Student Discipline:
Code of Conduct

The Student Discipline Code is the primary policy governing all student conduct and performance at Auburn University at Montgomery. It includes prohibited and sanctioned activities, disciplinary procedures, punishment, appeal, and code management and revision. All AUM students are subject to the Student Discipline Code and are obligated to meet and uphold this policy at all times.

I. General Policy

1. All students, by act of registration, obligate themselves to conform to all policies and regulations of the University.
2. Students are expected to conduct themselves according to the standards of good citizenship by obeying the laws of the United States, the State of Alabama and the city and county of Montgomery. Enrollment at AUM in no way exempts any student from penalty in case of violation of public law.

II. The Committee on Discipline

Charges brought against a student alleging violation of the Student Discipline Code are to be filed with the Committee on Discipline. Charges may be brought by any member of the University administration, faculty, staff, or Campus Police, either on direct knowledge or on information from other sources. The Committee on

Discipline is composed of the following:

• the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, or his or her designee, as the chair;
• two faculty members appointed by the Rules Committee of the Faculty Council and confirmed by the Faculty Senate;
• two students appointed by the President of the Student Government Association with the approval of two-thirds of the SGA Senate; and the Chief Justice of the SGA Supreme Court.

III. Violations of Academic Integrity

Students are expected to maintain academic integrity in all work pursued at AUM. Students should not condone violations of academic integrity and should act in a manner to prevent opportunities for violations of academic integrity to include:

1. Obtaining unauthorized help from another student during examinations or other graded or credit activities;
2. Knowingly giving unauthorized help to another student during examinations or other graded or credit activities;
3. Using notes, books, or other sources of information or assistance during examinations or other graded or credit activities, unless authorized by the examiner or instructor;
4. Obtaining, without authorization, an examination or any part thereof;
5. Plagiarism - submitting for credit, without appropriate acknowledgment, a report, notebook, speech, outline, theme, thesis, dissertation, or other written, visual, or oral material that has been knowingly obtained or copied in whole or in part from another individual’s academic composition, compilation, or other product, or commercially prepared paper;
6. Taking an examination or doing academic work for another student, or providing one’s own work for another student to copy and submit as his/her own.

IV. General Violations

1. The following are violations of the Student Discipline Code whenever the conduct occurs on the AUM campus or any other property owned by AUM, including that leased to others; at an activity sponsored by the University away from campus property; or at an official function of an organization registered by the University or wherever such conduct occurs:
   
   
   1. Knowingly publishing or circulating false information which is damaging (slander or libel);
   2. Threatening and/or committing physical violence against another person;
   3. Unauthorized entry into offices, buildings, or other University properties;
   4. Vandalism, malicious destruction, damage, or misuse of public or private property, including library materials;
   5. Theft or attempted theft of the property of another person, the University, or associated units;
   6. Possession of stolen property;
   7. Intentional disruption of, or interference with, University academic or administrative activities, or unauthorized occupation of University properties;
   8. Disorderly conduct (this regulation shall not be construed to mean prohibition of peaceful assembly and protest);
   9. Lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct;
   10. Illegal manufacture, sale, or possession of narcotics, barbiturates, amphetamines, marijuana, sedatives, tranquilizers, hallucinogens and/or other similar drugs and/or chemicals;
   11. Public intoxication or illegal possession of alcoholic beverages or liquors;
   12. Failure to comply with the official and proper regulation or order of a duly designated, identified authority, agent or agency;
   13. Causing the deposit of litter on any street, drive, parking lot, or other area of the AUM campus;
   14. Commission of any act which would constitute the violation of any state or federal law or municipal ordinance;
   15. Harassing or any form of ridicule on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion or physical handicap.
       
2. The following are violations of the Discipline Code wherever such conduct occurs:
   
   
   1. Threatening and/or committing physical violence against a student, faculty, or staff member;
   2. Participation in hazing or harassment of AUM students;
   3. Unauthorized taking or using of the academic material of a student, faculty, or staff member, or other person, including but not limited to notebooks, notes, research and term papers and special projects;
   4. Intentionally furnishing false information to the University;
   5. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of University identification cards, documents, or records;
   6. Issuing worthless checks to the University.
      
