Student Rights And Responsibilities

Clark University, as a private liberal arts university, seeks to provide students with the opportunity for intellectual and personal development in a community setting. In order to achieve this goal, which includes respect for others' cultures and perspectives, the student must have a shared sense of responsibility for the safety, health, and well-being of all community members. The document that follows applies to all Clark University undergraduate students, with the exception of COPACE students. Other members of the community have similar documents outlining their responsibilities. Students who have a concern about a possible violation of their rights should see the Dean of Students for concerns related to students, the Provost for concerns related to faculty or Human Resources for concerns related to administration and staff. The goals of the following sections are to:

1. communicate students' basic set of rights;
2. outline students' responsibilities to maintain those rights in a Code of Student Conduct; and
3. describe the judicial process when a provision is violated.

Student Rights

Clark believes that student possess certain rights along with their responsibilities. These rights value both the individual and the community, and attempt to provide for student support and protection. At the same time, in order for students to exercise these rights, they must act responsibly, in accord with University policies and procedures, including the Code of Student Conduct, and with local, state, and federal law. Rights

• Clark University students have the right to an environment in which the University takes reasonable measures to offer students protection from foreseeable danger; and a University which provides reasonable access to, and support of, faculty and staff.
• Clark University students have the right to an environment conducive to the pursuit of academic requirements and interests.
• Clark University students have the right to not be unlawfully discriminated against by any agent, organization or member of the Clark University community for reasons of age, color, national origin, gender, disability, race, religion or sexual orientation.
• Clark University students have the rights to express their ideas, thoughts and opinions, both individually and in manners of forum or protest, without fear of censure or retribution from members of the Clark University community.
• Clark University students have the right to a reasonable expectation of privacy in their academic, co-curricular and personal lives.
• Clark University students have the right to access and control access to their educational records as provided in the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, also known as FERPA.
• Clark University students have the right to a fair process to address all alleged violations of the University's policies and procedures. The University's judicial process follows procedures of “fair practice” as defined in the Code of Student Conduct.
• Clark University students have the right to establish representative governmental bodies and to participate in University governance in accordance with the rules and procedures of the University.