Student Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct Violations are established as the following; however, this is not an exhaustive list. Should the behaviors, activities or actions of a student endanger the life, health, safety or wellbeing of others in the College Community, prohibit the normal processes of the school day, or be determined to be detrimental to the mission and values of the College, they are also subject to disciplinary action via the Student Code of Conduct.

Violations Against Persons

1. Physical Violence/Abuse. Physical violence in any form will not be tolerated in a civil, educational environment. This category of misconduct encompasses any action where physical contact is made, resulting in harm or with the intent to cause harm. Such actions include but are not limited to, assault and battery (simple and/or utilizing a dangerous weapon), fighting/brawling, slapping, shoving, and restraining. Under no circumstance is physical violence acceptable. 
2. Endangering Behavior. Intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly causing physical harm to any person or causing reasonable apprehension of such harm or threat. 
3. Intimidation. Implied or actual threats or acts that cause a reasonable fear of harm in another may be inferred from conduct, words, or circumstances reasonably calculated to cause fear.
4. Hazing. An act that endangers a student's mental or physical health or safety or which destroys or removes public or private property for the initiation, admission into, affiliation with, or as a condition for membership in a group or organization.
5. Harassment. Verbal or physical conduct that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environment. Specific exclusions apply to instances characterized as Title IX offenses. 
6. Bullying and Cyberbullying. Bullying and cyberbullying are repeated and/or severe aggressive behaviors that intimidate or intentionally harm or control another person physically or emotionally and are not protected by freedom of expression.
7. Retaliation. Intimidating, threatening, or taking adverse action against an individual for making a good faith report of misconduct or participating, cooperating, or being associated with an investigation or the student conduct process. Retaliation is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and anyone who believes she or he has been the target of retaliation should immediately contact the Student Conduct Officer. According to the Student Code of Conduct, students found to have engaged in prohibited retaliation shall be subject to disciplinary action.
8. Stalking. Engaging in the course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for his or her safety or the safety of others or suffer substantial emotional distress. The course of conduct means two or more acts including, but not limited to acts in which the stalker directly, indirectly, or through third parties, by any action, method, device, or means, follows, monitors, observes, surveils, threatens, or communicates to or about a person, or interferes with person’s property.

Violations Against Property

1. Destruction of Property. Attempted or actual destruction, defacing, tampering with, materially altering, or otherwise damaging property of an individual or College, and/or creating a condition that endangers or threatens property of an individual or College.
2. Theft of Property. Attempted or actual theft of property of the College or a Member of the College community or other personal or public property.

Violations Against the College / College Community

1. Abuse of the Student Conduct System. This violation encompasses but is not limited to:

a. Failure to obey the notice from the Student Conduct Officer or Title IX officer and/or hearing board to appear for a meeting or hearing as part of the student conduct system
b. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before the Student Conduct Officer or hearing panel
c. Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a judicial proceeding
d. Knowingly initiating a judicial proceeding without cause
e. Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the judicial system
f. Attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a judicial body before and/or during the judicial proceeding
g. Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of a judicial body before, during, and/or after a judicial proceeding
h. Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed under the Student Code of Conduct
i. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the judicial system
j. Making repeated or false reports of offenses through the Grievance or Student Conduct process

2. Acts of Dishonesty. Having false or misleading information given to the College through a third party on behalf of the student; forgery, alteration or misuse of any College document, record, or instrument of identification; furnishing false information to any College official, faculty member, or office.

3. Disorderly or Disruptive Conduct. Activities or behaviors that disrupt teaching, research, administration, conduct proceedings, online services, or other College activities, including public-service functions on or off-campus or other authorized non-college activities.

4. Gambling. Conducting, organizing, or participating in any activity involving games of chance or gambling except as permitted by law.

5. Reasonable Request. Failure to comply with a reasonable request from faculty, staff, College officials, or law enforcement officers acting in the performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so.

