COVID-19 Student Code of Conduct

The College requires that all Whittier College faculty, staff, and students —whether you are living and studying remotely or an approved residential student —participate in the College’s daily health screening measures. 

Students are required to monitor their daily symptoms (7 days per week) and record them into the symptom monitoring app, Everbridge. The Everbridge screening app will have a symptom check that will include daily monitoring and recording one’s temperature and assessing one’s health/ potential symptoms. It is important that we all monitor and record our symptoms daily, so that we can be alerted if there is a change and seek medical treatment and follow-up as necessary. If a student has a change in their health symptoms or status, they will be required to record it on the Everbridge app and/or provide accurate and complete information to the Student Health and Wellness Center per the College Notification of symptomatic and awaiting COVID-19 Test Results Policy. This symptom check is a tool that allows us to help protect ourselves, our loves ones, and any community members that we come into contact with. 

Approved Residential Students will specifically be asked to complete the daily health screening via the Everbridge app, prior to leaving their residence hall each day. The College’s daily health screening measures will help to determine whether it is appropriate for a student to be moving about their residence hall and campus. 

Failure to complete the College’s daily health screening measures may result in policy violation of “College Rules and Regulations” where the student will go through the Conduct Process and if found responsible, receive sanctions.

The College requires that all students—whether you are living and studying remotely or an approved residential student—notify the Student Health and Wellness Center immediately (no later than 8 hours after you receive the positive test result ) if you test positive for COVID-19 by any health care provider in any jurisdiction. 

You can contact the Student Health and Wellness Center by calling 562.464.4548 or emailing healthservices@whittier.edu.

After the Student Health and Wellness Center has learned that a student has tested positive for COVID-19, staff may conduct additional contact tracing to determine if there was exposure to other members of our community so that they can take appropriate next steps to mitigate further spread of the virus. Consistent with federal and state laws governing patient confidentiality, the College will not share any patient’s private medical information other than to confirm that they are a residential or commuter student of the College.  

The College requires that any student who receives a COVID-19 rapid antigen test will need to have a second PCR test from a traditional lab to confirm the results. Rapid tests can sometimes provide false negative results and are less than 80% accurate. 

Particularly for approved residential students, the College will need to have accurate results before a treatment decision is made and prevent the possible spread of the virus due to a false negative result. Documentation of all the lab results need to be submitted to the Student Health & Wellness Center and  quarantine plan will be determined. Please refer to the “Post-Quarantine, Confirmed Negative Results Policy (Approved Residential Students)” for more information on the materials and documentation that an approved residential student must provide to be cleared to return to their originally designated room on campus.

Failure of any student to notify the Student Health and Wellness Center of a positive test will result in policy violation of “College Rules and Regulations” where the student will go through the Conduct Process and if found responsible, receive sanctions. Please know that students’ health, wellness and safety is the College’s top priority. All student conduct procedures will occur following the student’s full recovery.    

The College requires that all students— whether you are living and studying remotely or an approved residential student —notify the Student Health and Wellness Center if you become symptomatic and are currently awaiting COVID-19 test results. Students must notify the Student Health and Wellness Center within 8 hours of being tested due to their COVID-19 symptoms.   

You can contact the Student Health and Wellness Center by calling 562.464.4548 or emailing healthservices@whittier.edu.

Failure to notify the Student Health and Wellness Center if you are symptomatic and awaiting COVID-19 test results may result in policy violation of College Rules and Regulations.

A student must go through the proper protocols of notifying and being in communication with the Student Health and Wellness Center if they have tested positive for COVID-19 or are symptomatic and awaiting test results.

The responsibilities of that student are to:

• Follow all instructions given by medical personnel  
• Share those instructions with the appropriate College personnel, including the Student Health and Wellness Center at healthservices@whittier.edu

If an approved residential student tests positive for COVID-19, the College will likely be able to provide another space on campus for that student to self-isolate. That student must be approved by College officials to safely quarantine in that designated space on campus and they must abide by all policies in the Student Code of Conduct and the COVID-19 Student Code of Conduct. In addition, the student must also:

• Remain in direct communication with the Student Health and Wellness Center
• Respond to all phone calls, voicemails, emails, and texts from Whittier College staff members including but not limited to Campus Safety, Dean of Students Office, Student Health and Wellness Center, and Housing and Residence Life within 8 hours or within the time specified in that communication    
• Remain in the specified quarantine location for the total number of days that the student is instructed by medical professionals, unless directed by a medical professional or approved in advance by a Whittier College professional staff member.

Failure to follow these policies and rules will result in a charge of the appropriate alleged violation which may include a policy violation of College Rules and Regulations. The student will go through the conduct process and if found responsible, receive sanctions. Please know that students’ health, wellness, and safety is the College’s top priority and all student conduct procedures will occur following the student’s full recovery.  

