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In student affairs, certain standards must be maintained if the freedom of students, individually and collectively, is to be preserved.
Exercise of Rights of Citizenship
Students are both citizens and members of the academic community. As citizens, students (as well as all other members of the academic community) enjoy the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, and petition for redress; but these rights are accompanied by defined responsibilities. Faculty members and administrative officials will not use institutional powers to inhibit the intellectual and personal development of students as it is promoted by the exercise of their rights of citizenship either on or off campus.
Moravian Seminary supports the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States without exception and will not shield students from the consequences of violation of those laws. As in any community, certain regulations are required that further the best interests of the institution by fostering its educational, personal, and social ideals as outlined in its role and mission statements. The concept of enforcement of institutional policies, regulations, and procedures is based on the expectation of self-discipline by individuals and organizations. If an individual or a organization fails to exercise the proper degree of responsible self-discipline, the community must institute adequate controls and restraints.
Confidentiality Obligations of Student Workers
Student employees may at times have access to confidential information regarding students, employees, and/or the business of the institution. Accordingly, they may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement stating that they understand the privacy of all such information and agree to uphold this obligation. Violation of confidentiality by student employees may result in termination of employment and/or subsequent disciplinary action.
Student Participation in Institutional Government
As constituents of the Seminary community, students are free, individually and collectively, to express views on issues of Seminary policy and on matters of general interest to the student body through the Student Executive Committee.
Student Publications
Student publications and the student press are a valuable aid in establishing and maintaining an atmosphere of free and responsible discussion and of intellectual exploration on the campus. They are a means of bringing student concerns to the attention of the faculty and the Seminary authorities and of formulating student opinion on various issues on the campus and in the world.
The Board of Trustees has ultimate responsibility for all activities undertaken with the financial support of the Seminary.
The following general concepts shall guide the relationship between the Seminary and student publications:
- The student press shall be free of censorship and advance approval of copy, and its editors and managers shall be free to develop editorial policies subject to the responsibility to abide by established principles of journalistic ethics and practice and to avoid violation of rights or liberties of persons by defamatory expression, undocumented allegations, harassment, invasion of privacy, or violation of the community and Seminary standards of decency. The Seminary shall not withhold financial resources as a means of censorship of student publications.
- Editors and managers of student publications shall be protected from suspension and removal because of student, faculty, administrative, or public disapproval of editorial policy or publication content, so long as the standards set forth in the previous paragraph are met. Editors and managers shall be subject to removal only in accordance with established policies, regulations, and procedures of the Seminary .
- All Seminary -published or -financed student publications shall state on their editorial page(s) that the opinions therein expressed are not necessarily those of the Seminary or the Seminary community.
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