Policies & Procedures

The Office of the Vice President provides interpretations of student policies and procedures. To read about a specific policy, simply select one of the main headings below and navigate to the appropriate information. You may also access certain forms below, though a comprehensive list can be found in the Forms section.

Enforcement of Classroom Protocols and Safety Procedures
For Students Attending Face to Face Classes

Fall 2020
California State University, Northridge

Purpose

Maintaining the health and safety of all California State University, Northridge (CSUN) students and community is of utmost priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, enforcing safety procedures for non-compliant students is a shared responsibility. Committees, protocols, and guidance have been created across campus to guide and direct faculty, Student Housing and Residential Life, and Student Conduct on educating, promoting and enforcing protocols and practices that align with guidance from the Center on Disease Control (CDC), California Department of Public Health (DPH), the California State University (CSU), and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH). The Governor of California released guidance to California higher education institutions on August 7, 2020, and can be found here for reference.

This document will focus on managing COVID-19 non-compliance in the classroom and the integral roles of faculty, Deans/Associate Deans, Department of Police Services (DPS), and Student Conduct.

Faculty Guidance on Managing COVID-19 Compliance in the Classroom

It is expected with limited repopulation of campus, there may be 4,400 students, and 200 faculty, on campus during fall 2020. As such, CSUN’s Faculty Affairs, created a working document Faculty Guidelines – for Fall 2020 Classroom Activities, which focuses on educating students, setting and maintain a safe classroom environment through classroom management, and coordinating best safety practices. These practices include, but are not limited to, proper social distancing, mask wearing, taking roll for the Qualtrics self-screening verification process, and providing masks if needed. Ultimately it is not the role of the faculty to enforce safety protocols. However, faculty are encouraged to manage these situations with tact, and de-escalation practices. Further, the fall 2020 course syllabus should include language and links to COVID-19 safety protocols, and the consequences of violating these protocols.

If a student is non-compliant, faculty are asked to address the situation through an educational and developmental approach. If the behavior continues, the student should be referred to the Associate Dean for further action.

Other steps a faculty may take include the following:

End the class early and report the incident to the Associate Dean.
Ask the student to leave:
- If the student leaves, the incident should be referred to the Associate Dean for further action.
- If the student refuses to leave, faculty should call the Department of Police Services (DPS) for support in escorting the student from the classroom, as is the practice in any disruptive student scenario.
- DPS will work closely with the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct and Ethical Development (ADOS), for further action and guidance.
- If a student is in need of accommodations due to a disability, faculty should refer the student to Disability Resource and Educational Services (DRES), (818) 677-2684, or by email, by contacting Jodi Johnson, Director (jodi.johnson@csun.edu) or Joaquin Marinez, Assistant Director (jmarinez@csun.edu)
- If a student needs medical attention, please speak to the student in a quiet and confidential space, with face coverings and ensuring social distancing of six feet or more apart. Ask the student to return home and privately call their doctor or the Klotz Student Health Center (SHC) at 818-677-3666, option 1, for next steps. The SHC may offer further guidance to the student.
- At any given time, faculty should be prepared to pivot to fully virtual instruction. This may be needed if public health authorities deem it is necessary.
- In a case where a student can no longer attend class in person due to a COVID related reason, accommodations must be made for that student to complete the coursework virtually.

For further guidance on classroom management, please contact Zeina Otaky-Ramirez, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct and Ethical Development, at Zeina.ramirez@csun.edu.

Deans and Associate Deans Guidance on Managing COVID-19 Compliance

Deans and Associate Deans will play a critical role in the first response to reports by faculty of student’s non-compliance to COVID-19 classroom protocols and procedures, per the Self-Screening Process for Students Attending Classes On-Campus. The ultimate goal during this time, is to utilize an educational and developmental approach while monitoring and enforcing safety protocols as they pertain to students in the classroom.

Faculty will be required to take roll. Students, prior to coming to campus, are required to complete and receive clearance through the Qualtrics self-screening survey. It will be the role of the Dean and/or Associate Dean’s offices to reconcile the roll data with the Qualtrics self-screening data.

It is through this process, that a first incident of non-compliance will be managed by the Dean or Associate Dean. An email to the student reminding them to comply with safety protocols which includes the self-screening survey, and safety in the classroom. If the Dean or Associate Dean, choose to utilize a virtual meeting process, it is important the that a memorialization of the discussion is recorded in writing for records keeping and escalation of reporting. If the student continues to violate these practices and second incident is established, the Dean and/or Associate Dean will complete the COVID-19 Non-Compliance Form, which will be submitted to the ADOS. The ADOS will proceed as discussed below or as otherwise appropriate. It is critical that all reports are submitted in a timely manner to reinforce safety protocols and appropriate interventions are initiated.