6. Theft of Computer Time/Unauthorized Use of Computers. Including but not limited to:

a. Unauthorized entry into a file to use, read, or change the contents, or for any other purpose
b. Unauthorized transfer of a file
c. Unauthorized use of another individual’s identification and password 
d. Use of computer facilities to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member or College official 
e. Use of computer facilities to send obscene or abusive messages or to view obscene electronic information
f. Use of computing facilities to interfere with the regular operation of the College computing system 
g. Violation of the College’s Student Computer Use Policy and Internet Use Policy
h. Violation of the College’s Student Printing policy or theft of printing services, including but not limited to unauthorized use of another individual’s account 

7. Trespassing/Unauthorized Entry. Knowingly entering or remaining in a college building, office, room, or any other College property at any time without appropriate permission or authorization, which includes unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of keys to access any College premises.

8. Social Media and Other Electronic Platforms. This Code governs behavior conducted through social media and other electronic platforms that is detrimental to the College, its students, faculty, or staff in their roles as members of the campus community. Chattahoochee Technical College reserves the right to take action that addresses policy violations through educational intervention or sanctions. This includes but is not limited to using social media and other electronic platforms to objectively and unreasonably interfere with another’s legal rights or uses that create an objectively intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

9. Academic Misconduct. The intentional act of deception in which a student seeks to claim credit for the work of another person or uses unauthorized materials or fabricated information in any academic work. Students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work.

a. Plagiarizing any assignment or part of an assignment. 
b. Copying and submitting another’s work as one’s own.
c. Using unauthorized notes or equipment (programmable calculator, PDA, cell phone, etc.) during an examination, proctored event, or any other assessed activity.
d. Stealing an examination or using a stolen examination for any purpose.
e. Allowing another student to have access to your work, thereby enabling that student to represent the work as his/her own.
f. Having someone else take a quiz or exam in one’s place, taking an exam for someone else, assisting someone in any way during a quiz or exam, or using any unauthorized electronic device or another unauthorized method of support during a quiz or exam.
g. Falsifying or fabricating information such as data for a lab report.
h. Falsifying a patient’s medical record, a student’s clinical record, or any other student record, including a record of attendance.
i. Using or copying another person’s electronic file or copying any electronic information or computer program.
j. Other forms of cheating or misconduct are forbidden, even if not listed here specifically.

Academic misconduct violations will follow the disciplinary measures set forth by Academic Affairs and will be addressed according to the Student Code of Conduct.

Violations Involving Weapons

1. Weapons. The possession, carrying, or transportation of a firearm, weapon, or explosive compound/material in or on College premises shall be governed by Georgia state law. All individuals are expected to comply with the related laws. Illegal or unauthorized possession of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemicals on College premises or use of any such item, or otherwise, any failure to follow laws pertaining to weapons is considered a violation of the Code.
2. Fire/Explosives Materials or Devices. Any action that causes or attempts to create a fire or explosion (including bomb threats), false reporting of a fire, tampering of safety devices, and/or the failure to leave a College building during a fire alarm.

Violations Involving Substances

1. Alcohol. Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by College regulations), and/or public intoxication on College’s premises or at off-campus activities sponsored by the College. Alcoholic beverages may not, in any circumstances, be used by, possessed by, or distributed to any person under twenty-one (21) years of age or any violation of the Drug-Free School and Alcohol Prevention Policy. 
2. Use of Tobacco Products. Use of products in or around campus buildings except in marked designated smoking areas.
3. Controlled Substances. Use, possession, manufacturing, or distribution of narcotics, or other controlled substances, and/or related paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by law or any violation of the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act.

Other / Unclassified Violations

1. Conduct Unbecoming of a Student. Including but not limited to conduct that is disorderly, lewd or indecent; a breach of peace; or aiding, abetting, or procuring another person to breach the peace on College premises or at other locations where classes, activities, or functions sponsored or participated in by the College may be held. 
2. Disruptive activity or behavior not previously specified. Deemed to have a negative interference with the College, the College community, or to the student, staff, or faculty of Chattahoochee Technical College.