What is student responsibility?

Student responsibility occurs when students take an active role in

their learning by recognizing they are accountable for their
academic success. Student responsibility is demonstrated when
students make choices and take actions which lead them toward
their educational goals.

Responsible students take ownership of their actions by exhibiting

the following behaviors. They:

 demonstrate academic integrity and honesty.

 attend and participate in classes, labs, and seminars, prepared
and on time.
 complete the assigned work in a timely manner with attention
to quality of work.
 avoid making excuses for their behavior.
 communicate in a careful and respectful manner with
professors, peers, and other members of the college
community.
 are engaged learners who dedicate sufficient time outside of
class to college work.
 act in a civil manner that respects the college learning/social
environment and complies with college policies outlined in the
student constitution and college catalog.
 utilize college resources and seek help when needed.
 respect diverse ideas and opinions.
 identify, develop, and implement a plan to achieve their
educational goals.

Student responsibilities
Each student’s ability to learn and gain the best possible rewards
from their college experience depends upon an environment which
is conducive to learning and to activities which are consistent with
the objectives of an academic institution. Therefore, JCC places
these responsibilities upon students:

 Activities: Clubs and organizations are strongly urged to

sponsor activities on campus throughout the academic year.
 Procedures for use of college facilities are available in the
campus life office.
 Activity Hour: Each week the college sets aside specific
activity periods during which few classes are scheduled.
These “free” hours are 12 to 1:15 p.m. on Mondays and
Wednesdays. During these designated periods, students are
encouraged to participate in the many activities available,
including Student Senate meetings, student club meetings,
intramurals, and special lectures and programs happening
around the campuses.
 Attendance Policy: Every student is expected to attend all
lecture and laboratory sessions for which they are registered.
Absences will be recorded by instructors, and the student will
be held responsible for making up all work missed. Attendance
requirements for each course will be established by the
instructor and announced, published, and distributed with the
course outline at the first class meeting.
 Bias Crimes: Hate crimes, also called bias crimes or bias-
related crimes, are criminal activity motivated by the
perpetrator’s bias or attitude against an individual victim or
group based on perceived or actual personal characteristics,
such as their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual
orientation, or disability. Hate/bias crimes have received
renewed attention in recent years, particularly since the
passage of the federal Hate/Bias Crime Reporting Act of 1990
and the New York State Hate Crimes Act of 2000 (Penal Law
Article 485). Copies of the New York Law are available from
the director of campus-wide safety in the human resources
office or by calling 716.338.1015 or visiting our page on
safety or  http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?cl=82&a=81. If you
are a victim of, or witness to, a hate/bias crime on campus
report it to the director of campus-wide safety or call 911 in an
emergency. The director of campus wide-safety will
investigate, bringing local police in where required.
 Cafeteria Use: All students using the cafeteria are expected
to return trays and dishes to the tray receptacle units and to
deposit trash appropriately.
 Change of Address: Each student is responsible for notifying
the registrar’s office, 716.338.1018, of any change in
their home or temporary address.
 Crime Awareness and Campus Security: The Jeanne Clery
Act: A copy of the JCC campus crime statistics as reported
annually to the U.S. Department of Education will be provided
upon request by the campus health, safety, and security
committee. Please direct all such requests to the coordinator
of Campus Safety and Security at 716.338.1015. Information
can also be obtained
at http://www.sunyjcc.edu/safety or http://ope.ed.gov/security
/. Students and employees should report any crime or potential
criminal action immediately to the appropriate police agency
directly or to the coordinator of Campus Safety and Security.
These police agencies will notify immediately the coordinator
of Campus Safety and Security of any occurrences of violent
crimes for which timely notice to the campus community is
necessary. Other crimes will be reported on a regular basis to
the coordinator of Campus Safety and Security for compilation
in the annual report. JCC encourages accurate and prompt
reporting of all crimes or suspected criminal activity. Reports
may be made anonymously via the web by going to the Silent
Witness page or contacting the coordinator of Campus
Safety and Security.
 Diversity: College should be a place which encourages
dialogue and even differences, and teaches people how to live
in a world where everyone is not alike and everyone does not
agree. JCC is a place where it is okay to have strong opinions
on an issue and to express them, yet we must remember that
others whose opinions differ from ours have the same rights.
For healthy dialogue to occur, the college must be a safe place
for people to express their ideas. Thus, JCC will not tolerate
verbal or physical harassment of those whose beliefs or
behaviors differ from others. Students violating the college’s
conduct code will be subject to the sanctions outlined in the
student constitution, and to public laws, where appropriate.
Our aim as adults should be to understand and accept others,
as we wish to be understood and accepted ourselves, but at
the very least, we must be willing to respect people’s rights to
be different. Perhaps the most productive thing we can do is
listen - truly listen - to each other and treat each other with
respect. Throughout the academic year, students are
expected to display maturity and use good judgment in their
words and actions. Working together, we can create a positive
atmosphere in which all can learn and grow.