Student Conduct Procedures

Pursuant to CSU, Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols for Students Returning to Campus and Face-to-Face Instruction, Programs and Services, Student Conduct Administrators (SCA) will be central to the enforcement of COVID-19 safety procedures. The SCA on the CSUN campus is the Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct and Ethical Development (ADOS). The ADOS is to be consulted when all educational avenues have been exhausted and a student repeatedly or persistently fails to comply. The ADOS is an integral collaborative partner and will work with faculty, Deans and Associate Deans to reinforce safety practices in the classroom.

I. Student Conduct Code Violation

Students failing to comply with the announced campus safety protocols and procedures are subject to discipline pursuant to CSU Executive Order 1098, (rev. 3/29/19): Student Conduct Procedures Title V of the California Code of Regulations Section 41301, Student Conduct Code, describes the grounds in which a student can be disciplined under, including Section 41301(b)(17):

“Failure to comply with directions of, or interference with, any University official or any public safety officer while acting in the performance of his/her duties.”

Students failing to comply with campus safety protocols and procedures, including in connection with on-campus instruction, are subject to discipline based on the above grounds.

II. Reporting Procedures

If students continuously and intentionally fail to comply to safety protocols, the students should be reported through the COVID-19 Non-Compliance Reporting Form, which will be routed to the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs for review and further action.

Listed below are behaviors that may warrant consultation and/or intervention by the ADOS:

Repeatedly, failing to complete and/or receive appropriate clearance through the health self-screening survey before arriving to class.
Repeated and intentional failure to wear a mask after multiple and clear warnings; taking all accommodations into consideration.
Repeatedly and intentionally violating physical distancing directives after fair and clear warnings.

Initially students will be given the opportunity to correct the behavior through education from faculty, and deans/associate deans. Students who forget, engage in unintentional carelessness, or act in haste will be given verbal warnings by faculty or Associate Deans and/or Deans. Deans and/or Associate Deans will be required to complete the COVID-19 Non-Compliance Form which will be submitted to the ADOS. It is critical that all warnings, and incidents are memorialized in writing for record keeping, and escalation of complaints for due process of disciplinary proceedings.

III. Sanctioning

Students who have violated safety protocols and procedures for the second time are referred to the ADOS as discussed above. The ADOS will conduct an appropriate review, and will take into account any and all aggravating and mitigating circumstances in determining an appropriate sanction/action. Ultimately all decisions must be centered around the safety and well-being of the campus community. Below is a list of sanctions that will typically be considered in making decisions. There is no specific order of sanctioning as the severity of the incident will be taken into consideration:

Table of sanctions
1st Violation
Warning by email or via virtual meeting by Associate Dean or Dean; if the Associate Dean or Dean choose to conduct a virtual meeting, it is important that follow up of what was agreed upon in the meeting be sent in writing. This is critical for record keeping and escalating of the complaints.
2nd Violation
Student will be reported to the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA) via the COVID-19 Non-Compliance Form; an admonishment letter and reflection essay assignment will be sent out.
3rd Violation
Student will virtually meet with ADOS prior to attending next face to face class to initiate any necessary interventions. It is at this point, a student may be asked to complete remaining coursework virtually, voluntary withdrawal from the course and/or petition for an "incomplete" in the course. Some of these options may have financial aid implications.
4th Violation
Disciplinary action may be pursued in accordance to CSU Executive Order 1098, (rev. 3/29/19): Student Conduct Procedures

IV. Interim Suspension

Under severe circumstances where it is determined that there is a threat to any individuals in the campus community, an Interim Suspension, may be considered.

Under Article VI. of CSU Executive Order 1098 (revised March 29, 2019), per Title 5, California Code of Regulations, section 41302, an interim suspension may be considered and evaluated, "where there is reasonable cause to believe that separation of a Student is necessary to protect the personal safety of persons within the University community or University Property, and to ensure the maintenance of order."

Department of Police Services

CSUN’s Department of Police Services (DPS), will not be required to enforce COVID-19 policies and protocols, however, their support and services may be called upon when there is a disruption in the classroom by a student who refuses to leave the classroom for non-compliance of COVID-19 protocols. DPS will determine if class cancellation is recommended. This is in line with past practice of managing disruption in the classroom.

DPS will work with the ADOS and Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA), to determine next steps, and possible considerations, which may include disciplinary action, interim suspension, or a "stay away order" pursuant to California Penal Code Section 626.

Have a Safe Fall 2020!

The health and safety of the campus community is the university’s first priority and, during the COVID pandemic safety protocols and procedures must be taken seriously. It is critical that education and community efforts work together as central elements in the enforcement of any COVID-19 safety protocols. When these efforts fail, the well-being of the campus requires that other action be taken as discussed herein. This protocol may be adjusted as new changes and guidance from the California State University, Center for Disease Control and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health become available.

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