Code of Conduct

The code of conduct for Charlotte Christian College and Theological Seminary is derived from God’s law and best summarized in Matthew 22:37-40. Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Christians must learn to love God above all else and their neighbors as themselves. CCCTS is a Christian academic community where faculty, staff, and students learn to build in one another a will to obey this law of love. This code of conduct expresses in part, how this educational community will act to correct the deficiencies in their love for God, for themselves, and for one another.

The Christian law of love cannot be stated in narrow, legalistic terms, for it can never be fulfilled simply by the observance of a set of rules and regulations. Consequently, this code of conduct does not seek to develop a detailed and exhaustive summary of what a student may or may not do. On the other hand, it is sound biblical principle that everything must be done in good order; therefore, this code of conduct does contain, in addition to positive Christian principles of behavior, a list of proscribed conduct and a well-defined procedure for the implementation of the code of conduct.

Students are expected to comply with the behavioral requirements set forth in this code of conduct, and they may in turn expect the institution to address issues or concerns fairly, consistently, and in accord with the policies and procedures set forth in the code of conduct applicable at the time an issue arises. This code of conduct is not a static document or an unchanging set of policies and procedures. On the contrary, the institution may update the information presented here at any time to clarify or better align with best practices, or whenever necessary to comply with governmental regulations. It is the responsibility of all CCCTS students to become aware of and to remain familiar with campus policies and procedures. In the event of substantial mid-year revisions to the student code of conduct, a notice within Populi will alert students. Students can expect that annual updates may be made to the code of conduct prior to each academic year, and may always locate the official and most current version of the student code of conduct on the institution’s website.

Building community is an integral component of CCCTS’s educational mission. Perhaps this vision is best characterized by an image of students, faculty, and staff helping one another day by day to cultivate aspirations, nurture commitments, and practice what we profess. Being a member of the CCCTS family is not ultimately about personal gratification, although CCCTS is certainly a place where its constituents can enjoy considerable freedoms, excel, and build lasting friendships. At its best, CCCTS seeks to weld its participants together around the beliefs that all are made in God’s image and that members of Christ’s church need one another, such that their educational endeavors, interpersonal relationships, and personal actions might reflect the Lord’s provisions more closely.
Building community is not easy. Christian belief also testifies that a person’s disregard for God’s provisions for life lead to brokenness, alienation, and wrongdoing. As a result, CCCTS is not a perfect place; people sometimes act, speak, and think in ways that are in conflict with biblical standards. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension provide relief from brokenness, alienation, and wrongdoing; followers of Christ are emancipated, enlightened, and empowered to experience life in ways that are mutually fulfilling and meaningful. Consequently, CCCTS can be a place where the blessings of community can be pursued and experienced, albeit partially, by some more than others, and sometimes more than other times.

Building community does not occur automatically; it requires commitment and perseverance. Furthermore, building community suggests intentionally striving to enact self-control, integrity, and justice as appropriate expressions of Christian belief. Self-control involves acknowledging God’s presence in all of our actions; integrity concerns being above reproach in dealings with others; and justice indicates a desire to pursue righteousness, compassion, and peace in private and public settings. Taken together, these three characteristics of the Christian life are important building blocks of the kind and quality of community that CCCTS strives to establish.

Building community also involves avoiding various behaviors. CCCTS proscribes certain conduct because it impedes the kind of community that it envisions to build. More specifically, if a student becomes intoxicated, that student is not self-controlled; if a student cheats on a test, that student has compromised integrity; or, if a student bullies or harasses a colleague, that student has acted unjustly. In each case, the building of community is diminished. What follows, then, are conduct requirements that are indications as to how students might pursue the goal of building community.

• CCCTS’s code of conduct applies to both individual students and to the actions of student organizations. The code of conduct applies to every CCCTS student’s behavior from the time of a student’s admission to the institution until the actual awarding of a degree.
• The code of conduct applies to student behavior that occurs before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during break periods and when students are between terms of enrollment.
• The code of conduct applies to behavior in the classroom and at all locations and events on CCCTS owned or leased property.
• The code of conduct also applies to student behavior in locations and at events not occurring on-campus, including those involving non-campus individuals and organizations.
• The code of conduct applies to behavior in locations abroad and in situations involving technology as a means of recording or communication.
• The student code of conduct allows the institution to take action or assign sanctions to students for behavior that adversely affects self or others at off-campus sites or disrupts the campus community wherever that conduct may occur.
• CCCTS disciplinary action does not preclude the possibility of civil or criminal charges being placed against an individual nor does the filing/dismissing of civil or criminal charges preclude action by the institution. The institution’s conduct expectations and disciplinary processes operate independent of the civil or criminal justice systems.
• The code of conduct applies to a student’s conduct, and a disciplinary process, will not necessarily be suspended or terminated, even if the student withdraws from school while a disciplinary matter is pending. A student accused of a conduct violation who withdraws during a pending disciplinary matter will not be deemed to be in good standing with the institution.
• The President or Vice President of Student Affairs and/or his/her designee shall decide whether institution disciplinary action related to student code of conduct violations shall be applied in unusual situations, on a case by case basis, at his/her sole discretion. Likewise, where an issue involves different institution constituents (such as a complaint by a student against a faculty member), the Vice President of Student Affairs will determine in his/her sole discretion, and inform the parties in writing, as to which institution process or processes will apply.
• The President or Vice President of Student Affairs may authorize a search of a particular room in an institution residence hall or on institution owned property to determine compliance with institution regulations and/or compliance with federal, state, and local criminal law. Decisions to search are evaluated on a case-by-case basis when there is reason to believe that a violation has occurred or are taking place in that room or area.
• The institution generally requires outside police or other government officials to have a valid warrant to search a student’s campus room or apartment, except where there is imminent threat of serious harm to students or the institution community. The institution, in accordance with applicable law, will determine whether a warrant is required in a particular case.
• CCCTS students may be asked to submit to a breathalyzer or a hair test, a search of their person and/or a search of personal property when reasonable suspicion exists that the student may have violated the code of conduct. Reasonable suspicion exists where the facts and circumstances within the knowledge of the institution indicate that a violation has been or is being committed. While students have the right to refuse, students who do not comply with an institution investigation or a reasonable request for information may face disciplinary action.

