Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students — Conduct and Discipline) Rules

Ngee Ann Polytechnic Act

(Chapter 207, Section 24)

R 3

REVISED EDITION 1990

(25th March 1992)

[7th November 1980]

Citation

1. These Rules may be cited as the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students — Conduct and Discipline) Rules.

Definitions

2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires —

“committee” means the disciplinary committee constituted under rule 3(1);

“disciplinary offence” means any contravention of or failure to comply with any provision of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Students’ Union) Rules (R 1), or the Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Clubs) Rules (R 2), or any act, conduct or neglect to the prejudice of good order or discipline in the Polytechnic;

“student” means a student of the Polytechnic, but does not include a member of the staff of the Polytechnic who is pursuing a course of study at the Polytechnic.

Disciplinary committee

3.—(1) There shall be a disciplinary committee which shall consist of —

(a)	the Principal; and
(b)	4 other members appointed by the Council for such period as the Council may determine.

(2) The Principal shall be the chairman of the committee and, in his absence, another member appointed by the Council shall act as chairman.

(3) The Registrar or his representative shall be the secretary to the committee.

(4) Where a student is alleged to have been guilty of any act or conduct to the prejudice of good order or discipline by ragging another student, the committee shall have two additional members who shall be representatives of the Union appointed by the Council.

Quorum

4.—(1) Three members of the committee shall form a quorum.

(2) A decision of the committee shall be made by a majority of those members present and, in the case of an equality of votes, the chairman shall have a casting vote.

Vacancies

5. The committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership and the Council may appoint a member to fill the vacancy.

Offences

6.—(1) Where a student has committed a disciplinary offence of —

(a)	wearing slippers;
(b)	having long hair;
(c)	not being properly attired;
(d)	smoking in a non-smoking area; or
(e)	committing any act of disturbance,

the Principal or any person authorised by the Principal may —

(i)	give a written warning to the student if it is the student’s first disciplinary offence;
(ii)	impose a fine of not more than $40 if it is the student’s second disciplinary offence, after the student has been given an opportunity of exculpating himself before the Principal or the person authorised by the Principal; or
(iii)	refer the matter to the committee if it is the student’s third disciplinary offence.

(2) If it is reported to the Principal that a student has committed a disciplinary offence other than a disciplinary offence mentioned in paragraph (1), the Principal may appoint a member of the staff of the Polytechnic to investigate into the allegation and to submit a report to the Principal.

Decision of Principal

7.—(1) The Principal shall consider the report of the investigating officer and shall decide whether —

(a)	any further investigation is necessary;
(b)	the student concerned should be assigned work relating to his course of study or summarily fined a sum not exceeding $50, after the student has been given an opportunity of exculpating himself before the Principal; or
(c)	there should be an inquiry by the committee.

(2) Pending any inquiry by the committee, the Principal may exclude the student from the Polytechnic until the matter has been dealt with by the committee, but the student may appear before the committee within the Polytechnic’s premises.

Notice of charges to be sent to student

8.—(1) Before the committee begins an inquiry into an alleged disciplinary offence, the committee shall send the student a notice of the charge or charges with such particulars as may be necessary to disclose the nature of the offence or offences.

(2) The student may within 7 days from the date of the notice exculpate himself in writing and inform the committee whether he wishes to appear before the committee.

(3) The committee shall give the student concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

Procedure

9.—(1) The proceedings before the committee shall be as informal as possible and shall be determined by the committee.

(2) The committee may receive any oral or written evidence which it considers relevant to the matter referred to the committee.

(3) The committee shall not be bound by the provisions of the Evidence Act (Cap. 97) and shall inform itself in such manner as it thinks fit.

Penalties

10.—(1) The committee may, if it finds a student guilty of a disciplinary offence —

(a)	suspend him from any course or subject or part thereof, or from any examination, either permanently or temporarily;
(b)	assign the student work relating to his course of study;
(c)	impose a fine not exceeding $50; or
(d)	deprive the student of a pass in any examination or series of examinations or part thereof if the student has been found guilty of cheating in any examination.

(2) Where a student is convicted of an offence in respect of a matter relating to the Union, the committee may impose such penalty as the disciplinary council of the Union may recommend or such other penalty as it may think fit.

Payment of fines

11.—(1) Unless the Principal or the Registrar otherwise directs, any fine imposed under rule 10(1)(c) shall be paid to the Bursar within 7 days after it is imposed.

(2) The Registrar shall keep a record of all fines collected under paragraph (1).

(3) Any failure to pay a fine within the 7 days shall be reported to the Principal or the Registrar who may take such action as he thinks fit.

Appeals in certain circumstances

12.—(1) Only a student who has been suspended for more than 21 days from the Polytechnic or any part thereof or from any course or subject or from any examination may appeal to the Council.

(2) The Council may appoint an appeal committee to determine the appeal.

(3) A written notice of appeal specifying the grounds thereof shall be submitted to the Council within 7 days from the date of the notification by the committee to the student of its decision.

Order pending appeal

13. Pending the outcome of an appeal, an order suspending the student from the Polytechnic or any part thereof or from any course or subject or from any examination may be enforced.

Powers of Council

14.—(1) The Council may, after giving an appellant an opportunity of being heard before an appeal committee appointed under rule 12(2) and after considering any report furnished by the committee, confirm, vary or rescind the punishment.

(2) The decision of the Council shall be final.

[G.N. Nos. S 301/80; S 96/82; S 261/83]

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