excerpts from Board Policy Manual, Section F - Student Services, Part 18 and 20 (last printed 04/07/98 10:16 AM).

F. 18 STUDENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

A college community, consisting of faculty, students, staff and administrators, under authority of the Governing Board, has as its primary purpose the realization of students' growth and development through the dissemination and application of knowledge. Because only in the open exchange of ideas can this purpose be achieved, students are encouraged to study any and all issues and problems. Freedom to think, read, question, and speak are necessary to the college community, but such freedoms must be exercised within rules established under the general policies of the Governing Board.

A. Registered Students. Students of the Ventura County Community College District have the right of free expression and advocacy and may exercise this right within the framework of rules regulating time, place and manner, as established by each college and according to the framework outlined below:

  1. College Public. College and non-college sponsored events may be publicized on campus, according to established college procedures. Advertising for commercial purposes (exclusive of official college publications) is not permitted on college premises. Announcements of professional, civic, educational, and cultural events of a non-commercial nature may be posted if cleared in advance as to form and content by the college administration.

  2. Right of Free Expression. Students shall be granted the right to exercise free expression, except that such expression shall not be obscene, libelous or slanderous, according to current legal standards, nor which so incite students as to create a clear and present danger of the commission of unlawful acts on community college premises.

  3. Guest Speakers. Refer to Section C. 12.c of this manual.

  4. Solicitation. The solicitation, selling, exposing for sale, offering to sell, or endorsing any goods, articles, wares, services or merchandise. of any nature whatsoever for the purpose of influencing lease, rental or sale at a college is prohibited except by written permission of the district chancellor, president of the college or the president's designee. This policy applies to all students, staff and citizens.

    Nothing in this policy shall be construed to revoke the rights and privileges of students and staff as specifically granted by EC sections and Board policy with regard to fundraising activities, examination of instructional materials, or other activities sanctioned by federal, state, and local regulations.

  5. If, in the judgment of the president of the college or his or her designee, an activity or event is disruptive or incompatible with the educational objectives of the college, he or she may order individual students or chartered student organizations to discontinue the activity or event pending due process by either college and/or civil agencies. Due process is defined by a student-faculty-administrator committee at each college and approved by the college president.

  6. Classroom Rights and Responsibilities

    a) Students enrolled in a course accept the instructor's authority in all matters pertaining to the classroom instruction and individual academic performance. Students have the right to:

    (1) Know the instructor's standards for attendance, academic evaluation, and classroom conduct.
    (2) Challenge, with normal courtesy, faculty statements of opinion.
    (3) Receive professional evaluation of their academic performance.
    (4) Expect professional treatment of their views, beliefs, or political associations.
    (5) Have reasonable access to members of the faculty outside of the classroom, for interchange of ideas between students and professor is of the utmost importance and such interchanges are often carried on to best advantage informally.

    b) Students enrolled in a course accept the responsibility to:

    (1) Seek diligently to achieve the instructional objectives of the course.
    (2) Practice honesty and respect the rights of others. Students who violate the rights of other members of any class shall be subject to the disciplinary policy specified in F.20.b.
    (3) Meet instructional, attendance, and conduct standards as specified in F.18(a)(6).

 

Last Updated 12/7/07
Ventura College does not discriminate on the basis of age, color, creed, religion, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, race, or sex.