Hobart and William Smith Colleges

An Introduction to the Community Standards

I) PREAMBLE
To enter the Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ community is to accept an invitation to participate in a student centered learning environment which is globally focused and grounded in the values of equity and service.  The choice to enter this community implies a commitment to engage in an open dialogue about basic human questions fundamental to a liberal arts education in the twenty-first century, and to maintain an environment in which that dialogue may occur.  Respect for the dignity, integrity, well-being, and property of all members is essential to the maintenance of and membership in the community.

The Community Standards is designed to foster and maintain a community in which the mission of Hobart and William Smith may be achieved. The opportunity to participate in this community requires all members to accept individual responsibilities. By voluntarily choosing to affiliate with the Hobart and William Smith Colleges, students indicate knowledge and acceptance of the responsibilities outlined in the Community Standards. This document outlines specific expectations of student behavior, a code of student conduct, and incorporates all of the policies, procedures, and regulations at Hobart and William Smith.

II) HOBART AND WILLIAM SMITH COLLEGES MISSION STATEMENT
Hobart and William Smith Colleges prepare students to lead lives of consequence.

• By helping them connect their talents and interests to meaningful, high-impact pursuits.
• By spurring cultural exploration and global citizenship.
• By offering opportunities to amplify knowledge through hands-on experience.
• By nurturing discovery and unlocking potential.
• By modeling values and points of view that equip them to author the world as it could be.

III) STATEMENT OF COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES
A) Respect for Persons and for Property
Hobart and William Smith Colleges take pride in a community that nurtures the growth and development of leaders marked by integrity, propriety, and decency displayed toward themselves and toward others. Members of the HWS community are expected at all times to demonstrate respect for themselves and for others. This respect includes a responsibility to show sensitivity to differences and act justly in interactions with one another. All members of the community are entitled to and responsible for maintaining an environment of civility that is free from disparagement, intimidation, harassment and violence of any kind. Members of the HWS community are expected to respect property of Hobart and William Smith, the private property of other members of the community, and the property of the larger neighborhood in which we live.

B) Freedom of Expression and Participation
Fundamental to its existence as an academic institution in the liberal arts tradition, Hobart and William Smith Colleges foster an environment in which all ideas can be reasonably proposed and critically examined. Hobart and William Smith recognize that the free exchange of ideas and expression may produce conflict. This exchange is an important element in the pursuit of knowledge. Implicit in the pursuit of this exchange is the privilege to dissent and demonstrate in a peaceful and non-disruptive manner without unreasonable obstruction or hindrance. Hobart and William Smith expect that those who enjoy this privilege also accept the responsibility for their actions and for maintaining order. Hobart and William Smith also recognize the rights of those who desire not to protest and who wish to continue to participate in the normal activities of Hobart and William Smith.

C) Intellectual Responsibility
Hobart and William Smith Colleges espouse the ideal of academic excellence through active learning. All members of the community have responsibilities for and rights to learning, teaching, and scholarship. Within our community, teaching and learning occur in an atmosphere of reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, mutual respect, and openness to constructive change. All members of the community are responsible for recognizing and actively avoiding violations of academic integrity, such as cheating, plagiarizing, and stealing another’s work.

IV) NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
Hobart and William Smith Colleges are committed to providing a non-discriminatory and harassment-free educational, living, and working environment for all members of the HWS community, including students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and visitors.  HWS prohibits discrimination and harassment in their programs and activities on the basis of age, color, disability, domestic violence victim status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, shared ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other status protected under the law.

Discrimination on the basis of sex includes seual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, other forms of sexual misconduct including stalking and intimate partner violence, and gender-based harassment that does not involve conduct of a sexual nature, as defined in Hobart and William Smith Title IX, Discrimination, and Harassment Policy.

Specific policies and procedures related to the reporting, investigating, and processing of complaints of discrimination are set forth in the following two documents: (1) Non-Discrimination Policy and Anti-Harassment Policy; the Title IX, Discrimination, and Harassment Policy; and (2) the Employee Handbook.