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Student Life
Athlete Code of conduct and Ethics

STUDENT-ATHLETE CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS

I.

GENERAL CONDUCT:

  1. Understand and abide by the Hostos Community College Athlete Code of Conduct guidelines as well as all other College and University wide Codes of Conduct.
  2. Obey all federal, state and local laws.
  3. Do not use tobacco products, alcohol and/or illegal or non-therapeutic drugs.
II.

STANDARDS OF STUDENT CONDUCT:
A student enrolling in Hostos Community College may rightfully expect that the faculty and administrators will maintain an environment in which there is freedom to learn. Therefore, appropriate conditions and opportunities must be provided for all students to pursue their education within a safe and secure environment. As members of the college community, students should be encouraged to develop the capacity for critical judgment; to engage in sustained and independent search for truth; and to exercise their right to free inquiry and free speech in a responsible, non-violent manner.

Students shall respect and obey civil and criminal law, and shall be subject to legal penalties for violation of laws of the city, county, state, and nation in the same manner and to the same extent as any other person. Student conduct in Hostos Community College must also conform to district and college rules and regulations. The same standards of student conduct apply whether a student is physically present in a campus facility, is engaged in a distance learning course, or is using electronic (e.g. web-based) services of the district. Any behavior that interferes with the instructional, administrative, or service functions of the district will be considered to be disruptive and will be subject to disciplinary action. Refer to the Hostos Community College Student Conduct,Disciplinary Action and Procedural Fairness, located in the Office of the Dean of
Students, for the procedural and substantive due process utilized in the adjudication of student disciplinary cases.

INSTITUTIONAL, CONFERENCE AND/ OR CUNY VIOLATION: Violations of the HCC"Guidelines for Student Conduct" are reported to the Dean of Students, who will forward information regarding the violation to the Athletics Department in accordance with institutional policy. Violations of conference and/or CUNY conduct are reported to the conference commissioner of athletics, the Dean of Students, the Athletics Director and the student-athlete’s Head Coach.

If a student-athlete is found to be in violation of a team, institutional, conference or CUNY rule or regulation, the penalty imposed will be dependent upon the severity of the offense and may include one or more of the following sanctions:

Oral warning, Written warning, Disciplinary probation, Suspension from the squad/ team, Dismissal from the squad/ team, Intervention and/or counseling requirement; and/or Suspension or expulsion from the college.
   
III.

III. STUDENT-ATHLETE CONDUCT:
In agreeing to join the Hostos Community College Athletics Program, student-athletes must be willing to accept personal responsibility above and beyond that of other students. Participation in the Athletics Program is a privilege, not a right, therefore student-athletes are expected to behave as positive role models and representatives of Hostos Community College and their community, in class, on campus, at home and abroad. Any failure to meet these responsibilities may result in team suspension or total loss of intercollegiate athletic participation privileges.

These obligations include, but are not limited to, responsible conduct in the following areas:

Abide by all Team, Department, College, NJCAA, and CAA rules at home and abroad.

Represent Hostos Community College and community with class, integrity and the highest ideals of good sportsmanship in all competition

Personal commitment to the policies, procedures and regulations of the HCC Athletics Department and PASS as specified in this Student-Athlete Handbook.

Maintain the highest standard of civility and positive behavior and communication in daily activities and interactions away from athletic preparation and competition

Maintain qualifying academic standards, as outlined in this publication.

Achieve and maintain optimum physical conditioning and athletic preparedness.

Attend all classes, PASS sessions, organized Team meetings and events, practices and competitions, unless officially excused.

Follow through on training and rehabilitation recommendations and requirements of the athletic trainer and sports medicine practitioners.

Take proper care of equipment and return it in good condition; report any damaged, lost or stolen items immediately.

Respect for Teammates, Classmates, Coaches, Professors, contest Officials, School Administrators, opponents, and Athletics Department personnel at all times.

DRESS CODE: Head Coaches may set specific dress code standards for their student athletes when traveling as a team. Coaches may also specify what constitutes appropriate dress while representing the institution at other times.
   
IV.

GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
Good sportsmanship means more than the absence of negative actions in public. It encompasses an overall conduct and attitude that denotes an abiding respect for the value of sport and healthy competition, the ideals that govern fair play, the earned esteem of rivals, and trust in the honor of the game and those selected to officiate.

Unacceptable behavior on the playing field, court or track includes, but is not limited to,
the following:

Physically abusing Officials, Coaches, opponents, or spectators;

Engaging in any public criticism of game officials, conference personnel, another institution or its student-athletes or personnel;

Throwing objects, damaging equipment;

Seizing equipment of contest officials and/or the news media;

Inciting players or spectators to negative actions or to any behavior that insults an opponent (e.g., taunting an opponent, official or spectator).

Using obscene or other inappropriate language or gestures;

Making public statements that are derogatory, controversial or outside of the college’s accepted media policy;

Engaging in activities that constitute harassment (including verbal, physical,
sexual, or any combination thereof);

Participating in any action that violates generally recognized ethical standards of
Intercollegiate Athletics participation.

