Code of Conduct Violations
Academic Student Conduct Code
To avoid confusion concerning alleged incidents of academic dishonesty, under the normal process, a violation of Appendix A Section I of the Student Conduct Code is handled academically i.e., between the student and the professor. The most severe action that may be administered by a professor is a grade of “F” in that particular course. This is an academic response and not a disciplinary recommendation.
Valdosta State University policy is that a violation of Section I may and should be handled by the professor, the student, and possibly the department head or dean concerned with the offense. However, the most severe sanction that may be administered through this process is to give a grade of “F” in a course.
If a stronger sanction is desired, or if an agreement cannot be reached between the above parties concerning the incident, the matter may be referred to the Dean of Students Office. In such cases where a student may continue to violate Section I after having been warned or sanctioned by one or more professors, he or she may then be referred to the Dean of Students Office where official charges may be drawn up and the student subjected to the established Valdosta State University disciplinary process.
The following are typical academic dishonesty violations, but they are not to be considered all-inclusive:
1. No student shall receive or give or attempt to receive or give assistance not authorized by the instructor in the preparation of any essay, laboratory report, examination or other assignment included in any academic course.
2. No student shall take or attempt to take, steal, or otherwise procure in an unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the conduct of a class, including but not limited to tests, examinations, laboratory equipment, and roll books.
3. No student shall sell, give, lend, or otherwise furnish to any unauthorized person material which can be shown to contain the questions or answers to any examinations scheduled to be given at any subsequent date in any course of study offered by the University, without authorization from the University.
4. Plagiarism is prohibited. Themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other similar requirements must be the work of the student submitting them. When direct quotations are used, they must be indicated, and when the ideas of another are incorporated in the paper they must be appropriately acknowledged.
Section II
Non-Academic Student Conduct Code
University students are expected to assume responsibility for their behavior. They must understand that being under the influence of drugs and or alcohol does not lessen their accountability. All students in the university community will be held accountable for inappropriate behavior while under the influence of drugs and or alcohol via the appropriate campus and community disciplinary procedure.
Students shall obey all local, state, and federal laws regarding the possession, consumption, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages or controlled substances. The United States Department of Education regulations stipulate that those “who engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, or use of any controlled substance” may lose their federal financial aid.
A. Alcohol
1. Students’ possession or transportation of alcoholic beverages under the age of 21 is prohibited.
2. If a student is under the age of 21 and determined to be under the influence of alcohol he/she will be cited for underage consumption of alcohol and referred to the appropriate authorities for disposition by the appropriate disciplinary process.
3. A student in an intoxicated state manifested by boisterousness, rowdiness, obscene or indecent appearance, or by vulgar, profane, lewd, language or other disorderly behavior will be cited and referred to the appropriate authorities for disposition by the appropriate disciplinary process.
4. The consumption of alcoholic beverages or possession of an open container of an alcoholic beverage on University property is prohibited in public areas. (A public area is defined as any area outside of an individual’s living quarters.) Students who publicly consume alcohol or possess an open container of alcoholic beverage on University property are considered in violation of this policy.
5. No student shall furnish or cause to be furnished any alcoholic beverage to any person under the legal drinking age of 21.
6. The serving of alcohol to someone visibly intoxicated, and/or the facilitating of drinking competitions or games involving the consumption of alcohol is prohibited.
7. No common source containers of alcoholic beverages e.g. beer kegs, hunch-punch, etc., may be present at any registered University organization event.
8. No alcohol may be purchased with student activity fee funds.
B. Drugs
The possession or use, (without valid medical or dental prescription), manufacture, distribution, or sale of any drug controlled by federal or Georgia law is prohibited.
C. Damage to Property
1. Littering. No student shall improperly dispose of any form of litter on campus.
2. Malicious or unauthorized intentional damage or destruction of property belonging to the University, or to a member of the University community, or to a visitor to the campus is prohibited.
3. Unauthorized writing on or defacing of University property is prohibited.
D. Disorderly Assembly
1. The Board of Regents (BOR) Policy Manual Section 1902 regarding disorderly assembly states, “Any student, faculty member, administrator, or employee, acting individually or in concert with others, who clearly obstructs or disrupts, or attempts to obstruct or disrupt any teaching, research, administrative, disciplinary, or public service activity, or any other activity authorized to be discharged or held on any campus of the University System is considered by the Board to have committed an act of gross irresponsibility and shall be subject to disciplinary procedures, possibly resulting in dismissal or termination of employment (BR Minutes, 1968-69, pp. 166-168; 1970-71, p. 98).” No one shall assemble on campus for the purpose of creating a riot, or causing destruction of property, or creating a disorderly diversion, which interferes with the normal operation of the University. This section should not be construed to deny any student the right of peaceful, non-disruptive assembly per the policies set forth in Appendix D of the Code of Conduct.
