Community Living

Core values guiding community life at Malone

We believe that personal growth, relationships guided by love, and responsible participation in community are lifelong characteristics of a faithful and fulfilling life. Students at Malone become full participants in an academic community that embodies these core convictions. 

Intellectual, Spiritual, and Social Growth

We take the holistic view that intellectual growth cannot be separated from moral and spiritual growth, and that adhering to communal responsibilities and spiritual disciplines frees us to grow in Christ and into the people we were created to be.

Concern for others

We believe that learning to love God with our whole selves and to love our neighbors as ourselves is a lifelong participation in the redemptive work of the gospel. We cultivate concern, accountability, respect, humility, and grace in our relationships with one another.

Learning in Community

We believe that people learn and grow not just as isolated individuals but as responsible participants in an academic community. Each of our actions may contribute to or take away from the health and well- being of that community.

Statement of Community Responsibilities

The purpose of education is to help people develop in deliberate and constructive ways. At Malone University, we affirm the deep interrelatedness of mind, body, and spirit, and we understand that people are formed by habits and relationships as well as by classroom learning. Members of the Malone community become participants in a safe, loving, supportive academic community in which we grow together in love of God and neighbor, toward the people we were created to become.

As participants in this community, each of us is called to play an active role in maintaining this supportive environment, and to participate in communal and spiritual disciplines that free us to grow in Christ. We do this primarily by teaching, modeling, and encouraging one another in all areas of our lives. We also do this by establishing rules and boundaries that guide and protect both the work of our community and our development as individuals.

Malone welcomes into our community students who share our Christian convictions, students who do not, and students who are still trying to figure it all out. But all members of the Malone community commit themselves to active and responsible participation in the disciplined life of our community. It is our students who often cite “community” as one of the things they love about attending Malone. A successful community is a product of responsible and thoughtful members who contribute in meaningful ways. It is our conviction and our experience that living within the boundaries established by these Community Responsibilities strengthens our shared life and helps create space for God to work in and among us.

Violations of Person

We are called to build up others in love, but life with others inevitably brings about conflicts that call for self-control, forgiveness, and thoughtful discernment. Malone prohibits:

• Conduct which substantially infringes on or invades the rights of others, including theft, willful damage to, or vandalism of personal or university property
• Intentionally or recklessly endangering or threatening the life or physical safety of others or self
• Directing any kind of demeaning gesture, threat of violence, or physical attack toward a person
• The practice of “hazing” of any form for the purpose of initiation into any recognized or non- recognized Malone team or organization
• The possession or use of guns, knives, explosives, dangerous chemicals or noxious devices, and other dangerous weapons on all premises owned by Malone, or while engaging in Malone-related activities, except as otherwise required by law

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Illegal Drugs

Abuse of, and addiction to, alcohol and drugs are extremely harmful to people’s health and relationships, and intoxication breeds irresponsible behavior toward others. Malone prohibits:

• The possession, use, distribution, purchase or sale of illegal or unauthorized drugs or controlled substances, or being under the influence of any such substance. Drug-related paraphernalia is also prohibited.
• Using or being under the influence of alcohol while on Malone property, while conducting Malone business, while engaging in Malone- related activities, or while operating or riding in any vehicle owned or supplied by Malone. Malone officials may conduct drug and/or alcohol testing of students without prior notice. For further details, refer to the Malone University “Substance Use and Abuse Policy for Employees and Students.” (Appendix B)
• Malone discourages the use of tobacco or alcoholic beverages for all members of the Malone Community.

Language

Language is a primary means by which we build up or tear down other people, and it helps shape the way we understand our world. Concern with language mirrors the thoughtful concern for “careful speech” that is a part of Malone’s Quaker heritage. Malone prohibits:

• Dishonesty, both in academic work and in interpersonal relationships
• Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, and other forms of speech that dishonor God, people, or creation

Sexual Conduct

Our sexuality can draw us into loving intimacy in ways that give us glimpses into the love of God. Our misuse of this gift breeds alienation and abuse. The sexual practices of the early church were countercultural, reflecting God’s holiness and love in a world in which sexual conduct had become exploitive and degraded.

• Sex should be exclusively reserved for the marriage relationship, understood as a legal, lifelong commitment between a husband and wife
• Possession, participation in, or viewing of pornography in any form is forbidden
• Modesty of dress and the display of affection in public and/or lounges must reflect limits defined by consideration for others

Compliance with the Laws of the Land

Members of the Malone community are expected to uphold the laws of the local community, the State of Ohio, and the nation, except on those rare occasions when obedience to the governmental authorities would require behavior in direct conflict with the teaching of Scripture. In this latter case, the individual generally would submit voluntarily to the legal penalty for the behavior. Criminal violations of any kind occurring on or off campus are subject to review within the Malone community for potential disciplinary action.

Compliance with Malone Authorities

Conduct which substantially disrupts, impedes or interferes with the operation of Malone is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, disobedience of, or noncompliance with a directive or order of a member of the administration, faculty, peace officer, school safety officer, or other school authority when such disobedience or noncompliance can reasonably be anticipated to result in disorder, disruption, or interference with the operation of Malone, or adversely affect the good standing and reputation of Malone.

By living within the preceding statement of community responsibilities we mirror the calling of Christians to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) in the love of Christ.

Campus Policies

Malone has several policies to support its goals of building a safe, diverse, and vibrant campus. These policies strictly prohibit unlawful discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and related retaliation. We treat these matters seriously and encourage students who experience or witness any of these behaviors to speak up and contact their Resident Director or the Dean of Students.

Addressing a complaint

Malone University strongly encourages all members of the community to engage one another informally, in a manner consistent with our Evangelical Friends heritage, which promotes integrity, peaceful resolution of conflict, as well as responsibility. The vast majority of concerns arise from misunderstanding and, once addressed, can be resolved in a timely manner. Students are encouraged to go first to the source of their concern, be it a faculty or staff member, department or director.

When concerns cannot be resolved satisfactorily, Malone encourages students to use the Student Senate (a body of students who champions concerns to the administration) by either informally addressing the concern with a member of Senate or through an online form.

Alternatively, students may register a formal complaint to the respective office listed below.

Process for Filing a Complaint

If informal concerns have remained unaddressed, students may file a Formal Complaint in writing, addressed to contact named in the administrative area of the complaint. Students should specify the following:

• Contact information of the person submitting the complaint
• Identity of the individual or department of concern
• A description of the specific individual behavior or action
• Brief outline of what steps have been previously taken, e.g., information regarding previous reports of discussions, whether any resolution occurred, with whom the student met, etc.
• The date or period of time in which the behavior occurred and the location of the incident
• A listing of all individuals who witnessed any part of the incident in dispute

The University administrator assigned to the area of the complaint will review it and respond in writing to the student within 15 calendar days of the submission of the complaint.

OFFICE OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

The Office of Student Development encompasses key components of campus life, including the counseling center, health center, judicial affairs, orientation, residential life, spiritual formation, as well as student activities, student senate, and student organizations. We recognize that your out-of-class experience is vital to your education and our staff works to build and maintain a diverse and supportive community to come alongside you and provide essential resources, services, programs, and activities necessary for your experience.

We offer hospitality at the intersection of your academic, co-curricular and residential lives, and we make an effort to provide opportunities for leadership, personal growth, civic engagement, and spiritual formation.