Student Misconduct
The following standards apply to all students and student organizations as well as other members of the College community. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to
Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs or Narcotics
Use, possession, sale, delivery, manufacturing, consumption, or distribution of alcoholic beverages on Spelman property or at any College sponsored event (exception--students age 21 who are attending a special College event that has been approved for the serving of alcohol).
Under the influence of alcohol and/or intoxicated in public and/or in the residence halls or any College facility or sponsored event (including individual residence hall rooms).
Use, possession, sale, delivery, consumption, or distribution of any narcotic, drug, medicine prescribed to someone else, chemical compound, or other controlled substance or drug-related paraphernalia on College premises, except as expressly permitted by law.
Under the influence of illegal drugs and/or intoxicated in public and/or in the residence halls or any College facility or sponsored event (including individual residence hall rooms).
Firearms, Weapons, Fire, and Explosives
Use or possession of weapons, including handguns, firearms, knives (2 inches or longer), ammunition, fireworks, explosives, noxious materials, incendiary devices, or other dangerous substances on College premises or at a College sponsored event.
Attempting to ignite and/or igniting College and/or personal property and/or property of others either by intent or as a result of reckless behavior that results in damage to persons or property on College premises or at a College sponsored event.
Note: Possession of weapons, including handguns, is prohibited, even for licensed handlers.
Fire Alarms, Emergencies and Fire Safety
Tampering with fire alarms, fire extinguishers, or fire signs and prevention equipment, or failing to comply with other safety rules.
Making false emergency calls and destroying emergency signs on College premises.
Attempting to ignite and/or igniting College and/or personal property either by intent or as a result of reckless behavior that results in damage to persons or property on College premises or at a College sponsored event.
Failure to exit or evacuate the building during a fire alarm or fire drills.
Issuing bomb threats.
Actions Against Members of the College Community
Physically or verbally abusing or threatening any member of the College community.
Violating Spelman's sexual harassment policy or harassing any person or group of persons.
Sexual misconduct or unwanted sexual behavior that involves actual or attempted physical contact of a sexual nature.
Fighting, regardless of level of responsibility.
Disruptive behavior or disorderly conduct.
Engaging in obscene, lewd, or other conduct that disrupts any program or activity on the Spelman campus or impedes freedom of movement of any member of the College community (including all College facilities and off-campus College sponsored events).
Actions against members may also include actions against oneself and/or displaying behaviors that could endanger oneself.
Theft, Damage, Forgery, False Information or Unauthorized Use and Entry
Stealing or possessing stolen property, or extorting or attempting to extort money from any member of the College community.
Intentionally damaging property of the College or any member of the College community.
Unauthorized entry into, use of, or occupancy of College facilities.
Unauthorized possession or use of any key or master key to College offices or residential facilities.
Fraud, including telephone fraud and the unauthorized use of checks, credit cards, or calling cards.
Forgery, including falsifying academic or non-academic documents or financial instruments.
Knowingly providing false information to the College, faculty, and/or staff either verbally or written.
Academic Dishonesty*
Any form of academic dishonesty which may include, but is not limited to
- Cheating
- Plagiarism
- Bribing or attempting to bribe any other individual to alter a grade(s)
- Forging academic documents
- Unlawfully securing tests
*Please refer to the Spelman College Bulletin for details regarding procedures and policies for academic dishonesty.
Failure to Comply
Failure to comply with rules and/or directions imposed by any College official in performance of his/her duties.
Failure to comply with the sanction(s), condition(s), and/or restrictions imposed under the Code of Community Standards and Conduct.
Failure to comply with reasonable instructions from a College official.
Failure to respond to written and/or verbal communication from a College official in performance of his/her duties.
