He or she is, therefore, encouraged to make informed decisions with respect to his or her own education and to be involved in university decisions to the fullest extent possible. The university is by definition a corporation. Just as the individual student has his or her own personal rights, so the university, as a corporate person, has an obligation to exercise its rights and privileges in conformity with the laws and procedures governing its actions. DePaul University recognizes that freedom to teach and freedom to learn depend upon opportunities and conditions in the classroom, on the campus and in the larger community. The responsibility to secure and respect general conditions conducive to learning is shared by all members of the academic community.
Freedom is meaningless unless responsibility is also present.
The above rights can be exercised effectively and without fear only if they are incorporated into policies and regulations that are as precise and informative as possible, and only if there are adequate procedures to settle disputes that arise in their regard. The Code of Student Responsibility protects students' rights by making explicit all disciplinary procedures so that no student may be disciplined except in strict adherence to proscribed policies. As an academic and religious institution, DePaul has a vested interest in both the safety and well-being of the members of its campus community. As a result of the high caliber of men and women DePaul University attracts, the Code of Student Responsibility reflects the emphasis on responsibility in both the academic and nonacademic areas of university life. It is the intent of the code to provide the necessary guidelines to support and advance the educational and religious aims of the university without unduly restricting or diminishing the university experience.