2. No student or group of students shall obstruct the free movement of people about the campus, interfere with the use of University facilities, or materially interfere with the normal operation of the University.
3. The abuse or unauthorized use of sound amplification equipment indoors or outdoors during classroom hours is prohibited. (Any use of sound amplification equipment must be cleared through the Student Life Office.)
E. Disorderly Conduct
1. Disorderly or obscene conduct or breach of the peace on University property or at any function sponsored or supervised by the University or any registered University organization is prohibited.
2. Pushing, striking, or physically assaulting any University student, faculty, administrator, staff member, or visitor to the campus is prohibited.
3. Conduct on University property or at functions sponsored or supervised by the University or any registered University organizations, which materially interferes with the normal operation of the University is prohibited.
4. No student shall enter or attempt to enter any event registered by the University without proper credentials for admission, e.g., a ticket, an identification card, an invitation, etc., or without fulfilling any reasonable qualifications established for attendance. At such University functions a student must present proper credentials to properly identified University personnel upon request.
5. Conduct and/or expressions which are obscene or which are blatantly offensive to the prevailing standards of the University community are prohibited.
6. No student shall interfere with, or give false name to, or fail to cooperate with, any properly identified University personnel while these people are in the performance of their duties.
7. Verbal or sexual harassment, terroristic threats or abuse, and sexual assault are prohibited.
8. No student shall deliberately fail to heed a disciplinary summons, oral or written, to report to an administrative official or an authorized Student Government Association (SGA) official or judicial committee.
9. Failure to comply fully with a disciplinary sanction is prohibited.
10. The use of cell phones, pagers, or any other electronic devices utilized in a manner that causes a disruption in the classroom, library, or other university facilities is prohibited. Additional abuses that are prohibited are the use of the device’s photographic capacity to photograph test questions or for any other form of academic misconduct. The photographing of unwilling subjects is also prohibited.
F. Falsification of Records
No student shall alter, counterfeit, forge, or cause to be altered, counterfeited, or forged, any record, form, or document required by the University.
G. Explosives
No student shall possess, furnish, sell or use explosives of any kind on University property or at functions sponsored or supervised by the University or any registered University organization.
H. Fire Safety
1. No student shall tamper with, damage, or disconnect any fire safety equipment.
2. The unlawful possession, sale, furnishing, or use of any incendiary device is prohibited.
3. No student shall set or cause to be set any fire in or on University property.
4. The possession or use of fireworks on University property or at events sponsored or supervised by the University or any registered University organization is prohibited. Fireworks are defined as any substance prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, or detonation.
5. No student shall make, or cause to be made, a false fire alarm or issue a false bomb threat.
6. Any student remaining in a campus facility during a fire alarm without permission by the appropriate authorities is strictly prohibited.
I. Weapons
Students are prohibited from the possession of firearms on University property or at events sponsored or supervised by the University or any registered University organization. The possession or use of any other type of offensive weapon is prohibited.
J. Hazing
This policy applies to all Valdosta State University students, clubs, and registered student organizations.
All rites and ceremonies of induction or private actions by individuals, which tend to occasion or allow mental or physical suffering, are prohibited. Specifically, hazing is defined as any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off campus, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule, or the breaking of school rules.
Activities considered to be hazing include two elements: (1) coercion, either overt or covert, and (2) production of physical or mental discomfort, in either the participant(s) or spectators. Such activities suggested or ordered by a group or a member of a group to new or trial members will be considered to carry with them covert coercion even if the activity is defined as “voluntary”.
Paddling in any form, physical and psychological shocks and creation of excessive fatigue are always considered hazing. Other activities which very often carry with them elements of hazing are: quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any other such activities; wearing apparel in public which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; late work sessions which interfere with scholastic activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with the regulations of the community. This is not to be considered an all-inclusive list.
Note: This definition is consistent with and partially taken from the Official Statement of Position by the University Fraternity Secretaries Association which was endorsed and affirmed by the National Inter-fraternity Conference in 1974. the University also recognizes the Fraternity Insurance Purchasing Group (FIPG) definition of hazing.