As addressed in the College Notification of Positive COVID-19 Test Policy, College Notification of symptomatic and awaiting COVID-19 Test Results Policy, and Quarantine Policy, all students whose medical situations require them to be in alignment with these policies, must be in consistent communication with the Student Health and Wellness Center. If and when the student has received the proper clearance and paperwork from a medical professional stating that they have tested negative for COVID-19 and no longer need to be in quarantine, they must send the documented information to the Student Health and Wellness Center. 

No approved residential student will be allowed to leave their specified, college-approved quarantine location until the proper paperwork has been sent to and an acknowledgement of receipt has been sent by professional staff in the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Failure to follow these policies and rules will result in a charge of the appropriate alleged violation which may include a policy violation of College Rules and Regulations.

The Whittier College Campus will only be accessible and open to previously approved essential staff and a small group of approved residential students. Therefore, no other individuals will be permitted to visit campus without proper authorization from College Officials. 

Approved residential students are not permitted to invite, host guests, or permit guests, current students, or non-students to be on campus, including their residential facility. Therefore, no guests are allowed. Current students who are not approved residential students fall under this policy and will not be permitted on campus. 

Under this policy, the term “Guest” has the meaning ascribed to it under the Student Code of Conduct: Person(s) to whom a student is extending or has extended hospitality or invitation to come onto the College Premises. 

Any approved residential student who is found to be hosting or permitting a guest(s) will be charged with the appropriate alleged guest violation which may include a policy violation of College Rules and Regulations and will go through the student conduct process. 

Registered Student Clubs and Organizations are not permitted to host social gatherings or events off-campus. All student-sponsored social events must be remote, submitted on the Engage platform, and approved by the Office of Student Engagement.

Failure to follow this policy and/or notification to the College of a violation of this policy will result in a charge(s) of the appropriate alleged violation(s). These charges may include but are not limited to a violation of “Social Host Liability” and “College Rules and Regulations”. The student group and/or students involved, will go through the conduct process and if found responsible, receive sanctions. 

Under this policy, the violation of “Social host liability” has the meaning ascribed to it under the  Student Code of Conduct: Students and student organizations hosting non-registered gatherings, particularly with alcohol or other drugs, assume all social host liability, including unintended consequences, for the gathering. 

As the College has transitioned to remote learning and programming, the College reaffirms its commitment to protect the privacy of students, faculty, and staff on Zoom or any other remote video platforms. 

In order to protect community members’ privacy, students are not permitted to post photos, screenshots, or videos on any social media sites. Also, students are prohibited from distributing the image(s) and/or video(s) of classmates, presenters, or instructors without their signed consent. Particularly, as many video platforms contain individual’s identifiable information, such as their name on the screen, this poses an additional violation of one’s privacy. 

If a student is alleged to have posted or distributed photos, screenshots, or videos of a classroom or academic remote setting without the individual(s) signed consent, the Dean of Students Office in collaboration with Academic Affairs and the professor will consult in order to determine next steps. 

Student(s) who are alleged to have violated this policy will be charged with the appropriate alleged violation(s) which may include but not be limited to a policy violation of “College Rules and Regulations.” The student will go through the conduct process and if found responsible, receive sanctions.

Approved residential students as well as employees approved to work on campus must wear a face mask while on the Whittier College campus. This includes but is not limited to:

• When walking around campus
• When walking throughout residence hall common spaces
• If one was permitted to enter a classroom, department, or campus office
• Where two or more people are present 

The following are exceptions to when/where one is not required to wear a mask (unless it is requested by another individual)

• Approved residential student in their designated bedroom on campus
• Approved residential students when showering or washing their face on the floor/communal bathrooms 
• When eating a meal 

All Whittier College students, faculty, and staff permitted to be on campus, reserve the right to kindly ask that any community members wear a face mask if they are not wearing one in a required setting. It is recommended to carry an extra face mask while on campus. If a student does not have a face mask to put on in that moment, they can be directed to visit Campus Safety or Student Health and Wellness Center. Instructions for homemade masks are widely available online.

Please note that any person(s) approved to be in athletic facilities must abide by the Whittier College Athletic Social Distancing Guidelines. Failure to abide by the Whittier College Athletic Social Distancing Guidelines may result in being charged with a policy violation of College Rules and Regulations that may result in more severe sanctioning. 

In order to enhance the safety and security of all persons on the Whittier College campus, all students and employees approved to be campus are encouraged to display their College ID in a visual location that allows them to be identified. For that reason, it is required that students keep their College Student ID on their person at all times while on campus so that they may be identified if asked. 

As the health and safety of all Whittier College students, faculty and staff is our highest priority, it is vital that the College knows who is on the campus at all times, and for that reason no guests will be permitted on campus as outlined in the Guest Policy. If contact tracing would need to occur, this policy allows for proper notification.

