Student Code of Conduct

Holberton School Australia delivers the Holberton School program(s) in Australia.

The purpose of the Student Code of Conduct is to ensure that all students studying at Holberton School Australia enjoy an atmosphere of mutual understanding, respect and professionalism in a supportive adult learning environment that celebrates diversity, embraces equal opportunity and is free from discrimination and harassment.

The Code of Conduct outlines your rights as a student and the expectations that Holberton has of you. As a student of Holberton School Australia, you are expected to uphold Holberton’s core values of teamwork, respect, flexibility and integrity. 

Alcohol and drugs

Students who are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs put both themselves and others at risk. Alcohol and drugs can affect coordination, response rates and/or judgement. Students should not attend classes or use the facilities while intoxicated by alcohol or other drugs.

Inappropriate alcohol or drug use by Holberton School Australia students may be the subject of disciplinary action.

If you have a medical condition and need to take prescription drugs that could affect your safety, please notify Holberton's Software Engineer in Residence before commencing a session. This will enable Holberton to provide appropriate and timely assistance and enable us to fulfil our duty of care responsibilities. All information provided will be treated confidentially.

Bullying and Harassment 

Holberton takes a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment. These behaviours will not be tolerated, whether exhibited remotely or on our premises, via text messaging or on social media platforms. Bullying behaviour includes (but is not limited to):

• loud and abusive language
• yelling and screaming
• bribery and blackmail
• unexplained rages
• unjustified criticism and insults
• humiliation, belittling or undermining of others

Harassment is any conduct (verbal, written or physical) which is unwanted, unwelcome or which may be offensive.

Verbal harassment may include:

• repeated suggestive comments
• jokes or insulting remarks
• persistent personal invitations or requests

Physical harassment may include:

• deliberate physical contact
• persistent staring or rude gestures
• displaying sexually graphic or offensive materials
• destruction of personal belongings
  
  

Cheating and Plagiarism

You have a responsibility to avoid cheating and plagiarism.

Commitment to Learning

Holberton School Australia is an adult learning environment. It is your responsibility to act in a way that does not interfere, directly or indirectly, with the learning of other students or obstruct staff from carrying out their duties.

Our students are expected to:

• attend all online and face-to-face sessions and events, or notify a staff member in advance if otherwise;
• arrive on time and remain in the class for the duration of the session;
• discuss any questions about their progress or any learning issues with Holberton's staff;
• take responsibility for their support needs (if relevant)
• avoid plagiarism and cheating;
• meet all learning and assessment expectations on time; and
• engage in safe and cooperative behaviour
  
  

Messaging tools and On-Campus Internet

Holberton messaging tools and on-campus internet is provided for study-related use. It is important that they are used responsibly, is not abused, and that students understand the legal, professional and ethical obligations that apply to them.

Limited private use of the on-campus internet is permitted if it does not interfere with a student’s work. At no time should inappropriate sites, such as but not limited to pornographic or gambling sites, be accessed. Management has the right to access the system to check if private use is excessive or inappropriate.

No material is to be sent via messaging tools that are defamatory, in breach of copyright or business confidentiality, or prejudicial to the good standing of Holberton in the community. Messages must not contain material that amounts to gossip about students or that could be offensive, demeaning, persistently irritating, threatening, discriminatory, involve the harassment of others or concern personal relationships.

Copyright

You can only copy materials in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968, and you must comply with licences for the use of intellectual property, including software.

Criminal Behaviour

Students engaging in criminal behaviour will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The following behaviours are illegal and are regarded as criminal offences:

• graffiti;
• indecent exposure;
• obscene phone calls, texting, emails and letters;
• physically molesting a person; and
• sexual assault.
  
  

Discrimination

Staff and students have an obligation not to discriminate, treat unfairly or harass people on the grounds of:

• age;
• gender;
• marital status, pregnancy, race, colour, ethnic background, religion, descent or nationality;
• sexual preference or orientation (actual or presumed); and
• disability, including sensory, intellectual, physical, learning or psychiatric.
  
  

Duty of Care

It's our legal 'duty of care' to make sure that we undertake our work in a safe manner without causing detriment to ourselves or others. This means that staff and students at Holberton:

• share the responsibility for safety and health in the workplace;
• have to be familiar with safety and health policies, procedures and instructions and comply with them;
• should take reasonable care of themselves and others in the workplace by being aware of the effects of their actions;
• have to cooperate with Holberton staff; and
• are obliged to report all potential hazards, incidents and injuries.

