Dawson Community College seeks to foster an environment conducive to academic inquiry, productive campus life, and thoughtful study and discourse. We strive to keep the conduct process at DCC an educational and developmental process that balances the interests of individual students with the interests of the academic community. 

It is the responsibility of everyone at DCC (students, faculty, staff, volunteers, and visitors) to help promote a safe and effective campus environment. If you see something happen on campus that is a violation or out of the ordinary, you are encouraged to say something. If you have a concerns about a student, friend, or roommate, please share those concerns with a DCC faculty member, staff member, resident assistant, or coach or by emailing seesay@dawson.edu. 

If what you see if an emergency or time-sensitive situation, dial 911 immediately and say what you see to the 911 operator. 

Examples of things to say something about include personal safety concerns; personal distress; erratic, disruptive, or disturbing behavior; drug use; illegal activities; or violations of DCC policies. 

• Personal safety concerns: self-injurious behaviors; suicidal ideation, talk, or attempt; depression; excessive crying; fatigue; change in appetite; disturbed or excessive sleeping; change in hygiene; negative thinking along the themes of hopelessness and helplessness; essays/papers focusing on despair, suicide, or death.
• Personal distress: behaviors may include: grade problems, excessive absences, marked change in previous level of performance, significant relational withdrawal or social isolation, not leaving residence for sustained periods, anxiety, pacing, muscle tension, sweating, impaired thinking: worrying, ruminating, easily distracted.
• Erratic, disruptive, or disturbing behavior: behavior (including online activities) that is a disruption to other students, faculty, staff or the community. Behaviors may include: threats of a weapon on campus, campus safety being compromised, acting out, emotional outburst, loss of rationality, venting, unprovoked or uncontrollable anger or hostility, screaming, swearing, high energy output, intimidation (verbal or nonverbal threatening).
• A dramatic increase in alcohol or drug use or alcohol and drug violations that necessitate a hospital transport.

Community Standards

We are all essential members of the DCC community and are expected to uphold and abide by certain standards of conduct that form the basis of the Student Code of Conduct. The student conduct process at DCC is not intended to punish students. Rather, it exists to challenge those whose behavior is not in accordance with our community standards, which are policies set forth in the interest of the community as a whole. Our goal is to foster a better understanding of the expectations that exist for members of our academic community. Educational and behavioral interventions are intended to improve the students' moral and ethical decision-making and to help them learn more about what it means to be a good community member. 

Students need to be aware that the student conduct process is conducted with fairness. Any intervention will be proportionate to the severity of the issue or conduct violation and to the cumulative conduct history of the student. Remember that the goal is to foster a safe and effective campus environment for everyone.