Article I—Purpose and Definitions

SECTION 1. Purpose

Rhodes strives to be a college community where students can develop to their fullest potential, not only as scholars, but also as responsible and caring members of the community. Thus, although they should have freedom of choice in as many areas as possible, they must also come to understand that their choices have an impact on other members of the community so that through experience, they may acquire a mature and responsible attitude toward freedom and their membership in the community.

The official name of this body is the Community Standards Council of Rhodes College (hereinafter called “CSC” or “the Council”). The purpose of the Community Standards Council is fivefold: (1) Decisional: to address alleged violations/infractions of the Rhodes College standards for student conduct (hereinafter “ the Standards of Conduct”); (2) Communicative: to serve as a liaison concerning social matters between the students and the faculty/administration, and to mediate disputes regarding the Standards of Conduct between various members of the Rhodes Community; (3) Advisory: to make recommendations to the Dean of Students regarding the Standards of Conduct and students’ social life; (4) Interpretive: to promote responsible, sensitive and mature conduct among students; and (5) Educational: to educate those who are a part of the Rhodes Community about its standards and to explain what constitutes a violation of those standards.

SECTION 2. Definitions

1. The term “student” includes any person admitted to Rhodes College or enrolled or scheduled to be enrolled in a course for academic credit through Rhodes, both full-time and part-time, pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies. Persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but have a continuing relationship with Rhodes College are considered “students.”
2. The term “faculty member” means a person who teaches a course offered for academic credit by an institution of higher education, including teaching assistants, instructors, lab assistants, research assistants, lecturers, assistant professors, associate professors, and full professors.
3. The term “Rhodes College official” includes any person employed by Rhodes College, performing assigned administrative or professional responsibilities. Rhodes College officials include, without limitation, administrators, faculty, and campus safety officers; and resident assistants, Honor Council members and Community Standards Council members when acting in an official capacity.
4. The term "member of the Rhodes College community” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, Rhodes College official, or any other person employed by Rhodes College. A person’s status in a particular situation shall be determined by the OCS Administrator for the Honor Council upon consultation with the Honor Council President.
5. The term “Rhodes College premises” includes all land, buildings, facilities, and other property in the possession of or owned, used, or controlled by the College (including adjacent streets and sidewalks).
6. The term “organization (or Registered Student Organization)” means any group of persons who have fulfilled the formal requirements for Rhodes College recognition.
7. The term “Community Standards Council” or “CSC” means the governing body of students elected by the student body of Rhodes College to implement and interpret the Standards of Conduct, including, without limitation, determining whether or not a student has violated the Standards of Conduct and to impose outcomes.
8. The term “Community Standards Council Appeals Committee” means the group of persons authorized by the Dean of Students or designee to consider an appeal from the Community Standards Council’s determination that a student has violated the Code or from the outcomes imposed on a student by the Community Standards Council.
9. The term “OCS Administrator for the Community Standards Council” means the person designated by the administration of Rhodes College to serve as a liaison from the Community Standards Council to the administration and to consult with the Community Standards Council President concerning matters of Community Standards Council business. The OCS Administrator shall not participate in CSC hearings.
10. The term “Standards of Conduct” refers to the rules regarding proscribed conduct set forth in Article III of the CSC Constitution and the Rhodes Student Handbook.
11. The term “documentary evidence” refers to emails, texts, images, social media, or other documents, whether in hard-copy or electronic format, presented to the CSC to determine the outcome of a hearing.
12. The term “Eligible Voting Member” means a council member serving as a class representative, and who is not serving a special role (including but not limited to Investigator, Advisor, acting Secretary, etc.) during the hearing. A council member is not eligible to vote until they have at a minimum witnessed a hearing and participated in the educational training required of CSC members.
13. The term “Advisor” refers to a member of the Council who has been selected by/for the Respondent. The President of the Community Standards Council shall not act as an Advisor in any case.  The Advisor’s role is limited to informing the respondent concerning CSC procedures and answering any questions about those procedures. The Advisor is foremost a member of the CSC and does not represent the Respondent.
14. The term “Respondent” refers a Student (also referred to as a Charged Student) or organization or affinity group who has received notice of allegations detailing a potential violation of a policy, the Standards of Conduct or Honor Code.
15. The term “Complainant” refers  An individual who submits a report/referral against a Student, organization or affinity group alleging misconduct under the Standards of Conduct and/or Honor Code.
16. The term “Witness” refers to  A person who has knowledge of facts or circumstances pertaining to an alleged violation.
17. The term “Investigator” refers to the member of the CSC designated by the President to investigate a reported violation of the Standards of Conduct and present evidence to the CSC of such investigation. An Investigator may be present at CSC deliberations on a matter for which they did the investigation in order to clarify facts, but may not deliberate or vote on that matter.
18. The term “pledge” refers to the statement: “As a member of the Rhodes College community, I pledge to respect my fellow students, faculty, staff and their property. I will treat others as I would be treated and their property as I would my own.”
19. The term “shall” is used in the imperative sense.
20. The term “may” is used in the permissive sense.