Accountability and Support

A community exists on the basis of shared values, principles, and ideals. At EMU these ideals are articulated in Life Together: Commitments for a Community of Learning - Love for God and one another, wisdom, equality, sustainability, and accountability. EMU strives to build a community in which all belong and see themselves as members, owners, and curators of community.

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EMU is committed to building and maintaining a campus environment that is conducive to academic inquiry, engaged campus life, and thoughtful study and discourse. The student accountability program is committed to educational, developmental, and restorative processes that meet the needs of individual students as well as the needs of the university community.

Restorative Justice and Student Accountability at EMU

Restorative justice is a philosophy that emphasizes healing and accountability to repair harm and wrongdoing, build community, and strengthen relationships (definition developed by Dr. Johonna Turner, Assistant Professor of Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding at CJP at EMU). Restorative justice begins with the assumption that all people should be treated with dignity and respect, recognizing that each person has a unique perspective. By our presence we are all members of communities and are therefore connected to each other. Each of us needs to be responsible for our own actions and need to be held accountable for those actions. Restorative justice is a philosophy that focuses on meeting the needs of individuals and groups through community/relationship building as well as through the development of processes that lead to active and meaningful accountability. RJ embraces community empowerment and participation, multi-partial facilitation, active accountability, and social support. Restorative justice is not an easy way out for those who do harm, because restorative justice requires taking responsibility and being accountable in ways that are not easy.

The purpose of a restorative justice process is to bring together all parties involved in an incident for the purposes of addressing the harms associated with the incident. The RJ process enhances the opportunity for learning amongst all involved, as well as providing a venue for discussion of various points of view.

As far as possible, the student accountability processes at EMU attempt to embody this restorative justice philosophy by creating space for inclusive decision-making, active accountability, repairing harm, and rebuilding trust. However, there may be incidences where respondents/those who have done harm refuse to take responsibility and/or need to be held responsible for harm done or for a violation of university standards of conduct. While highlighting the restorative processes (conferencing and circles) used for repairing harm, rebuilding trust, and building community, the EMU student accountability procedures also contain mechanisms for incidents in which those who have done harm/respondents are held responsible for harm/wrongdoing/violation of policy.

Scope of Community Expectations

Students at EMU are provided a copy of the Student Handbook annually in the form of a link on the EMU website. Students are responsible for reading and abiding by the provisions of the standards of conduct.  The standards of conduct apply to the conduct of individual students. A student will be considered enrolled if the following conditions are met:

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*In cross-cultural settings, students may encounter different cultural standards and values. They, along with faculty leaders, will agree upon culturally appropriate behavior that still honors EMU’s standards of conduct. Outcomes for violations of standards of conduct while on cross-cultural trips may include but are not limited to the student being sent home early from the cross-cultural at the expense of the student.

Standards of Conduct

The standards of conduct may be applied to behavior conducted online, via email, or other electronic medium. Community members should be aware that online postings such as blogs, web postings, chats, and social networking sites and applications are considered to be in the public sphere and are not private. The university does not regularly search for this information, but may take action if and when such information is brought to attention.

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1. Assault
   Acts of violence or use of physical force against any member of the community, or any act that threatens the use of physical force.
2. Bullying
   Bullying includes any intentional electronic, written, verbal, or physical act or a series of acts of physical, social, or emotional domination that cause physical or emotional harm to another student or group of students. Bullying conduct may not only cause a negative effect on individuals targeted but also others who observe the conduct. Bullying conduct is severe, persistent, or pervasive and has the effect of doing any of the following: substantially interfering with a community member’s education, employment, or full enjoyment of the college; creating a threatening or intimidating environment; or substantially disrupting the orderly operation of the University. Bullying is prohibited at EMU.
3. Hazing
   Hazing is prohibited at EMU. Hazing is defined as “actions which are initiated against someone’s will by harassing through force, banter, ridicule or criticism”. Hazing is an act that, as an explicit or implicit condition for initiation to, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in a group organization, could be seen by a reasonable person as endangering the physical health of an individual or as causing mental distress to an individual through, for example, humiliating, intimidating, or demeaning treatment; destroys or removes public or private property; involves the consumption of alcohol, other drugs, or other substances; or violates any of the policies of the university. Hazing that involves sexual misconduct will be investigated by the university's Title IX coordinator. See Eastern Mennonite University Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct.
4. Language Abuse
   Profanity, vulgarity, and the use of words or names that demean, intimidate, or contain threats of unwanted physical contact or damage to property.
5. Pranks
   Actions which cause harm, damage and/or inconvenience to others and property.
6. Relationship Violence*
   
   Relationship violence is a broad term that encompasses domestic violence, dating violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking (definitions provided below). Relationship violence often includes ongoing emotional, psychological, physical, and fiscal abuse. Conduct that constitutes relationship violence is covered under the Eastern Mennonite University Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct.
   