K. Joint Responsibility for Infractions
Students who knowingly act together to violate University regulations have both individual and joint responsibility for such violations.
L. Misuse of Student Identification Cards or Permits
1. Lending, selling, or otherwise transferring a student identification or one card or parking permit is prohibited.
2. Being in possession of or the use of a student identification card, one card, or parking permit by anyone other than its rightful owner is prohibited.
3. Failure to surrender a University identification card, flex card, or parking permit to a properly identified and authorized University official is prohibited.
4. The creation of a fake identification or one card or parking permit as well as the altering of a valid student identification card, one card, or parking permit is prohibited. The replication and distribution of the same is also prohibited.
M. Theft
1. No student shall sell anything that is not his or hers without written permission from the rightful owner.
2. No student shall take, attempt to take, or be in possession of, items of University property, or items belonging to students, faculty, staff, student groups, or visitors to the campus without proper authorization.
3. The illegal or unauthorized use of another’s personally identifiable information is prohibited. Violations include, but are not limited to knowingly and willfully assuming and using any and all personal identifying information, including photographs, without the consent or authorization of said owner, for the purpose of misrepresenting oneself; using, selling, or transferring that information to obtain any benefits, credit, goods, services or other items of value in the name of said owner, or to otherwise do harm to said owner is a violation of this Code of Conduct.
N. Unauthorized Entry or Use of University or Student Organization related Facilities or Property
1. No student shall make unauthorized entry into any building, office or other facility, nor shall any person remain without authorization in any building after normal closing hours.
2. No student shall make unauthorized use of any University facility.
3. No student shall knowingly use University or Student Organization owned equipment, supplies, or property without proper authorization.
O. Repeated Violations
Repeated violations of published rules or regulations, which indicate an unwillingness or inability to abide by the Code of Conduct of the University, are prohibited.
P. Violation of Outside Law
Any violation of local, state, or federal law, on or off-campus, which constitute a violation of the Code of Conduct is prohibited.
Q. Campus Solicitation-Business Enterprises
Valdosta State University will not permit the operation of privately operated business enterprises on campus. All business enterprises operated on campus shall be operated as an auxiliary enterprise and shall be under the direct management, control and supervision of the Vice President of Business and Finance of Valdosta State University. Questions concerning permission to solicit or operate a business enterprise on campus should be directed to the Vice President of Business and Finance’s Office.
R. Animals
Animals of all kinds are prohibited in Valdosta State University facilities or on Valdosta StateUniversity property without prior approval from the Dean of Students Office. All approved animals should be on a leash and under the control of its owner.
S. Inappropriate Use of University Computing Facilities
1. A student’s use of personal or Valdosta State University computing equipment to damage Valdosta State University’s computing infrastructure is prohibited, e.g. intentionally injecting viruses, creating a computer system malfunction, altering or damaging a program(s), etc.
2. Any student logging on or attempting to log on as another user, giving your user name/password to someone else, and/or accessing another user’s files without express verifiable permission is prohibited.
3. Any student who intentionally wastes computing resources, i.e., running a repetitive program for no reason, “camping out” on dial-in modem lines, misuse of server disk space, excessive size mailings or print jobs, etc. is prohibited.
4. The use of computing systems for making terroristic threats, unsolicited sexual advances, harassment, or obscenity which is blatantly offensive to the prevailing community standards are prohibited.
5. The misappropriation of intellectual property, i.e., software piracy is prohibited.
6. The invasion of a user’s privacy by the altering of a user’s computerized registration files, passwords, programs, or other related files, or the review and dissemination of confidential student record information is prohibited.
7. The use of Valdosta State University computing facilities for illegal purposes as defined by the “Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act of 1991” or for personal or commercial gain is prohibited.
8. The sending or forwarding of an unsolicited chain letter, hoax, urban legend, a defamatory, slanderous, or harassing message, (including unsolicited email) to other computer users either at Valdosta State University or through external networks is prohibited.
Such alleged violations will initially be handled by the Valdosta State university’s Office of Information Technology and could result in immediate temporary suspension of one’s Valdosta State University computing privileges until the appropriate dispensation of the incident occurs via the Dean of Students Office.
T. Residence Hall Policy
Students determined by Housing and Residence Life personnel to be alleged violators of Housing and Residence Life policies may be referred to the Dean of Students Office to face appropriate disciplinary action.
Last revision Fall 2006