CCCTS is committed to providing a safe, caring and inclusive learning and working environment by promoting respect, responsible citizenship and academic excellence. A positive school climate exists when all members of the institutional community feel safe, comfortable and accepted.

The Standards of Behavior outlines apply to all members of the school community, including students, parents and guardians, school staff, volunteers and visitors when

1. On school property;
2. Traveling on a school owned, leased, or rented vehicle;
3. Participating in extra-curricular activities;
4. Participating in off-site institutional -sponsored activities; or
5. Engaging in an activity which will have an impact on the school climate.

All members of the school community are expected to:

1. Respect and comply with federal, provincial and municipal laws;
2. Demonstrate honesty and integrity;
3. Respect the rights of others and treat one another with dignity and respect at all times, regardless of economic status, race, color, national or ethnic origin, language group, sex, gender, age, or ability;
4. Show proper care and regard for school property and the property of others;
5. Take appropriate measures to help those in need; and
6. Demonstrate best efforts during all school based activities.

In abiding by CCCTS’s Standard of Behavior, all members of the school community are expected to refrain from:

1. Breaking federal, provincial, or municipal laws;
2. Any behavior that discriminates based on economic status, race, color, national or ethnic origin, language group, gender, age, or ability;
3. The institution strictly forbids all hazing, violent, or bullying behavior (physical, verbal, social, electronic) that intentionally hurts (physically, socially, or emotionally) another person. The institution will not tolerate any student’s participation in unethical, immoral, or illegal acts. Disciplinary action will occur which may include, but not be limited to, expulsion.
4. Making derogatory or hateful comments towards an individual or group of people;
5. Threatening an individual or group of people;
6. Threatening to damage or destroy property;
7. Injuring an individual, group of people or property;
8. Using technology to intentionally abuse or bully another person;
9. Using technology to interfere with the positive climate of the school;
10. Using language that is violent, profane or discriminatory;
11. Wearing clothes that depict violence, profanity or discrimination;
12. Cheating, Plagiarism, and other acts of academic misconduct;
13. Furnishing false information; using forged documents, or alteration of records, identification;
14. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, student conduct proceedings, or other institutional activities, both on and off campus, and all acts of flagrant disrespect for the institution or one of its guests;
15. Unauthorized or misuse of institutional facilities;
16. Use, possession, distribution, sale, manufacture, or evidence of consumption of controlled substances or illegal drugs, including misuse of over-the-counter drugs, possessing drug paraphernalia for intended or implied use;
17. Using tobacco products on campus (CCCTS is a tobacco free campus);
18. Use, possession, sale, or distribution of alcoholic beverages on campus or while engaged in any institution-related function, on or off campus. NOTE: Students should read the complete “Drug and Alcohol Policies” in the Student Handbook.
19. Engaging in games of chance, including all forms of gambling, lotteries, and raffles;
20. Sexual impropriety;
21. Inappropriate language;
22. The possession, legally or illegally, or threatening to use any weapon including, but not limited to, firearms, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, air rifles, pellet guns, paintball guns, dangerous chemicals, knives with blades longer than five inches or any other weapons or any imitation that could be used to cause fear in another person on CCCTS property.
23. Conduct that disrupts the normal operations of CCCTS and infringes on the rights of other members of the community; conduct that is disorderly, lewd, or indecent; breach of peace, or aiding, abetting, or procuring another person to breach the peace on CCCTS campus or at functions sponsored by, or participated in by, CCCTS;
24. Computer violations, including theft of equipment, hacking or unauthorized entry into a file, or unauthorized transfer of a file; unauthorized use of another individual’s identification and password, or other violation of computer and internet policies.
25. Sexual misconduct as defined by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013; including sexual harassment, sexual assault, non-consensual sexual intercourse (rape), sexual exploitation, and stalking;
26. Violation of CCCTS policies, rules, and regulations including, but not limited to, those of Academic Affairs, Student Life, etc.