No bias profiling of individuals will be tolerated by the College. If you are asked by an individual if you are an approved residential student and/or to present your Whittier College ID, we ask that you please assume the best intentions of that individual and that they are ensuring that you are registered with the College for health and safety purposes. Those most likely to ask individuals to display their College ID are Campus Safety Officers, Housing and Residential Life Staff, A Residential Advisor (RA),or a Division of Student Life Staff Member, as their position and duties are student support and success. If you believe you were the victim of bias, fill out the Bias Incident Reporting Form so that the College is made aware of the incident and can follow up accordingly.   

Physical distancing is designed to limit the spread of a disease by reducing the opportunities for close contact between people. It is asked that everyone do their best to maintain a safe physical distance of 6 feet or more in all settings. 

The College recognizes that maintaining 6 feet of physical distancing may not be possible in all unforeseen and informal situations. However, all students are expected to make every effort to abide by this recommendation. For everyone’s health and safety, the Face Mask Policy will be enforced in an effort to maintain physical distancing.  

All residence hall lounges, and study room access will be closed off for health and safety purposes. 

All approved residential students who want to gather for social or communal purposes will be encouraged to do so outdoors, while maintaining 6 feet of social distancing, with a face mask and abiding by all policies. Congregating in groups of more than six (6) people is prohibited. 

Any student, faculty, or staff member who sees more than six (6) students gathering, has the right to go up to the group, while maintaining 6 feet of physical distance, and remind the group that only six (6) students can gather at one time. They can then ask the group to disperse or have some members leave so that they can abide with the policy.   

No approved residential students or any guests (per the Guest Policy) are permitted to congregate in a residence hall room. Only the approved resident assigned to that room should be present in that space.

No parties or unregistered social gatherings may take place on campus, in the residence halls or in a residence hall room. Per the Student Code of Conduct, students hosting parties or unregistered social gatherings may be in violation of the Social Host Liability policy. For reference, the Social Host Liability policy is as follows: Students and student organizations hosting non-registered gatherings, particularly with alcohol, assume all social host liability, including unintended consequences, for the gathering.  

If a number of students are present in a residence hall room or communal space and behaving in a manner that would denote a party (including but not limited to loud music, alcohol, drugs) they will be documented per the College’s policy and charged to go through the student conduct process.

In the case of gatherings in residence halls rooms, the approved resident who lives in that room will be charged with “Social Host Liability” along with appropriate alleged violations that may have taken place which are noted in the Student Code of Conduct as well as the COVID-19 Student Code of Conduct. The other students who are present in that residence hall room will be charged with appropriate alleged violations that may have taken place or were noted in the report. All students involved/present at the incident will go through the student conduct process.

Avoiding Academic Dishonesty

• Talk to your Professor. Communication is Key.
  • Share any concerns you have with your professor. Share plans on how you want to succeed and do well in the class and/or assignment(s). 
    • The Professor can work with you to set up a plan to complete your academic work that honors the learning that needs to take place without committing violations of academic integrity in the process.
• Talk to the Counseling Center
  • Stress and anxiety often lead to students engaging in acts of academic dishonesty
  • Contact the Counseling Center at 562.907.4239 or  counselingcenter@whittier.edu to schedule an appointment or learn about resources
• Create a Plan, which may involve CAAS
  • Look at your syllabus and know assignment due dates and submission deadlines
  • Creating a timeline of assignments will help prioritize efforts
  • Schedule an appointment with CAAS by calling 562.907.4816 or caas@poets.whittier.edu.
• Contact the Wardman Library to learn about citation workshops and other services at 562.907.4247 or library@whittier.edu. 

As the Whittier College Academic Honesty Policy states:

“If a professor detects that a student committed a form of academic dishonesty including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, unauthorized collaboration, and obtaining an unfair advantage, the professor will notify the student and then submit an Academic Integrity Report to the Dean of Students Office.” 

Read the full Academic Honesty Policy

The Dean of Students Office will send the student a letter notifying the student of the Academic Integrity Report submitted by the professor and that letter will contain additional sanctions that must be completed through the Student Conduct process. 

That letter will require that the student meet with the Associate Dean of Faculty, Fritz Smith, to discuss the charge. This conversation will give the student the opportunity to explain the situation while the associate dean will be able to discuss the appeal process if necessary and to work with the student to help the student understand the nature of the charge and approaches to use to avoid having this sort of incident happen again. 

The Dean of Students may take a student to the Student Conduct Review Hearing (SCRH) if the student has a minimum of two flagrant violations or three total violations. The Dean of Students has the discretion to take students to the SCHR for fewer violations if there are other outstanding circumstances. 

Whittier College Athletic Department adheres to all NCAA and Whittier College physical distancing procedures, protocols, and standards. Any person(s) approved to be in athletic facilities must abide by all College policies, rules, and regulations in addition to the Whittier College Athletics Social Distancing Guidelines. Failure to abide by these guidelines may result in being charged with a Policy Violation of College Rules and Regulations that may result in more severe sanctioning.