3. A student may also be referred to the Committee on Discipline under the following conditions:
   
   
   1. When he/she is convicted of the commission of a felony by public authorities; or
   2. When there is probable cause to believe that he/she has committed an act of such a nature that his/her continued presence at the University is potentially dangerous to the health and safety of the University community, whether or not public authorities have brought charges or imposed penalties.

V. Sanctions

1. The instructor of a course in which a violation of academic integrity occurs shall assign the student(s) committing the violation a grade of “F” in the course. The notation of the grade and words: “Assigned for Academic Dishonesty” may be placed in the student’s academic file by the faculty member. The possibility of additional sanctions or exceptions to this sanction is outlined in Section VI below. No action taken under Section V.A. is final if a hearing is pending.
   
2. One of the following sanctions may be imposed by the Committee on Discipline for a general violation or, separately or in conjunction with a sanction under (A), for an academic violation:
   
   1. Informal Reprimand - The chair of the Committee on Discipline shall give a written expression of disapproval to the student for his/her violation of the Discipline Code.
   2. Formal Reprimand - The chair of the Committee on Discipline shall give a written expression of disapproval to the student for his/her violation of the Discipline Code. A copy of the letter shall be placed in the student’s academic file.
   3. Probation (for a stated period of time) - the student shall report as required to a designated University official and may be subject to one or more of the following:
      
      
      1. Loss of the privilege of representing the University in an intercollegiate event or contest.
      2. Loss of the privilege of holding an elected or appointed student office or appointment to a university committee.
      3. Performance of reasonable civic and non-credit academic assignments. If a student fails to abide by his/her probation, he/she will be required to appear before the Committee on Discipline.
         
   4. Suspension - The student shall be excluded from the University for a stated period. During his/her suspension he/she shall not be allowed to take any courses at this institution, either in residence or by correspondence, nor shall he/she be given credit for work taken at other institutions.
   5. Expulsion - The student shall be dismissed from the University for a stated period, after which the student may apply to the Committee on Discipline for readmission. Disciplinary expulsion, because of its extreme nature, shall be noted in the student’s academic file.
      

3. The following sanctions may be imposed, separately or in conjunction with other sanctions, by the Committee on Discipline for violations of the Student Discipline Code:

   1. Restitution - The student shall be required to make compensation to the injured party for damaged, lost or destroyed property. The Committee on Discipline shall set the amount and form of the restitution.
   2. Fine - The student shall be fined an amount to be determined by the Committee on Discipline. The Committee shall also designate who shall receive the fine.

VI. Procedures Regarding Academic Dishonesty

1. When an instructor determines that a student enrolled in one of his/her classes has committed a violation of academic integrity in association with that class, the instructor shall within ten (10) days (defined herein as Monday through Friday) give written notification to the student stating the alleged violation and advising the student that he/she is being assigned a grade of “F” for the course. A copy of this notification shall be delivered to the dean of the school in which the class is taught and to the chair of the Committee on Discipline. The instructor may modify the penalty in the following manner:
   
   1. If the instructor takes less stringent action by assigning a grade of “F” for the course, any appeal by the student of such actions shall occur in accordance with procedures of the school in which the class is taught. If no procedures are posted, the school may form an ad-hoc committee to hear the appeal; or
   2. If the instructor believes that an additional or more stringent sanction is appropriate, he/she shall make the accusation to the Committee on Discipline under the procedures of Section VII.
      
2. If an instructor has imposed a grade penalty, the student may either accept the action of the instructor or appeal the decision of the instructor to the Committee on Discipline through the dean of the school in which the class is taught. Any request for an appeal shall be filed in writing with the dean of the school in which the course is taught within five (5) working days following receipt of notification of the alleged violation. The dean will forward the student’s written request for appeal to the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs, who will schedule a hearing for the student before the Committee on Discipline. The student may attend classes until final action by the Committee on Discipline. The chair of the Committee on Discipline shall give written notification of the final action to the student, the instructor and the dean.
3. A confidential file of all disciplinary action for academic dishonesty will be maintained in the office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. A faculty member may consult with the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs regarding this information in reaching a decision about the appropriate handling of instances of suspected academic dishonesty. Sanctions for repeat offenders may include either suspension or expulsion.
4. If neither the student nor the instructor requests a hearing and the violation is not a repeat offense, the action taken by the instructor shall be the final disposition of the case.
5. Accusations of academic dishonesty unrelated to current course work shall be made to the Committee on Discipline according to the procedure in Section Vll.

