Code of Student Conduct

The following behaviors, or attempted behaviors, are considered violations of the University Code of Student Conduct:

1. Abuse of Conduct Process. Abuse or interference with, or failure to comply in, UWA processes including conduct and academic integrity hearings including, but not limited to:
   1. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information;
   2. Failure to provide, destroying, or concealing information during an investigation of an alleged policy violation;
   3. Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the campus conduct system;
   4. Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of a campus conduct body prior to, during, and/or following a campus conduct proceeding;
   5. Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed by the campus conduct system;
   6. Influencing, or attempting to influence, another person to commit an abuse of the campus conduct system.
2. Academic Dishonesty. Acts of academic dishonesty such as cheating, plagiarism, and/or misrepresentation will be addressed as outlined in the Disciplinary Procedures for Academic Infractions.
3. Alcohol. Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages or paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law and the University’s Alcohol Policy;
4. Collusion. Action or inaction with another or others to violate the Code of Student Conduct;
5. Damage and Destruction. Intentional, reckless, and/or unauthorized damage to or destruction of UWA property or the personal property of another;
6. Disruptive Behavior. Substantial disruption of UWA operations including obstruction of teaching, research, administration, other UWA activities, and/or other authorized non-UWA activities which occur on campus;
7. Drugs. Use, possession, or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances or drug paraphernalia;
8. Failure to Comply. Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of UWA officials or law enforcement officers during the performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so;
9. Falsification. Knowingly furnishing or possessing false, falsified, or forged materials, documents, accounts, records, identification, or financial instruments.
10. Fire Safety. Violation of local, state, federal, or campus fire policies including, but not limited to:
    1. Intentionally or recklessly causing a fire that damages UWA or personal property or which causes injury.
    2. Failure to evacuate a UWA-controlled building during a fire alarm;
    3. Improper use of UWA fire safety equipment; or
    4. Tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on UWA property. Such action may result in a local fine in addition to UWA sanctions;
11. Gambling. Gambling as prohibited by the laws of the State of Alabama. (Gambling may include lotteries, sports pools, and online betting activities);
12. Harassment. Unwelcome conduct (written, verbal, or via electronic communication) that is so severe, pervasive, objectionably offensive, and that so undermines and detracts from a student’s educational experience, that it denies or limits a student’s equal access to an institution’s resources, activities, and opportunities.
13. Harm. Intentionally or recklessly causing physical harm or endangering the health or safety of any person.
14. Hazing. Defined as an act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student, or that destroys or removes public or private property, for the purpose of initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for continued membership in a group or organization. Participation or cooperation by the person(s) being hazed does not excuse the violation. Failing to intervene to prevent (and/or) failing to discourage (and/or) failing to report those acts may also violate this policy.
15. Health and Safety. Creation of health and/or safety hazards (dangerous pranks, hanging out of or climbing from/on/in windows, balconies, roofs, etc.) or violation of institutional, local, state, and/or federal public health directives.
16. IT and Acceptable Use. Violating the Information Technology Policy,
17. Other Policies. Violating other published UWA policies or rules, including all Residence Hall policies, etc;
18. Prescription Medications. Abuse, misuse, sale, or distribution of prescription or over-the-counter medications; Sanctions for drug violations may include drug education, mandated evaluation, and treatment, community service, suspension, and/or expulsion. Student organizations that knowingly permit illegal drug activity will be excluded from campus for a minimum of one year.
19. Retaliatory Discrimination or Harassment. Any intentional, adverse action taken by a responding or persistent and objectively offensive individual or allied third party, absent legitimate nondiscriminatory purposes, against a participant or supporter of a participant in a civil rights grievance proceeding or other protected activity under this Code.
20. Rioting. Causing, inciting, or participating in any disturbance that presents a clear and present danger to self or others, causes physical harm to others, or damages and/or destruction of property;
21. Sexual Harassment. Quid Pro Quo sexual harassment, Hostile Environment sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and retaliation as defined in the University of West Alabama Policies and Procedures Regarding Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination.
22. Sexual Misconduct. Sexual Contact and Sexual Exploitation as defined in the University of West Alabama Policies and Procedures Regarding Equal Opportunity, Harassment, and Nondiscrimination.
23. Stalking. A repetitive and menacing pursuit, following, harassing, and/or interfering with the peace and/or safety of another on grounds other than the basis of gender/sex.
24. Stolen Property. Knowingly taking or maintaining possession of stolen property; including but not limited to using another student’s ID card,
25. Taking of Property. Intentional and unauthorized taking of UWA property or the personal property of another, including goods, services, and other valuables;
26. Threatening Behaviors: Harm to Persons.
    1. Threat. Written or verbal conduct that causes a reasonable expectation of injury to the health or safety of any person or damage to any property.
    2. Intimidation. Intimidation is defined as implied threats or acts that cause a reasonable fear of harm in another.
27. Traffic/Parking Policy - Violation of traffic and parking rules and regulations including, but not limited to:
    1. Repeated or flagrant violations of the rules as set forth in;
    2. Tampering with, removal, or theft of wheel locks, barricades, traffic cones, or traffic control devices.
28. Unauthorized Access. Unauthorized access to any UWA building (i.e. keys, cards, etc.) or unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of means of access to any University building or failing to timely report a lost UWA identification card or key;
29. Unauthorized Entry. Misuse of access privileges to UWA premises or unauthorized entry to or use of buildings, including trespassing, propping, or unauthorized use of alarmed doors for entry into or exit from a UWA building;
30. Weapons. Illegal or unauthorized possession of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemicals on University premises, or use of any such item, even if legally possessed, in a manner that harms, threatens, or causes fear to others, including the storage of any item that falls within the category of a weapon in a vehicle parked on UWA property (for more information, see Firearms Policy in the Tiger Paw Student handbook);
31. Violations of Law. Evidence of violation of local, state or federal laws, when substantiated through the University’s conduct process.