Section IV: Prohibited Behavior

Academic Dishonesty

• Acts of academic dishonesty or other academic misconduct as outlined in the Academic Integrity policy found in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.  Please refer to the appropriate catalog for policies and procedures.

Criminal Conduct

• A violation of any federal, state, or local law or ordinance. Illegal international conduct will also be considered.

Collusion

• Helping, encouraging, or attempting to help others violate any university policy, rule, or regulation. This includes actions such as inaction, planning, supporting, or inciting misconduct.

Dishonest Conduct

• Knowingly taking part in dishonest conduct, including, but not limited to:
  • Reporting a false emergency or making a reckless or false complaint;
  • Making a false Report of misconduct;
  • Tampering with the election of any University-recognized student organization;
  • Furnishing or possessing false, falsified or forged materials, documents, accounts, records, identification, or financial instruments;
  • Falsely attributing an activity to the University; or
  • Unauthorized use of university organizational names, images, and/or logos.

Unprofessional or Disruptive Behavior

• Behavior which disrupts the orderly operation of authorized university activities, or otherwise substantially undermines or interferes with the University’s mission and operations.
  • This includes behavior in the following locations:
    • In an instructional setting;
    • At a location used for the operation of university business;
    • At an on-campus location; or
    • At university activities held on-campus or off-campus.
  • This also includes, but is not limited to, the following behaviors from any location:
    • Interfering with an instructor’s ability to manage the instructional setting;
    • Infringing on the reasonable expectations of other members of the University community to receive and/or provide an education free from undue distraction or interruption;
    • Inhibiting access to facilities, pedestrian pathways, or vehicular traffic;
    • Disrupting or hindering emergency services, investigations, or disciplinary proceedings;
    • Protesting or demonstrating within the interior of any building owned, leased, or controlled by the University, except as specifically authorized by the University; or
    • Any violation of the University Demonstration Policy.

Abuse of Student Accountability Process

• Misusing, interfering with, or not following university Student Accountability or Academic Integrity Processes.
  • Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation to a university official as part of the Accountability Process;
  • Disruption or interference of a proceeding in the Accountability Process; or
  • Failure to comply with interim or final sanction(s) imposed by the Accountability Process.

Failure to Comply

• Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of university officials or law enforcement officers during the performance of their duties.
  • This includes but is not limited to:
    • Failure to identify yourself or provide a Student ID when requested to do so;
    • Failure to comply with a reasonable directive from a university instructor; or
    • Failure to adhere to the outcome of the Accountability Process and/or no contact directives.

Trespassing

• Trespassing includes:
  • Entering or occupying any campus building or space without permission, including areas like rooftops or fire escapes;
  • Using university property – like equipment or facilities – improperly or without permission; or
  • Possession, use, or copying of university keys, ID cards, access codes, or other entry methods.

Misuse of IT Resources

• Use of the University’s technology, computer equipment, learning management systems, programs, data or other researches in a way that violates the intended use of the equipment, confidentiality of the University’s information, or integrity of the computer systems. This includes unauthorized reproduction of software, using the University’s technology or equipment in violation of copyright laws, or using security passwords in an unauthorized manner.
• Violation of the University Acceptable Use and Computing Policy.

Retaliation

• Acts or words taken against an individual, because of the individual’s participation in a protected activity that would discourage a reasonable person from engaging in such protected activity.
  • Several other University policies also contain anti-retaliation provisions that protect individuals who, in good faith, utilize those policies (e.g. Title IX Policy).

Threatening Behavior

• Written or verbal behavior directed toward a specific individual or group of individuals causing a reasonable person to believe that the person making the threat:
  • Intended to carry out the threat to harm their health, safety, or property, and
  • Had the ability to carry out the threat.

Alcohol

• Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages, empty alcohol containers, or paraphernalia in violation of the law or University Policy.
• This includes policies specifically written for students living in the Residence Halls. See Residence Life Community Standards.

Tobacco

• Use of tobacco in any area of campus
  • This includes but is not limited to:
    • Smokeless tobacco products (including, but not limited to, chewing tobacco, vaporizers, e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems)
    • Tobacco smoking products (including, but not limited to, cigarettes and hookahs)

Drugs

• Use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances;
• Possession of drug paraphernalia;
• Distribution or misuse of prescription medications; and
• Consumption of prescription medication that are not prescribed to you.
• This includes policies specifically written for students living in the Residence Halls. See Residence Life Community Standards.

Discrimination.

• Any violation of the University Freedom from Harassment and Discrimination Policy.

Harassment

• Any violation of the University Freedom from Harassment and Discrimination Policy.

Terroristic Threat

• Issuing a threat of:
  • Violence;
  • Using a weapon, including guns;
  • Use of a bomb or explosive device;
  • Use of a chemical or biological agent;
  • A cyber threat with the potential to adversely impact University operations.

Self-Destructive Behavior

• Behavior which harms or threatens to harm the health or safety of oneself.

Assault

• Any unwanted physical contact aimed at a specific that causes physical harm and is done intentionally or with reckless disregard.

Hazing

• Any violation of the University Hazing Policy.

Weapon or Dangerous Devices

• Use, storage, or possession of weapons or facsimiles of weapons on-campus, even if legally possessed. Students who are permitted to carry a handgun in a public place, according to Texas law, and active duty military may only possess a handgun on campus if it is stored in a locked motor vehicle. These students may not have a weapon anywhere else on campus.
  • This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Firearms
    • Ammunition
    • Knives (with blades longer than 3 inches, except when used for legitimate purposes such as food preparation or university-approved work-related tasks)
      • Knives carried for general use, display, or without a clear, approved purpose may be considered weapons and are not allowed.
    • Sling shots
    • Arrows
    • Axes
    • Machetes
    • Air-powered-guns
    • Blow guns
    • Paintball guns
    • Stun guns
    • Pellet guns
    • Toy or replica guns
    • Tasers
• Use, storage, or possession of dangerous devices or substances, even if legally possessed.
  • This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Fireworks
    • Bottle rockets
    • Explosives or propelling devices
    • Dangerous chemicals
    • Flammable liquid
  • This includes policies specifically written for students living in the Residence Halls. See Residence Life Community Standards.

Fire Safety

• Violation of local, state, federal, or campus fire policies including, but not limited to:
  • Intentionally or recklessly causing a fire which damages university or personal property or which causes injury;
  • Failure to evacuate a university-controlled building during a fire alarm;
  • Improper use of university fire safety equipment;
  • Tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on university property; or
  • Failure to follow all regulations, stipulations, and risk mitigation expectations outlined for student and student organization events or activities. 

Vandalism

• Intentional or reckless destruction, damage, defacement, or misuse (including attempts of these behaviors) of property that does not belong to the student including:
  • University property; or
  • Property belonging to another university community member.

Theft

• Possession or taking of property that does not belong to the student.
  • This includes but is not limited to:
    • Intentional and unauthorized taking of university property;
    • Possession of stolen property;
    • Unauthorized use of a:
      • Student ID or credit/debit card
      • Cellphone
      • Personal check
    • Attempts of any of the above behavior.

Unauthorized Audio, Video, or Photo

• Sending, distributing, uploading to the internet, or transmitting any audio, video, or photo of another person without their consent—even if they originally consented to the recording—if a reasonable person would determine that doing so could cause injury, extreme distress, or significant harm to the subject of the recording.