Article III—Proscribed Conduct

SECTION 1. Jurisdiction of Rhodes College

Students may be sanctioned for conduct which constitutes a hazard to the health, safety, or well- being of members of the College community or which is detrimental to the College’s interest whether such conduct occurs on campus, off campus, or at College-sponsored events. The OCS Administrator or designee, upon consultation with the Community Standards Council President, shall determine whether cases are within the jurisdiction of the Rhodes College Community Standards Council.

SECTION 2. Violations

The Community Standards Council recognizes three major responsibilities of every student:

1. Each student is responsible for their behavior at all times and under all circumstances. Intoxication or the influence of drugs will not be considered a mitigating circumstance in judgment by the CSC of disruptive behavior.
2. Each student is responsible for the actions of their guest and may be held socially and financially responsible for any social offenses committed by that guest.
3. Since shared community standards are necessary to maintain an atmosphere of respect among individuals in the community, it is the responsibility of every member of the community to report to the CSC any violation of the Standards of Conduct.

Violations of the Standards of Conduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Lying in Official Matters and/or Dishonest Conduct.   The term “lying” in official matters or “dishonest conduct” is defined as:

• Making an untrue or deceptive statement; 
• Making a material omission, or conveying a false impression, with the intent to mislead a Rhodes College official in an official matter; or falsifying, altering, or misusing official material with the intent to mislead a Rhodes College official in an official matter. Official matters and material include, without limitation, matters having to do with course work, college administration, faculty, residence hall administration, Campus Safety, Honor Council, or Community Standards Council. If an respondent student has lied in an Honor Council hearing, the Council may use the lie as evidence relating to the Respondent to the Honor System when determining a outcome. 
• Misuse or falsification of any state, federal, or University documents, forms, records, identification cards, or funds by actions such as forgery, alteration, or improper transfer;
• Possession of a false identification card or possession of another’s identification card.

2. Stealing. The term “stealing” is defined as the act of intentionally taking, appropriating, or transferring, without right or permission, the academic property of any individual, organization, or institution, either permanently or temporarily associated with the Rhodes community.  Outside the academic context, stealing is the attempted or actual theft of services or property of the College, of a member of the College community, or other personal or public property.  The following are examples of what could be considered under the definition of stealing: 

• Appropriating or obtaining access to files or any other electronically stored information without authorization of the owner of such files or information 
• Taking papers, files, gradebooks, notes, past tests or exams or other academically-related information without the owner’s authorization 
• Removal of or otherwise making unavailable any material from the Rhodes College library without permission 

3. Guest Behavior. Any Honor Code/Standards of Conduct violation committed by a guest of a Rhodes College student, excluding prospective students registered through the Admissions Office, shall be the responsibility of their host.  Failure of a student host to reasonably supervise guest behavior, including behavior occurring in their residence hall rooms, behavior at student organization events, college-sponsored events, and behavior by off-campus guests.  See Guests and Visitors policy for more information.
4. Interfering with College or College sponsored activities, including but not limited to, studying, teaching, research, college administration, campus safety, or fire, police, or emergency services. 
5. Bullying and Other Abusive Behavior. This offense includes, but is not limited to: 

• A pattern of targeted, unwelcome conduct directed at an individual or group that is a reasonable person would determine is so severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the College’s educational programs or activities.    

6. Hate-Motivated Acts.   Engaging in verbal, written or physical conduct that is (i) based on a person’s or group’s race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, age (40 or over), or disability; and (ii) is intended to intimidate or injure the person physically, mentally or emotionally. 
7. Disorderly Conduct. Conduct that is disorderly, lewd, or indecent; conduct that has the effect of unreasonably disrupting the life of or interfering with the activities of persons or groups in the college community.
8. Endangering health and safety. Attempting or causing physical assault, verbal abuse, threats, coercion, and/or other conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person, including the accused student. Includes conduct that reasonably makes or could be anticipated to make others feel unsafe. 
9. Interfering with the freedom of expression of others.
10. Vandalism/Property Damage. Attempted or actual destruction/damage and/or defacement to property of the College or property of a member of the College community or other personal or public property, on or off campus. 
11. Hazing, hazing includes acts that cause mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, ridicule, humiliation, intimidation, or endangerment of health and safety, regardless of affiliation, including but not limited to recruiting, joining, pledging, initiating, admitting, affiliating, participating, or retaining membership in an organization or team. 

• Pressuring, coercing, and/or violating federal, state, provincial, local law, organizational, NCAA, or college policy;  
• Consumption of any food, liquid, alcohol liquid, drug, or other substance in any non-customary manner;  
• Physical contact, including and not limited to beating, paddling, branding, dangerous physical activity, exposure to elements, or threats of such conduct;  
• Any other forced physical activity that could adversely affect the health or safety of the student; 
• Any activity or exercise that is inconsistent with the mission of the organization/team;  
• Any activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the individual through acts such as line-ups or berating, sleep deprivation, forced or coerced exclusion from social interaction, forced or coerced wearing of clothing/apparel, forced conduct, threats of such behavior that could result in extreme embarrassment or any other forced activity that could negatively affect the student’s mental health or dignity; 
• Disruption of academic performance or class attendance, including early morning or late-night work sessions,  
• Personal or financial servitude (e.g., not limited to doing someone’s laundry, buying someone’s food, driving someone around/“chauffeuring” someone, completing someone’s classwork for them); 
• Publicly wearing apparel that is conspicuous and not generally in good taste;  
• Engaging in public stunts, 
• Any activity that a reasonable person would view as morally degrading or humiliating games and activities. 
• Kidnapping or abandonment

10. Failure to comply with directions of College officials, including, but not limited to, Campus Safety Officers, Resident Assistants, Staff, Faculty, etc., in the performance of their duties. 
11. Unauthorized use/entry of institution facilities/resources.
12. Possession of weapons of any type by students or guests while on College property, including firearms, B-B guns, pellet guns, bows and arrows, hunting knives, explosives or other weapons, except as specifically permitted by the Weapons Policy in the Student Handbook.  
13. Violation of the College’s Social and Alcohol 
14. Violation of the College’s Drug Policies.
15. Violation of any College regulation or policy.
16. Violating the terms of any disciplinary outcome imposed in accordance with the Honor Code or Standards of Conduct.
17. Violation of any federal, state or local law.
18. The agreement to (can be inferred by silent presence or failure to act) or support for an act that is against federal, state, or local laws, Honor Code, Standards of Conduct, or College policy. 

Lack of knowledge of these policies does not absolve responsibility for these violations.