The Athletics Department maintains a right to investigate incidents of unsportsmanlike conduct and any other misconduct involving a student-athlete and may sanction or discipline a student-athlete(s) accordingly, consistent with college, conference and/or CUNY rules.
   
V.

TEAM TRAVEL RULES
When traveling to represent Hostos Community College in your athletic endeavors, you are expected to abide by the following rules:

Team members are expected to travel together as a Team to and from athletic events.

Dress appropriately according to Head Coach’s guidelines. Do not wear apparel with inappropriate or offensive language or images.

Act in a respectful and mature manner in public. Horseplay and profane language are unacceptable.

Vandalism, theft, or illegal or disruptive behavior of any kind in hotels, restaurants, competition sites or any other place is prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Make sure your Coach knows where you are at all times. Be on time for all meetings, meals, departures, etc. and abide by curfews set by Coaching Staff.

Alcohol and drug use is prohibited.

 
POLICIES:
   
I.

GAMBLING AND BRIBERY: The NJCAA has established specific guidelines concerning involvement in gambling and bribery at the collegiate level. Although the CUNY Constitution and Bylaws do not broach the subject, the standards also apply to student-athletes at the community college level. In fact, any violation of the NJCAA code in this area will affect a community college student-athlete with four-year college transfer ambitions well beyond his or her community college years.

Gambling and bribery threaten the integrity of intercollegiate athletics as well as the student-athlete’s eligibility to participate. Participation in gambling or bribery activities will result in disciplinary action by the Athletics Department and ultimately the NJCAA. In addition, the likelihood exists for local, state and/or federal prosecution of the individual(s) involved.

In regards to gambling and bribery issues, student-athletes are responsible
for the following:

  1. Immediately reporting to the Head Coach of any offers of gifts, money or favors in exchange for supplying team information or for attempting to alter the outcome of any contest;
  2. Maintaining a clear understanding of what constitutes Gambling and Bribery activities and reporting any suspected infractions;
  3. Contacting the Head Coach or Athletics Director when questions arise concerning the release of confidential or inappropriate team information.
II.

STUDENT-ATHLETE INITIATIONS: The Hostos Community College Athletic Department has in force a zero-tolerance policy for Team and/or individual student athlete initiation activities in any form.

Unsanctioned initiations of first-year team members fall under the category of "harassment" and/or "hazing" and are strictly prohibited. All student athletes, whether first year freshmen, first-year transfers or returning sophomores are to be treated with equality and unqualified respect by Coaches and other Team members at all times.

Any Hostos Community College student athlete or group of student-athletes engaging in
any practice perceived to constitute an initiation or harassment of another student athlete
or athletes risks severe sanction in regard to their intercollegiate athletic privileges. Any first-year student-athlete who willfully participates in such activity is also subject to sanction. Activities perceived to constitute an initiation or individual harassment associated with team membership shall be reported immediately to the Athletics Director.
   
III.

CRIMINAL VIOLATION:
If a student-athlete is charged with violating a local, state or federal law and the misconduct involves a violent action, illegal drugs, gambling, weapon(s) and/or any felony charge(s), that student-athlete may be suspended from Team practice and/or competition in the intercollegiate athletics program until the charges have been addressed and/or adjudicated by the legal system.

If such action is taken, the student-athlete will be provided with written notification of the
decision. Reinstatement or continuing suspension will be predicated upon the actions
taken by the legal system. Student-athlete support services, such as use of the physical
fitness lab (PFL), athletic training room and/or academic support services for student
athletes may or may not be utilized by the student-athlete, as determined by the Dean
of Students and/or Athletics Director, based upon the severity of charges.

DISCIPLINARY APPEALS PROCESS: In the interest of due process, the student athlete may request reconsideration of a decision to impose a disciplinary sanction or suspension with the Athletics Director. Such request must be in writing and submitted to the Athletics Director within five (5) days after receipt of the notice of suspension. Based on information available to the Athletics Director, the sanctions and/or suspension may be reversed, modified or upheld.
   
IV.

DRUG AND ALCOHOL POLICY:
It is the expectation of the Hostos Community College Athletics Department that student-athletes perform at optimum standards, both academically and athletically.

Consistent with this fundamental expectation, participating student-athletes are prohibited from abusing anabolic steroids, cocaine, amphetamines, marijuana, crack, cocaine, heroin [or any form thereof], alcoholic beverages and/or any other controlled substance as proscribed by federal or state law.

Such use by any member of an intercollegiate athletic team is expressly prohibited, whether occurring before, during or after the team’s season of sport. The only exceptions are for medication prescribed by a licensed physician for the individual student-athlete. Unauthorized use of drugs, underage consumption of alcohol and citations of drug and/or alcohol abuse, such as (but not limited to) disorderly conduct and/or DUI (driving under the influence) constitute an abuse of the privilege of practicing for and representing the institution in intercollegiate athletic events.


Hostos Community College Student-Athlete Handbook

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