Principle of Community
In June of 1980, the Board of Trustees endorsed the following "Principle of
Community" for Dartmouth College:
The life and work of a Dartmouth student should be based on integrity,
responsibility and consideration. In all activities each student is expected to
be sensitive to and respectful of the rights and interests of others and to be
personally honest. He or she should be appreciative of the diversity of the
community as providing an opportunity for learning and moral growth.
This statement provides a basis for interaction between and among all
members of the College, and each of us is expected to be mindful of it in
pursuing our own interests as members of this community
Because the Principle of Community is a statement of aspirations and values
and not a promulgation of rules, it cannot be the basis of a disciplinary
hearing. It should be understood in the context of the Principle of Freedom of
Expression and Dissent (below) as well as Dartmouth’s Standard of Conduct,
which prohibit behaviors such as threats, harassment, disorderly conduct,
coercion, hazing, and causing physical harm. As stated in the preamble to the
Standard of Conduct, other behaviors that are not violations, but are
nonetheless rude, disrespectful, intolerant, obnoxious or offensive, are still
taken seriously by the College. The many effective responses to redress the
negative impact on individuals and the community may include expressions of
disapproval in the exchange of different ideas through free and open discussion
and debate.
Freedom of Expression and Dissent
Freedom of expression and dissent is protected by College regulations.
Dartmouth College prizes and defends the right of free speech and the freedom
of the individual to make his or her own disclosures, while at the same time
recognizing that such freedom exists in the context of the law and in
responsibility for one’s actions. The exercise of these rights must not deny
the same rights to any other individual. The College therefore both fosters and
protects the rights of individuals to express dissent.
Protest or demonstration shall not be discouraged so long as neither force
nor the threat of force is used, and so long as the orderly processes of the
College are not deliberately obstructed. Membership in the Dartmouth community
carries with it, as a necessary condition, the agreement to honor and abide by
this policy.
The Academic Honor Principle
Fundamental to the principle of independent learning are the requirements of
honesty and integrity in the performance of academic assignments, both in the
classroom and outside. Dartmouth operates on the principle of academic honor,
without proctoring of examinations. Any student who submits work which is not
his or her own, or who commits other acts of academic dishonesty, violates the
purposes of the College and is subject to disciplinary actions, up to and
including suspension or separation.
Equal Opportunity
Dartmouth College is committed to the principle of equal opportunity for all
its students, faculty, employees, and applicants for admission and employment.
For that reason Dartmouth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national
origin, disability, military or veteran status in its programs, organizations,
and conditions of employment and admission. (Dartmouth College refers to the
entire institution, including the professional schools, graduate programs, and
auxiliary activities.)
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