Hazing
Hazing is defined as any activity directed against a student that endangers the student's mental or physical health or safety. The endangering may be intentional or unintentional and caused by reckless behavior, and the activity may occur on or off campus. The activity is commonly associated with the student's membership, initiation, affiliation, pledging, and/or association with an organization. This definition includes but is not limited to
- Physical brutality, whipping, beating, striking, branding, paddling, kicking, choking, scratching, electronic shocking, and placing harmful substance on or in the body;
- Sleep deprivation, exposure to elements, confinement in a small space, aerobic exercising, duck walking, and weight lifting;
- Any activity involving the excessive consumption of food or inappropriate foods and liquids, alcohol, drugs (this includes ingesting foreign objects or substances).
Any activity that intimidates, ostracizes, subjects students to extreme mental stress, shame, and/or humiliation, or anything that adversely affects the student's mental health such as
- Screaming at an individual or group
- Belittling or humiliating participants
- Using derogatory, profane, or obscene language toward participants
- Requiring participants to engage in morally degrading or humiliating games (this includes the perception of the participants)
- Requiring participants to engage in embarrassing activities
- Damaging reputations
- Disheveling hair, tearing clothes
- Using participants' cars, money, or clothes, or other personal items
Treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or other activities that require participants to travel long distances and find their way back from isolated areas with insufficient financial resources or that otherwise endanger a participant are prohibited.
Any activity in which hazing is either condoned or encouraged by members, officers, and/or alumni of the organization is committing and/or assisting in hazing.
Gifts of any form may not be given to any individual or organization prior to the intake process or during the membership intake process (exception _ Initiation).
Engaging in any activity that is prohibited by law or by the policies of the College.
Note: Georgia Hazing Law--"Haze" means to subject a student to an activity that endangers or is likely to endanger the physical health of a student, regardless of a student's willingness to participate in such activity. It shall be unlawful for any person to haze any student in connection with or as a condition or precondition of gaining acceptance, membership, office, or other status in a school organization.
Abuse, Misuse, or Theft of College Computer Data, Programs, Time, Computer, and/or Network Equipment
Unauthorized use of computing and/or networking resources.
Unauthorized accessing and/or copying of programs, records, or data belonging to the College and/or other user, or copyrighted software, without permission.
Use of computing and/or networking resources for unauthorized or nonacademic purposes.
Attempted or actual breach of the security of another user's account and/or computing system.
Attempted or actual use of College computing and/or networking resources for personal or financial gain.
Attempted or actual transport of copies of College programs, records, or data to another person or computer without written permission.
Attempted or actual destruction or modification of programs, records, or data belonging to the College or another user or destruction of the integrity of computer-based information.
Attempted or actual use of the computing and/or networking systems; or through such actions, causing a waste of such resources (people, capacity, computer).
Allowing another person, either through one's personal computer account, or by other means, to accomplish any violation.
"Spamming" is defined as the sending of unsolicited emails to parties with whom you have no existing business, professional, or personal acquaintance.
Abuse of the Student Judicial System
Failure to respond to a notification to appear before an official of the College.
Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information during disciplinary proceedings.
Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a disciplinary proceeding.
Filing an allegation known to be without merit or cause.
Discouraging or attempting to discourage an individual's proper participation in, or use of, the discipline system.
Influencing or attempting to influence a member of a disciplinary body prior to and/or during the disciplinary proceeding.
Retaliation against any person or group who files grievances or allegations in accordance with the Student Handbook.
Housing and Residence Life
Violating any policy, procedure, notification, regulation, or condition established within the residence halls (this includes published and non-published materials), and/or any rules established by majority vote of the residents.
Reciprocity with AUC
As a member of the Atlanta University Center, Spelman has a reciprocal agreement with the other member institutions regarding student behavior and discipline. When a Spelman student is accused of misconduct on any of the AUC campuses, (including the Woodruff Library area and corresponding parking lots to the campus), Spelman will address the matter as though the incident occurred at Spelman. Likewise, incidents involving students from other AUC institutions who engage in misconduct on the Spelman campus will be addressed on their respective campuses.
