2023-2024 College Catalog

Student Rights and Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of each student to observe college rules and regulations and to help maintain appropriate conditions in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.

General Policies

Registering at TBCC obligates students to comply with the policies and regulations of the college. TBCC will restrict a student’s admission or registration with the college and will withhold degrees and official transcripts as prescribed by the college and/or state guidelines if a student fails to meet financial obligations to the college or for other legal reasons.

TBCC is granted the right by law, to adopt such rules as are deemed necessary to govern its operations.

Students have the right to participate in formulating and reviewing policies and rules pertaining to student conduct and, to the extent permitted by law in the enforcement of all such rules.

Right to Freedom from Harassment & Discrimination

The college’s goal is to enable students to achieve their education and career goals. Therefore, it is against this policy for any manager, supervisor, faculty, staff, or student to engage in harassment or discrimination of any members of the college community based on their race, religion, color, national origin, disability, sex, sexual orientation, age, height/weight ratio, marital status, gender, gender identity, organizational affiliation, political affiliation or protected veteran status. The prohibition against harassment or discrimination based on the use of native language does not require the college to offer courses in any language other than English. Under this policy, harassing or discriminatory behaviors will not be tolerated. The college also prohibits retaliation against any person who makes a good faith complaint of discrimination of harassment and retaliation against any person who in good faith cooperates in an investigation of alleged harassment or discrimination.

Therefore, it is the responsibility of every member of the college community to strictly comply with this policy. This includes notifying each employee/student of his or her rights and responsibilities under TBCC’s student rights and responsibilities and sexual harassment policies. Management staff will be held accountable for taking reasonable action to maintain work areas and educational environments free of conduct that causes, or reasonably could be considered to cause, intimidation, hostility, or discrimination.

People who believe they have been discriminated against or harassed by a college employee, representative, or student is encouraged to file a complaint with the director of facilities, safety, and human resources. Non-affirmative action complaints are to be filed in accordance with the student grievance procedure.

Right to Freedom of Expression

Students shall be free to take reasoned exception to the data or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for learning the content of any course of study in which they are enrolled.

As constituents of the academic community, Tillamook Bay Community College students shall be free, individually and collectively, to express their views on issues of institutional policy and procedures which shall include the examination and discussion of issues of interest to them and expression of opinions both publicly and privately. They shall be free to invite and to hear persons of their choosing and to support causes by orderly means that do not substantially disrupt the regular and essential operations of the college.

Demonstrations are a legitimate mode of expression, whether politically motivated or directed against the college administration, and will not be prohibited. Demonstrators, however, have no right to deprive others of the opportunity to speak or be heard, take hostages, physically obstruct the movement of others, or otherwise substantially disrupt educational or institutional processes in a way that interferes with the safety or freedom of others. Students may be subject to disciplinary action when their acts or actions cause or are likely to cause substantial disruption or interference with the regular and essential operation of the college.

Right to Protection from Improper Academic Evaluation & Improper Disclosure of Students’ Views, Beliefs, & Associations

Student academic performance shall be evaluated solely on an academic basis (which may include attendance and the ability to apply skills), not on the student’s opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. The course syllabus shall contain and articulate the evaluation standards and grading criteria by which student performance is measured. Students shall have the right to grieve their academic evaluation under the grievance procedure only if the student believes that these standards and criteria were not followed by the instructor, or were not fairly and consistently applied to all students.

At the same time, students are responsible for meeting standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled. Information about student views, beliefs, and political associations which staff members acquire in the course of their association with students is to be considered confidential.

Right of Access to, & Protection from Improper Disclosure of Student Records

To minimize the risk of improper disclosure, academic and disciplinary records shall remain separate. Transcripts of academic records shall contain only information about academic status.

Information from disciplinary or advising files shall not be available to unauthorized persons on campus or to individuals off-campus without the written consent of the student involved, except under legal compulsion or in cases where the safety of persons or property is involved, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, College policy, and Oregon laws pertaining to education records.

In order to assist students to benefit from courses, programs, and activities, the college requires advising services and career education plans for degree-seeking students. The confidentiality of student record information obtained by advising services will be strictly maintained, except when Tillamook Bay Community College is legally permitted to disclose student record information.

Right to Form Student Organizations

Students may form student clubs and organizations under the provisions of the Associated Students of Tillamook Bay Community College (ASTBCC) Constitution. Any chartered student club or officially recognized student organization acting through the Associated Students of TBCC may invite any person of their own choosing to the campus, provided the invitation and arrangements are in compliance with established policies of the college.

College procedures must be followed to ensure orderly scheduling of facilities, adequate preparation for the event, and appropriately conducted activities for an academic community.

Right to Sell & Distribute Materials & Engage In Fund-Raising Activities

Students have the right to engage in legal incidental sales of personal property in private transactions. TBCC has not designated any facilities for this purpose, however, except for the use of designated college bulletin boards.

All fund-raising activities for any student group must be approved by the Vice President of Finance and the Executive Director of Advancement and TBCC Foundation.  Additionally, activities must be coordinated with the Tillamook Bay Community College Foundation.

All merchandise, periodicals, magazines, and books offered for commercial sale may be sold only through the college store except when within college policy and approved by the V.P. of Finance and the Executive Director of Advancement. All free publications not in violation of state laws, federal laws, and/ or college rules, such as books, magazines, newspapers, handbills, leaflets and similar materials may be distributed on campus. Any persons desiring to distribute publications shall first register with the V.P. of Finance and the Executive Director of Advancement so that reasonable areas and times can be assured and the activities of the college will not be interfered with.

All handbills, leaflet newspapers, and similar materials must bear the name and address of the organization and/or individual distributing the materials.

Printed materials shall not be placed on any vehicle parked on campus.

Right of Access to College Facilities

Students have the right of access to college facilities, subject to ordinary schedules and policies and regulations governing the use of each facility. When using these facilities, the student has the responsibility to respect these regulations and to comply with the spirit and intent of the rules governing facility use. Chartered ASTBCC student clubs have free access to facilities unless additional services (custodial, campus safety, etc.) are required.

When faced with a situation that likely will (or does) disrupt the order of the college, threatens the health and welfare of the college community, or interferes with the ingress and/or egress of persons from college facilities, the college president or designee shall have the authority to:

Prohibit the entry of any person or persons, or to withdraw the license or privilege of any person or group of persons to enter or remain upon any portion of a college facility; or

Give notice against trespass by any manner specified by law to any person, persons, or group of persons against whom the license or privilege has been withdrawn or who have been prohibited from entering into or remaining within a college facility.

Any student(s) disobeying a directive given by the college president or designee, pursuant to the statements above, shall be subject to disciplinary action and/or criminal trespass laws.

Right to Student Publications

Student publications and student press provide for free and responsible discussion of topics and for intellectual exploration. The responsibility for developing, administering and reviewing procedures for the operation of college-sponsored student publications is delegated to the student publications committee. Editors are protected from arbitrary suspension and removal due to editorial policy or content. Editors and staff of student publications are guided by the professional standards of the Oregon Code of Journalistic Ethics, related Oregon Revised Statute and by other state or federal laws.