Student Bill of Rights

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The academic community of students, faculty, staff and administration, in the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation, shall reflect the interdependency of rights and responsibilities on the part of every person within the community. The responsibility to secure and to respect general conditions conducive to the freedom to learn is shared by all members of the academic community.

Illinois College, as a liberal arts college, seeks to develop in its students a reflective understanding of the most significant areas of human knowledge; the ability to make value judgments; a capacity for effective communication; and commitment to life-long learning. In pursuit of this educational mission, students have both rights and responsibilities when they become part of this historical community of inquiry. The following is a listing of the rights of Illinois College students.

ARTICLE I
Students have the following rights concerning participation in decision making:

  • The right to formal participation in an advisory manner through student representation, in the making of policy decisions directly affecting them; and
  • The right, through a duly representative student government, to make final decisions concerning Student Senate and Senate-related student affairs.

ARTICLE II
Students have the right to accurately and plainly stated information which enables them to understand clearly:

  • The general qualifications for establishing and maintaining acceptable academic standing;
  • The graduation requirements for their particular curriculum and major; and
  • The basic procedural course requirements and the course grading system set by the individual faculty member for each course, to be spelled out in writing within the first full week of class.

ARTICLE III
Students have the following rights concerning person and residence:

  • The right to remain free from campus detention as a form of disciplinary action;
  • The right to remain free from duress and coercion;
  • The right to remain free from unwarranted entrance of his/her/their residence. The privacy of a resident’s room shall always be respected (except in the conduct of routine housekeeping, maintenance functions and emergencies);
  • The right to remain free from search and seizure of person, place and property without reasonable cause. In the case of a warranted search, the student shall be informed of who conducted the search and why;
  • The right to remain free from unauthorized use of his/her residence hall room; and
  • The right to safe habitation on the College campus.

ARTICLE IV
Students shall be extended the following protection when appearing before a disciplinary body:

  • The right to a speedy and fair hearing;
  • The right to refuse to answer self-incriminating questions;
  • The right to present statements in their own defense if they choose;
  • The right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty; and
  • The right to an appeal, upon request.

ARTICLE V
Students have the following rights in the classroom:

  • The right to take reasoned exception to the views offered in any course of study;
  • The right to protection through orderly procedures against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation;
  • The right to confidential retention by instructors of information about student views, beliefs and political associations; and
  • The right to refuse to answer questions concerning their personal views, political associations and other questions of a personal nature not germane to the course.

ARTICLE VI
Student rights regarding the confidentiality of academic, disciplinary, medical and financial records shall be determined within the professional guidelines of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

ARTICLE VII
Students have the right to associate or organize. Each group has the following privileges:

  • The privilege to choose an advisor;
  • The privilege to use the College facilities within conditions prescribed by the College;
  • The privilege to invite and hear any person of its choosing providing that it does not interfere with the essential College program;
  • The privilege to examine and discuss, pass resolutions, distribute leaflets, circulate petitions and take other lawful action to express opinion, providing any of these do not disrupt any regular and essential College programs; and
  • The privilege to support causes by orderly means outside of classroom situations.

ARTICLE VIII
Student communications have the following rights:

  • The right to publish all editorials or news commentaries that are not libelous, degrading or slanderous to individuals, groups or Illinois College; and
  • The right to written notification by the Student Senate and the board of trustees of regulations governing student communications.

ARTICLE IX
Students shall be free from discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, economic background, ancestry, age, marital status, ability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran, arrest record, political perspective, or religion

ARTICLE X
The enumeration of certain student rights in this bill shall not be construed to deny or disparage others held by each student. No right specified by this bill is meant to be construed as enabling students to infringe upon the individual rights of another member of the academic community.

ARTICLE XI
The Bill of Rights shall become operational upon receiving a two-thirds vote of the members of the Student Senate and with the approval of the Associate Provost for Student Success and the President of the College.