| By
Sandra Kelly
Buffalo State College students who have tried going on Degree
Navigator since March 7 have been denied access until they agree
to the school’s Student Code of Conduct, Freedoms and Responsibilities.
In April 2004, State University of New York Chancellor Robert
King ordered all SUNY campuses to “develop a specific, written
plan to ensure students receive and positively affirm the campus’s
Student
Code of Conduct.”
Buffalo State decided to use a procedure that is the “least
intrusive way to comply” with the chancellor’s decree,
according to Charles Kenyon.
Students who want to get on to Degree
Navigator will be automatically redirected to the Code of
Conduct affirmation
page where they must enter the first six digits of their Social
Security number and their name in order to agree to the code and
receive access to Degree Navigator.
Charles Kenyon, associate vice president for Student
Affairs, said that Chancellor King had concerns about the
code, mainly regarding hazing, consumption of alcohol and other
misconduct of students.
The college had collected signatures from students during spring
orientation, said Kenyon. Half of the student body has already
affirmed the code.
Kenyon believes that more students will just agree to the code
without reading it, just to get it over with.
However, just making students affirm the code will make them aware
of it and know that there are rules, he said. All students should
be affirming the code before attending classes.
There have been a couple of students already who have had questions
about the code, said Kenyon. Staff from the Student Affairs office
sat down with the students and explained and addressed their questions
and concerns.
“We made the students more comfortable with the code,”
he said.
If any student would like to discuss the code, they can contact
the office of the Dean of Students and set up an appointment.
So far, no one has declined to sign.
• Senior Kerri Considine said that she saw the affirmation
but will probably not read the code.
“I’m pretty sure I can adhere to any
Code of Conduct,” she said.
• Laura Garcea, a junior, said she skimmed
the code but has no real concerns about it.
• Junior Bethany Andrews said that she plans
on agreeing to the code because she has to get onto Degree Navigator.
Andrews assumes the code is just normal procedure.
She does not plan on reading it. She doesn’t have a problem
with the college withholding Degree Navigator from students.
“It makes sense because every student should
agree. You are there by choice,” she said.
• Rachel Henderson, a junior, also plans
on affirming the code. However, she thinks the college should
do it right and get a signature in person.
“There is probably some stuff that people
wouldn’t agree with,” Henderson said.
Any student who has a question or concern about
the procedure or the code can call the office of the Dean of Students
in Campbell Student Union 306 at 878-4618.
Links:
http://www.buffalostate.edu/offices/stuaffr/AcademicPolicies/codeofrights.html
http://www.buffalostate.edu/sabre/students/dn4/
http://bscintra.buffalostate.edu/codeconduct/
http://www.buffalostate.edu/offices/stuaffr/
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