Student Code of Conduct

A Wholesome Lifestyle

 

Core Christian Values

Students who choose to attend Andrews University agree to adopt a wholesome lifestyle and to maintain high standards of conduct. These standards are part of the spiritual mission and heritage of the University. They reflect biblically grounded values such as honesty, modesty, sexual purity, respect for others and their safety, and healthful living.

Code of Student Conduct

The University takes seriously any failure of a student to abide by his/her commitment to the Community Values Agreement. The University understands that all human beings are flawed and that every situation is unique. Nevertheless, a student should expect to receive consequences, up to and including dismissal from the University, if he/she engages in any of the activities or behaviors described in the following list, whether the activity or behavior takes place on-campus, off-campus or in cyberspace. In addition to a response from the Student Life office, students may receive a response according to professional program standards.

The list that follows is not comprehensive but does provide examples of University perspectives in relationship to serious violations of the Code of Student Conduct:

1.Promotion or instigation of student behaviors not consistent with this Code of Student Conduct
2.Willful undermining of the religious ideals of the University, including disregard for the principles of meaningful Sabbath observance
3.Disorderly, profane, obscene or otherwise illegal or immoral conduct or expression which violates accepted standards of decency and Seventh-day Adventist Christian conduct
4.Disruptive or dysfunctional behaviors, aberrant actions, or other conduct that may compromise the educational environment or the health and safety of others
5.Entering the residence hall room or living area of a student of the opposite sex without an invitation to a formal open house program or permission from a residence hall dean
6.Failure to return to the residence halls before 4 a.m. without an approved overnight leave
7.Insubordination, including the failure to comply with directives of University officials or law enforcement officers acting in performance of their duties and/or the failure to identify oneself to one of these officials when requested to do so
8.All forms or acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to:
   •Theft
   •Fraud
   •Cheating, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty
   •Furnishing false information to any University office, official, faculty or staff
   •Forgery, alteration or misuse of any University document, record or instrument of identification
   •A pattern of spreading unsubstantiated rumors
   •Tampering with the election of leaders of any recognized student organization
9.Harassment based on personal characteristics such as sex, sexual orientation, race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability and any legally protected characteristic
10.Participating in hazing, defined as an intentional or reckless act that the person knew or should have known endangers the physical health or safety of an individual and that is done for the purpose of being initiated into or affiliating with an established group or organization
11.Participation in organizations or such organization’s activities that have not been registered with and approved by the Division of Student Life
12.Unauthorized use of Andrews University’s name or facilities, for purposes or events that are not consistent with the Code of Student Conduct and the values of Andrews University
13.Physical abuse or assault as well as domestic/relationship violence
14.Sexual misconduct including but not limited to nonconsensual sexual contact, nonconsensual penetration, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment
15.Premarital and extramarital sexual activity; inappropriate displays of affection, including displays of romantic affection between individuals of the same sex; pornography, sexting or other virtual forms of sexual activity
16.Verbal, written and other forms of disrespectful, threatening, intimidating, harassing, obscene or stalking behavior which endangers the health or safety (mental, emotional, physical) of any person; this includes phone calls, emails and all forms of social network and cyber bullying
17.Obstruction or disruption of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures or other University activities
18.Continual lack of serious effort to meet scholastic and citizenship requirements including a pattern of failing to meet the minimal (pass level) Co-Curricular attendance expectations (for more information, refer to Co-Curricular Choices and Changes)
19.On- or off-campus use, possession, purchase, sale, manufacture or distribution of:
   •Tobacco in any form
   •Alcoholic beverages
   •Illegal drugs or drug-related paraphernalia
   •Dishonestly acquired or misused prescription drugs or allowing the use of any of these in one’s residence (for more information, refer to Substance Abuse)
20.Patronizing night-clubs, events where illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia is present, events such as parties where alcohol is served by another host, or places of questionable entertainment or activities such as sexually suggestive or explicit dancing
21.Hosting/planning events in one’s own home or elsewhere where alcohol is served or consumed and/or illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia is present
22.Firearms, explosives, flammable substances and other weapons of any kind are not allowed on University property. This includes, but is not limited to: rifles, shotguns, pistols, paintball guns, BB guns, pellet guns, bows and arrows, stun guns, “air-soft” guns, look-alike firearms, knives with blades longer than three inches (excluding culinary knives) and martial arts weapons. Possession of any firearm or other weapon on University property is cause for corrective action up to and including dismissal. These items may also be confiscated and not returned. For further explanation, please obtain a free copy of the Campus Safety Handbook.
23.Attempted or actual vandalism or damage to individual, institutional or community property. Removal of institutional property from its designated place
24.Deliberate misuse of a fire alarm system or other emergency equipment (Civil Code may bring up to one year in prison and up to a $500 fine) or other violations of established safety protocols
25.Unauthorized entry or exit of campus buildings by any means other than the designated entrances, use of an exit for non-emergency purposes during timeframes when usage is established for emergency purposes only, or unauthorized presence (non-criminal trespassing) or use of equipment in University buildings after regular or established operational hours
26.Unauthorized possession, duplication or use of University key(s) or other access devices to any University premise
27.Gambling in any form
28.Violation of Andrews University’s Computer and Network Resources Policy and abuse of computer network and time to (but not limited to):
   •Send obscene, abusive or disrespectful messages
   •Communicate in a disrespectful and slanderous manner in emails or online social communities
   •Falsify the source of a message or email
   •Communicate and display content that violates any part of the Code of Student Conduct
   •Enter into a file, transfer a file or use another’s identification and password without authorization
   •Send excessive messages that lack a clear purpose
   •Misappropriate the Andrews University name, logo or identity
29.Violation of institutional policy or code published in hard copy or available electronically on the University website
30.Conviction by off-campus law enforcement agencies for violations of federal, state or local law which indicate that a student is not in good standing with the community and/or violations of federal, state or local law in ways that affect the institutional community’s pursuit of its mission and proper educational purposes
31.Conduct which has an adverse effect on the student’s responsibility to model good citizenship in the University community or in any other community

Any additional policies voted by the Student Life Deans Council, Student Life Council, Safety Committee or other appropriate University bodies, current and future, are valid and enforceable.

Character Statement and Student Pledge

“As part of the admission process, all prospective Seminary students are required to sign and return a character statement form. In addition, Seminary students subscribe to the following declaration of purpose: I declare it to be my serious intention to devote my life to the Christian ministry or some other form of Christian service, and to this end I pledge myself to rely on divine guidance, to live according to the standards and ideals set forth by the Holy Scriptures, to apply myself faithfully and diligently to the instruction of the seminary and to abide by all its requirements.” AU Bulletin p.422 (2014-2015)