This 'duty of care' will also carry through to students' current and future workplaces as a part of everyday work practices.

Occupational Health and Safety

Holberton School Australia recognises its obligation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (1984) and is committed to promoting a safe and healthy work and training environment. Under the act, Holberton staff and individuals have a duty of care to take responsibility for contributing to their own safety and the safety of others at all times.

Respect for Others

All students have a right to expect a safe and enjoyable learning environment while attending Holberton School Australia so that they can perform to the best of their ability. This means:

• be honest;
• treat others with courtesy, consideration and sensitivity;
• respect lawful beliefs and customs of others;
• communicate with appropriate language; and
• follow the reasonable instruction of Holberton staff.
  
  

Respect for School Property

All students have a right to enjoy the facilities at Holberton School Australia. In order to protect this right, all students are expected to have respect for Holbertonproperty. Any act of misuse, vandalism, theft, malicious or unwarranted damage, defacing (including graffiti), disfiguring or unsafe or unauthorised use of property violates the Student Code of Conduct and may be against the law. This includes but is not limited to the following:

• buildings
• fire alarms and equipment
• plant and equipment
• safety and security devices           
• software and their technologies
  
  

Sexual Harassment

All students have the right to learn in an environment free from sexual harassment. Sexual harassment of a sexual nature is unlawful under the Equal Opportunity Act and is not tolerated at Holberton School Australia.

Sexual harassment is any unwelcome behaviour which is sexual in nature and involves improper assumptions by one person with respect to another. Sexual harassment includes but is not limited to the following:

• unwelcome hugging, kissing or physical touching
• suggestive comments or jokes
• sexually explicit pictures, emails or text Messages
• intrusive questions or comments about a person's private life or body
• staring or leering at someone or parts of their body
• insults or taunts based on sex
  

You are actively encouraged to report to your lecturer or manager any incidence of sexual abuse on campus premises.

Smoking

Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the Holberton campus. Providing a smoke-free working and learning environment will reduce potential health risks to staff, students and visitors.

Student Discipline Policy

The Student Discipline Policy applies to all students attending Holberton School Australia. You can obtain a copy from Student Services, your lecturer, or our website.

Grounds for Student Discipline means:

Conduct that impairs the reasonable freedom of any person (student, staff or other persons) to pursue his or her training at Holberton School Australia or to participate in the activities of, or associated with, Holberton School Australia, including and not limited to: disruptive behaviour and failure to follow reasonable direction. Any student breaching the Student Code of Conduct may be subject to disciplinary action.

Examples of behaviour defined as a breach of the Code of Conduct under Holberton School Australia Student Discipline Policy include (but are not limited to):

• assault or threat to assault another person;
• any offensive conduct ;
• any unlawful activity;
• any unsafe act that endangers the health and safety of the student themselves or others around them;
• removal, damage or use of any property of Holberton without the authority of a member of staff;
• committing or engaging in any dishonest or unfair act in relation to an examination or other
• form of academic assessment;
• discriminating against a person on the grounds of the person’s age, race, gender, homosexuality, transgender, marital status, physical or intellectual disability, or religion;
• inciting hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of persons on the grounds of age, race, sex, sexual preference or orientation, gender identification, marital status, physical or intellectual disability, or religion of the person or members of the group; and
• failure to pay any fee or charge owing to Holberton School Australia.

Penalties which may apply as part of the disciplinary process if a student is found to have committed a breach of the Student Code of Conduct include but are not limited to:

• fines;
• a formal written warning;
• loss of privilege to use computing resources;
• exclusion from Holberton School Australia campuses;
• compensation for damage to property;
• exclusion from exams or assessment events resulting in a ‘Fail’ result recorded for specified examinations or other forms of assessment;
• referral to authorities for legal processing for criminal offences; and
• a formal disciplinary process which could result in being expelled from Holberton School Australia.

If you are thought to have breached Holberton School Australia Student Code of Conduct, there are procedures in place to investigate the matter. A penalty will be imposed if you are subsequently found to have breached the Student Discipline Policy.

Unacceptable behaviour

Unacceptable behaviour is any conduct which disrupts staff and hinders them from delivering education and training programs and services or other services in an orderly manner. This is not only a breach of the Student Code of Conduct but is also a breach of Holberton School Australia by-laws. 

Any individual or group behaviour which is abusive, indecent, violent, unruly, disorderly, dangerous, offensive, or unreasonably disturbs others may be considered unacceptable and result in disciplinary action.

Custodian of document: Campus Director 

Version: 4     

Date: 3 March 2024