Student Rights and Responsibilities

A student has the right to pursue an education in an environment that is conducive to the free exchange of information and ideas. At Northampton, students are encouraged to express themselves thoughtfully and freely as they participate in discussions in and out of class.

With rights, come responsibilities. Specifically:

Inquiry and Expression

Students have the right to make inquiries and express opinions, orally, in print and online, but they have the responsibility to allow others to do the same and to be respectful of conflicting points of view. A student who believes he or she has been discouraged from offering dissenting viewpoints in classroom discussions or in assignments has the right to protest any form of sanction for his or her opinions.

Association

A student has the right to organize and join associations that promote a common legal cause or interest (whether on or off campus). A student who joins an association has the responsibility to comply with the rules and regulations of the association, and to contribute to its objective.

Citizenship

A student does not lose his or her rights of citizenship when he or she enters the College. All constitutional and statutory rights such as, but not limited to, freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and the right of petition are ensured. At the same time, a student is expected to abide by local, state and federal laws and College regulations.

Information

A student has the right to have available accurate and understandable information about academic programs, student services, and rules and regulations of the College. The information concerning academic programs should include course and time requirements, costs and placement statistics. A student has the responsibility to comply with academic program requirements, to appropriately utilize student services and to abide by the rules and regulations of the College.

Conduct

A student has the right to seek an education on a campus which is safe and at a college that does not tolerate misconduct. Consequently, a student has the responsibility to follow the Student Code of Conduct.