VII. Procedures of the Committee on Discipline

Accusations under this Code may be made to the Committee on Discipline based on the information and belief of the accuser. Unless the violation is one of academic integrity resolved by an instructor under Section Vl., the process outlined below will be followed.

1. Notice of accusation will be made in writing by the accuser to the chair of the Committee on Discipline within forty-five (45) calendar days of the discovery of the alleged violation. A request for a hearing of a charge of violation of academic integrity within a course will be made in writing by the accused under the provisions of Section Vl.B.
2. A majority decision of the Committee on Discipline will determine the course of action to be taken regarding the accusation. In addition, if in the opinion of the Committee, a city, county, state or federal law is involved, the Committee may so notify the Chancellor of the University, or his/her approved representative, who may in turn notify the appropriate public officials.
3. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs will notify the accused by U.S. mail, return receipt requested, within five (5) working days (defined herein as Monday through Friday) from receipt of the original charge. The accused shall be informed of the identity of the accuser.
4. A copy of the letter of notification will be sent to the accuser and to the student’s dean.
5. At the formal hearing the student may represent himself/ herself and have an advisor of his/her choice. If the student elects to secure an advisor from outside the University, the student must notify the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs of such an advisor at least seven (7) days prior to the date set for the hearing. The University may be advised by counsel at the option of the Chancellor.
6. The accused has the right to hear all charges brought against him/her.
7. At the formal hearing both the accuser and the accused shall have the right to testify, to present evidence and witnesses and to question witnesses presented by the adverse party. Committee members may also question witnesses and call witnesses not called by either party when the Committee deems such testimony appropriate.
8. A quorum for Committee proceedings shall consist of four members. The Committee shall deliberate in private and a vote of four of the six members shall be required to determine guilt and to impose sanctions.
9. If the student or the accuser fails to attend the hearing without notifying the Committee of extenuating circum-stances, the Committee of extenuating circum-stances, the Committee will make its decision based upon the evidence and testimony available.
10. All proceedings of the Committee on Discipline shall be confidential.

VIII. Appeal

A student may appeal any decision of the Committee on Discipline to a committee composed of the AUM Chancellor, the SGA President and the accused student’s dean. Notice of such an appeal must be filed both with the Office of the Chancellor and with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs within seven (7) calendar days of receipt of notification of the decision by the Committee on Discipline.

IX. Emergency Power of the Chancellor

In extreme cases where the action of a student or group of students poses an immediate and continuing threat to the well-being of the University or there is substantial evidence that the continued presence of the student(s) on the campus will disrupt the University, the Chancellor of AUM may temporarily suspend the student(s). The Chancellor shall hold a hearing within seventy-two (72) hours of the temporary suspension and if the Chancellor determines on the basis of this hearing that the presence of the student(s) no longer poses an immediate threat, the temporary suspension shall be lifted pending hearing by the Committee on Discipline.

X. Policy Regarding Student Records

Disciplinary suspension shall not be noted on the student’s permanent record. Temporary notice that a student is currently on suspension and is ineligible to return to AUM until a certain date shall be attached to the student’s record. This action shall be taken to notify other schools that the student is presently not in good standing with the University. Once the student has established his/her eligibility to return to AUM, the temporary notice shall be removed. Disciplinary expulsion, because of its extreme nature, shall be noted in the student’s academic file.

Administrative Holds

A student may be denied the opportunity to pre-register, register, use University facilities, or be issued a transcript, statement or credits, or diploma if the student is in default or is identified as being in default on any payment, has not submitted required documents, has not met Discipline Committee sanctions, or is otherwise in default by virtue of fees or property owed to the University or any of its schools or divisions. Administrative holds may be placed on a student by units such as Academic Affairs, Bookstore, Cashier Office, Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Housing, Library, Student Affairs or Campus Police.

Xl. Revisions of the Code

Proposals to amend or revise this Code may be made by the Student Government Association or the Faculty Senate. These bodies shall submit separate or joint recommendations concerning proposed changes to the AUM Chancellor, who may relay the proposed revision to the University attorney for legal review. Final authority for revision of the Student Discipline Code shall reside with the Chancellor and any revision shall be effective immediately upon approval by the Chancellor.