   Domestic Violence: violence committed by a current or former spouse, or sexual or intimate partner of the alleged victim, a person who is living as a spouse or who lived as a spouse with the alleged victim, parents and children, other persons related by blood or marriage, or by a person with whom the alleged victim shares a child in common. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Dating Violence: violence committed by a person who is or has been in a social relationship of a romantic or intimate nature with the alleged victim. The existence of such a relationship will be determined based on the reporting party’s statement, taking into consideration the following factors: a) the length of the relationship, b) the type of relationship, and c) the frequency of interaction between the persons involved in the relationship. Dating violence includes, but is not limited to, sexual or physical abuse or the threat of such abuse. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Intimate Partner Violence: includes dating violence, domestic violence, and relationship violence, includes any act of violence or threatened act of violence against a person who is, or has been involved in, a sexual, dating, domestic, and/or other intimate relationship with that person. It may involve one act or an ongoing pattern of behavior. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Stalking: occurs when a person engages in a course of conduct directed at a specific person under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to fear bodily injury or to experience substantial emotional distress.
   
   
   1. Course of conduct means two or more acts, including but not limited to acts in which a person directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means, follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to, or about another person, or interferes with another person’s property.
   2. A reasonable person means a person under similar circumstances and with similar identities to the victim.
   3. Substantial emotional distress means significant mental suffering or anguish.
      
      
   Stalking includes cyber-stalking, a particular form of stalking in which a person uses electronic media, such as the internet, social networks, blogs, cell phones, texts, or other similar devices or forms of contact. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   *To report an instance of sexual violence and/or sexual misconduct, contact the Title IX coordinator at 540-432-4302 or by email at titleixcoordinator@emu.edu OR complete a Campus Safety Incident Report at https://emu.edu/safecampus/ OR see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct “Reporting” section for full details on reporting options and process.
   
   
7. Sexual Violence/Misconduct*
   Sexual violence/misconduct is a broad term that encompasses sexual harassment, gender-based harassment, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, and indecent exposure. Conduct that constitutes sexual violence and/or sexual misconduct is covered under the Eastern Mennonite University Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct.
   
   Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful gender discrimination. Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, or other unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Gender-based harassment includes harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression which may include acts of aggression, intimidation, or hostility, whether verbal or non-verbal, graphic, physical, or otherwise. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Sexual assault consists of sexual contact and/or sexual intercourse that occurs without affirmative consent. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   Sexual exploitation is purposely or knowingly doing any of the following:
   1. causing the impairment or incapacitation of another person (through alcohol, drugs, or any other means) for the purpose of compromising that person’s ability to give affirmative consent to sexual activity;
   2. allowing third parties to observe sexual activity from a hidden location (e.g., closet) or through electronic means (e.g., Skype or live-streaming of images);
   3. engaging in voyeurism (e.g., watching private sexual activity without the consent of the participants or viewing another person’s intimate parts (including genitalia, groin, breasts or buttocks) in a place where that person would have a reasonable expectation of privacy);
   4. recording or photographing sexual activity and/or a person’s intimate parts (including genitalia, groin, breasts or buttocks) without affirmative consent;
   5. disseminating or posting images of private sexual activity and/or a person’s intimate parts (including genitalia, groin, breasts or buttocks) without affirmative consent;
   6. prostituting another person; or
   7. exposing another person to a sexually transmitted infection or virus without the other’s knowledge.
      (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   Indecent Exposure: A person commits indecent exposure if that person exposes their genitals, buttocks and breasts in any public place or in any place where there are other persons present and under circumstances in which one knows or should know that this conduct is likely to offend, affront, or alarm. (see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct)
   
   *To report an instance of sexual violence and/or sexual misconduct, contact the Title IX coordinator at 540-432-4302 or by email at titleixcoordinator@emu.edu OR complete a Campus Safety Incident Report at https://emu.edu/safecampus/ OR see EMU Policy on Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct “Reporting” section for full details on reporting options and process.
   
   Procedures related specifically to conduct that has occurred that is listed in the EMU Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy as prohibited conduct can be found in the Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy Appendix A if the violation is between two students and in the Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct Policy Appendix B if the conduct has occurred between a student and an employee.
8. Theft
   Theft of money or property, shoplifting, possession of stolen property and/or the unauthorized use of personal or institutional property.

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