Our Position
Statement Opposing Sections of the Draft Student Code of Conduct
As members of the Queen’s University and Kingston community, we find particular clauses in the proposed draft of the Student Code of Conduct to be unacceptable. The university is a public space that should be encouraging freedom of speech and we are moving to protect existing avenues for this expression. It is our position that the highlighted text below must not be included in the Student Code of Conduct:
7. Students shall refrain from theft, knowingly possessing stolen property, trespassing, vandalism, and willfully or negligently damaging private or University property. Likewise, students shall refrain from any other unauthorized conduct likely to limit the lawful rights of others to possess, use, or enjoy private or University property;
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9. Students shall refrain from engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct that interferes with the lawful activity of others, including but not limited to, studying, teaching, research, and University administration;
11. Students shall, as soon as it is reasonably possible, report misconduct (behaviour in contravention of rules 1 through 10, inclusive) to the appropriate authority or remove themselves from situations where misconduct is occurring;
and Considerations,’ bullet 2:
The above rules apply with equal force to individual students and student groups or organizations. Where an organization is the subject of a complaint, the registered officers of the organization may be held accountable.
We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, call on the Senate Committee on Non-Academic Discipline (SONAD) to immediately remove these recommendations for the new Student Code of Conduct and abstain from taking any further steps to criminalize freedom of speech, freedom of association, and political dissent on campus.
Signed,
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