An Iowa College in the Liberal Arts Tradition
Student Handbook
The Luther College Student Handbook is a collection of student conduct standards, policies, and procedures that define community expectations for students at Luther. It also serves as an important resource for students, highlighting a wide variety of topics related to life on the Luther campus.
It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with the Student Handbook. Students must also become familiar with other official publications including, but not limited to, the Academic Catalog, Emergency Procedure Guide, and other important documents pertaining to student rights and responsibilities.
The Campus Life Committee, a campus-wide body comprised of students, faculty, and staff. Faculty delegate this group to plan and define college policies about student engagement and welfare on campus. The Campus Life Committee works in conjunction with members of the Student Engagement Office to ensure an effective implementation of college policies and procedures.
The policies and statements included in the Student Handbook are not a contract and the college reserves the right to deviate from the policies and statements as deemed necessary from time to time.
Questions regarding the Luther College Student Handbook and related policies and procedures should be directed to: Student Engagement Office, Dahl Centennial Union 2nd floor, 563-387-1020, [email protected].
Parking and Traffic Policies and Procedures
The motor vehicle registration and parking program at Luther College is designed to provide a maximum of parking area consistent with the maintenance of the natural beauties of the campus, the use of available parking space in the best interests of the total college, and the achievement of as equitable an arrangement as possible for allocating parking privileges to students on the basis of residence in relation to distance from the campus.
A complete listing of regulations is available. If you have a vehicle and operate it within Decorah, you must register it at the Welcome Center in the Dahl Centennial Union.
7.3.5 Traffic Hearing Board
A Traffic Hearing Board shall be established for the purpose of arbitrating grievances between the office responsible for campus motor vehicle regulations and persons subject to these regulations, and to impose sanctions and render judgments which are not unilaterally made by persons charged with policing parking facilities and motor vehicle operations.
7.3.5.1 Composition: The Traffic Hearing Board shall be made up as follows:
A. Three full-time students, one commuting student, and two resident students, appointed by the Campus Life Committee, from nominees submitted by the Student Senate.
B. One member of the faculty selected according to the pattern employed for establishing the membership of faculty on college committees.
C. One member of the administration (excluding the Chief Administrative Officer in charge of traffic) selected by the administrative staff.
D. One support staff member determined by the support staff.
E. Two students, one faculty, and one administrator shall also be selected in the same manner as prescribed above to serve as alternates. In cases where regular members are absent from the campus or are unable to attend, the chairperson shall have authority to call alternate members in order that a quorum may be established.
F. The administrative officer responsible for traffic and parking policies or his/her representative shall serve as an ex-officio member, with no vote, as advisor to the board. He or she shall not be present during the contemplation of the board’s eventual decision.
G. At the first meeting of the academic year, the voting members of the Traffic Hearing Board shall select from among their number a chairperson. The chairperson shall appoint one member of the board to serve as secretary.
H. Appointment of members to the Traffic Hearing Board (as prescribed above) shall take place during the fall of each year and be affirmed by a majority of the members of the Campus Life Committee. They shall assume their duties at the beginning of the fall semester.
I. Removal of members shall be initiated by the Campus Life Committee and affirmed by two-thirds of the members of the Campus Life Committee.
7.3.5.2 Jurisdiction: The Traffic Hearing Board shall have jurisdiction in the following areas:
A. Original Jurisdiction: The board shall have original jurisdiction over:
1. Cases involving offenders and violations indicating disciplinary action in addition to or rather than a fine.
2. Cases involving offenders who have received a citation or citations and have failed to comply with the payment of fines.
3. Cases involving requests for re-registration of a motor vehicle after a person’s registration has been suspended or denied re-registration by an administrative officer.
B. Appeals: The board shall consider all appeals from persons of the Luther community concerning automobile registration, parking, and traffic fines.
7.3.5.3 Process: The procedural rules of the Traffic Hearing Board shall include the following:
A. In cases of original jurisdiction or appeals, the accused shall be accorded the full right of due process as outlined in Article 7.2 of the Judicial/Disciplinary Processes section in this handbook.
B. Appeals of registration, parking, and traffic citations must be submitted through the Campus Safety and Security Office, in writing, within ten (10) days after their issuance.
C. The board shall meet with frequency to insure efficient and timely adjudication, with no less than a quorum of five members, and each decision shall be affirmed by a majority of the board.
D. The board shall not consult the past record of the accused before deciding guilt or innocence. The board does have the right to look at the offender’s past record once it has determined guilt, to set an appropriate sanction.
E. Reasonable time extensions for the student’s inability to appear shall be granted.
F. Records of proceedings shall be kept, including the name of the officer issuing the citation and the accused involved, the violation, the decision of the board, the reasons therefore, and the sanction imposed. All records of the Traffic Hearing Board proceedings shall be secured under separate file in the Campus Safety and Security Office.
7.3.5.4 Decisions:
A. Cases involving original jurisdictions: After hearing a case, the board may decide as follows:
1. Not held responsible: No violation of traffic regulations have been determined.
2. Responsible: A violation of a traffic regulation has been determined. In this case, the Traffic Hearing Board shall have the specific power to reduce the amount of the fines, if in the board’s opinion extenuating circumstances warrant it. In the case where the individual is held responsible, in addition to any fines already assessed or reduced, the board may select from the following penalties.
a. Warning Probation: A probation indicating that further motor vehicle violations may result in more serious disciplinary action. This probation shall be imposed for a specified period of time, and the subject shall be automatically removed from probation when the imposed period expires.
b. Suspension of Registration: The board may suspend the subject’s registration and operation of a motor vehicle on the Luther campus for a definite period of time not to exceed one year.
B. Cases involving appeals: After hearing an appeal, the board may decide as follows:
1. Appeal upheld: No violation of traffic regulations has been determined in which case the citation shall be waived.
2. Appeal denied: A violation has been upheld.
3. Appeal denied in part: A violation of a traffic regulation has been upheld, but extenuating circumstances, in the board’s opinion, warrant a reduction in the amount of the fine.