Any of the
following acts, even if communicative in nature, are prohibited "separable
offenses" (charges that could lead to suspension or expulsion from the
university) under the provisions of the University Code of Student Conduct:
1. Use of
force against the person or property of any member of the university community
or against the person or property of anyone on university premises, or the
threat of such physical abuse. (Verbal assault may be prosecuted as a
"threat of . . . physical abuse.")
2. Theft
of, or intentional damage to, university property, or property in the
possession of, or owned by, a member of the university. (Acts of graffiti or
other vandalism may be prosecuted as "intentional damage to . . .
property.")
3.
Harassment, which is statutorily defined by New Jersey law to mean, and here
means, purposefully making or causing to be made a communication or
communications anonymously or at extremely inconvenient hours, or in
offensively coarse language, or in any other manner likely to cause annoyance
or alarm, or subjecting or threatening to subject another to striking, kicking,
shoving, or other offensive touching, or engaging in any other course of
conduct or of repeatedly committed acts with purpose to alarm or seriously
annoy any other person. This may also include cyber-bullying or contact through
electronic communication. Harassment is considered a separable offense under
the University Code of Student Conduct.
4.
Defamation, which is judicially defined to mean, and here means, the
unprivileged oral or written publication of a false statement of fact that
exposes the person about whom it is made to hatred, contempt, or ridicule, or
subjects that person to loss of the goodwill and confidence of others, or so
harms that person's reputation as to deter others from associating with her or
him. Defamation is considered a separable offense under the University Code of
Student Conduct.
While any
of the four categories of acts listed above is a separable offense that, if
proven, could lead to a sanction of expulsion or suspension from the university
under the provisions of the University Code of Student Conduct, clearly minor
instances of such prohibited behavior may be resolved at the nonseparable level
and not be treated as separable offenses requiring a university-level hearing. The
initial judgment of whether a particular act is of a separable or nonseparable
nature is made by the appropriate judicial officer.
Students
who believe themselves to be victims of verbal assault, harassment, or
defamation should report such incidents to the dean of students of their
respective campus, the Office of Judicial Affairs, or any one of the following
individuals:
Donald C.
Heilman, Director of Compliance, Student Policy, Research and Assessment,
Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, 115 College Avenue, College
Avenue Campus, 732-932-7109;
Cheryl
Clarke, Director of Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities, 3 Bartlett
Street, College Avenue Campus, 732-932-1711;
Mary Beth
Daisey, Dean of Students and Associate Chancellor for Student Affairs, Armitage
Hall, Room 248, Camden Campus, 856-225-6050;
Marcia W.
Brown, Vice Chancellor for Student and Community Affairs, Center for Law and
Justice, Newark Campus, 973-353-5234.
Some
complaints can and should be resolved by informal methods, while others will
require the implementation of formal procedures. All complaints are treated
confidentially; complainants are encouraged to report incidents even if they do
not wish to pursue the matter beyond the reporting stage.
