Students are both citizens and members of an academic community with rights of freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and petition. Administrative officials and faculty members should not employ institutional powers to inhibit the intellectual and personal development of students as promoted through the exercise of citizenship rights on and off campus.
Where activities of students off-campus result in the violation of law and interrogation by investigators, the colleges should:
- Not duplicate the function of general laws until the college’s interests as an academic community are distinctly and clearly involved;
- Not subject the student to a greater penalty than would normally be imposed if the off- campus violation incidentally violates an institution regulation;
- Take appropriate action independent of community pressure.