The Office of Student Conduct

The Office of Student Conduct strives to foster the educational mission of the University by supporting the community standards set forth in the Student Code of Conduct.

By enrolling in or attending a course or program of study at Fairmont State University, all persons are deemed to have agreed to respect the rights of the University and its members, to abide by the provisions of this code and the rules and regulations of the University, and to be subject to any sanctions which may be imposed for their violation.

EMERGENCY DIRECTIVE - Student Code of Conduct Student Infectious Disease Mitigation

Date of Issue: August 3, 2020 (In Effect Until Further Notice)

1. Purpose and scope of this “Student Infectious Disease Mitigation” Emergency Directive to the Fairmont State University Code of Student Conduct:
   1. Authority: FSU Student Code of Conduct Article 3.1: Prohibited Conduct
      
      General: All students of the University and, to the extent applicable, all student organizations are expected and required to obey federal, state, and local laws, to comply with the policies of the Fairmont State University Board of Governors, with institutional or campus rules and regulations, with directives issued by any University official, and to observe standards of conduct appropriate for an academic institution.
   2. The health and safety of the University community is the primary concern of the University. To this end, we have instituted expectations for students pertaining to mitigating the spread of infectious disease. This Emergency Directive outlines prohibited conduct for students and provides the structures necessary to maintain an in-person academic experience while also mitigating the spread of infectious disease.
   3. This Emergency Directive applies to all University students as defined in Article 2; Section 2 (2.2) of the Code of Student Conduct.
   4. This Emergency Directive is based on recommendations and requirements issued from the WV Department of Health and Human Resources and the Marion County Health Department.
2. Beyond the expectations found in this Emergency Directive, students are strongly encouraged to take personal responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others by following these recommendations:
   1. Educating oneself about infectious diseases and following all CDC guidelines. Specifically, information about the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here:
      1. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
   2. Understanding the local, regional, and statewide recommendations. These can be found here:
      1. https://dhhr.wv.gov/covid-19
   3. Monitoring public health orders and University policies and ensure that one is informed of their requirements and recommendations as they are updated.
3. Reasonable Accommodations to this Directive:
   1. If a student feels they may require an accommodation due to a disability in order to comply with all or parts of this policy, they should contact Accessibility Services. Accessibility Services will go through the normal accommodation process and provide a student with an accommodations letter if appropriate.
4. Prohibited Student Conduct related to Infectious Disease Mitigation:
   1. Failing to follow any and all applicable federal, state, and/or local public health orders. If multiple orders apply or in the event of conflict between or among them, students are required to follow the most restrictive public health order.
   2. Failing to follow University policies, procedures, and any other requirements in place to help reduce the risk of contracting or spreading infectious diseases.
   3. If contacted by an individual performing contact tracing, failing to participate in a timely manner or failing to provide thorough and accurate information.
   4. To the extent consistent with University policy, failing to comply with any additional or more specific actions required by a campus department, unit, or residence director to limit the spread of infectious disease, while participating in a program or activity, utilizing a service or benefit, or using University facilities.
   5. Failing to abide by face-covering requirements. If University policy, procedures, or other requirements and/or public health orders require wearing face coverings, students are required to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth and are designed to reduce the spread of body fluids or germs. Masks should be worn in compliance with Federal, State, and local requirements, and at a minimum, masks are required whenever indoors on campus and whenever outdoors on campus when physical distancing of six feet or more is not possible. This does not apply to:
      1. offices when used only by one student with a closed-door;
      2. private living spaces such as the interior of an apartment or residence hall room and bathroom, but not including communal living spaces that are accessible to all students in a building such as shared kitchens, lounges, or bathrooms; or
      3. when a specific activity the student is participating in cannot be reasonably done while wearing a face-covering including but not limited to while brushing one’s teeth in a communal bathroom while eating in a University dining hall or center, or while exercising in the University recreation center or other University recreation facility. Please note that this exception applies only as long as the duration of the activity,
   6. Failing to abide by gathering requirements. All on-campus gatherings, public or private, must comply with applicable University policy, procedure, or other requirements and the most restrictive public health order in place. All on and off-campus gatherings, public or private, must comply with the most restrictive public health order in place. For example, if specific capacity or density limitations or guidelines are in place, students must abide by those parameters. Students and/or student groups organizing or hosting any informal on unapproved event, party, etc. in excess of established density limitations shall be subject to sanctions up to and including expulsion.

Issued by: Jack A. Clayton – Interim Director of Student Conduct
 Room 101, Pence Hall
 jclayton@fairmontstate.edu
 304-367-4277

You can download a PDF of this emergency directive by clicking here.