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Core Standards and Behavioral Expectations

Core Standards for Student Conduct at OU

  • Integrity: Students should exemplify honesty, honor and a respect for the truth in all of their activities.

  • Community: Students should build and enhance their community.

  • Respect: Students should show positive regard for each other, for property and for the community.

  • Responsibility: Students should be given and accept a high level of responsibility to self, to others and to the community.
Violations of the Core Standards of Conduct

The following sections generally describe the types of behavior that violate OU’s core standards of conduct. Students and student organizations who attempt to violate, conspire to violate and/or violate any of these standards, any OU Policies and/or any Applicable Law are subject to sanctions as described in this  SCC.

The SCC will not be applied or construed to prohibit or restrict conduct or activities to the extent that they are protected by the United States Constitution, the State of Michigan Constitution or Applicable Law.

Integrity
  1. Integrity: Students and student organizations should exemplify honesty, honor and a respect for the truth in all of their activities. Conduct that violates this standard includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Falsification. Knowingly creating, furnishing, possessing or otherwise using any false, falsified or forged materials, documents, accounts, records, identification or financial instruments; or, misrepresentation of documents submitted to any office, OU official, or any individual acting on behalf of OU.

    2. Academic Dishonesty. Acts of academic dishonesty as outlined in OU’s Code of Academic Integrity.

    3. Unauthorized Access. Unauthorized access to any OU building, OU property, or property belonging to others; or, unauthorized possession, duplication or use of means of access to any OU building (i.e. keys, cards, etc.); or, failing to timely report a lost OU identification card or key; or, use of any OU facility, real or personal property, or equipment for anything other than its intended or authorized purpose.

    4. Collusion or Conspiracy. Action or inaction taken together with one (1) or more other persons to commit, or attempt to commit, a violation of the SCC or any other OU Policies and/or any Applicable Laws.

    5. Stolen Property. Intentional and unauthorized taking of OU property or the personal property of another, including without limitation goods and other valuables; or, knowingly taking or maintaining possession of stolen property.

Community
  1. Community Responsibility: Students and student organizations should build and enhance their community. Conduct that violates this standard includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Disruptive Behavior. Conduct that has the purpose or effect of disrupting, or interfering with the requirements or operations of any OU academic or non-academic activities or operations, including without limitation teaching, learning, research and/or administration. Disruptive behavior also includes causing, inciting or participating in any disturbance that endangers the health or safety of any person, causes physical harm to any person, or threatens or causes damage to and/or destruction of any property.

    2. Failure to Vacate. Refusing to vacate an OU building, property, sidewalk, street, or other facility or area when directed to do so by an authorized OU official.

    3. Trademark. Unauthorized use (including misuse) of OU or organizational names, logos, trademarks, copyrights and/or images.

    4. Damage and Destruction. Intentional, reckless and/or unauthorized damage to or destruction of OU real or personal property and/or the personal property of another.

    5. IT and Acceptable Use. Any violation of OU’s University Acceptable Use and Computing Policy.

    6. Gambling. Gambling as prohibited by the laws of the State of Michigan, including without limitation unlicensed or illegal raffles, lotteries, games of chance, sports pools and online betting activities.

    7. Weapons. The possession, use, or distribution of explosives (including fireworks and ammunition), guns (including air, BB, paintball, facsimile weapons and pellet guns), or other weapons or dangerous objects, including the storage of any item that falls within the category of a weapon in a vehicle parked on University property, in violation of OU Policies and/or Applicable Law. No person shall possess a toy weapon on the campus with the intention or effect of using such a toy weapon to threaten, assault, intimidate or otherwise injure any other person.

    8. Fire Safety. Violation of OU Policies and/or Applicable Law regarding fires or fire safety including, but not limited to:

      1. Intentionally or recklessly causing a fire;
      2. Failing to evacuate OU buildings or facilities during a fire alarm or evacuation drill;
      3. Improper use of fire safety equipment; and/or
      4. Tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm or fire detection/control equipment while on OU property (such action may result in a local fine in addition to OU sanctions).

    9. Animals. Bringing an animal on campus except as expressly permitted by University Policies or Applicable Law.

    10. Wheeled Devices. Using skateboards, roller blades, roller skates, bicycles or similar wheeled devices in violation of OU Policies and/or Applicable Law, inside University buildings and/or residence halls, on tennis courts, and/or on railings, curbs, benches, or any other fixtures or areas that may be damaged by these activities (individuals may be liable for damage to OU property caused by these activities). There are exceptions to this policy for students utilizing mobility devices due to a disability, further information can be found on the Disability Support Services website.

Respect
  1. Respect: Students and student organizations should show positive regard for each other and for the community. Conduct that violates this standard includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Harm to Persons. Intentionally, recklessly or negligently injuring, causing the death of and/or endangering the health or safety of any person.

    2. Threatening, Discriminatory and Harassing Behaviors:

      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. Implied threats or acts that cause, or are intended to cause, a reasonable fear of harm in another.
      3. Discrimination and/or Harassment. Actions, statements or other conduct that has the purpose or effect of unlawfully discriminating against or harassing an individual or creating an intimidating or hostile educational or work environment, or that is sufficiently severe, pervasive or persistent as to unreasonably interfere with or affect a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the educational, research, employment or other services, activities or opportunities offered by the University.

    3. Hazing. Any act that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a person, 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 standard.

    4. Retaliation. Actions, statements or other conduct that intimidates, threatens or coerces a person in any way because he/she has reported misconduct or participates in an investigation or adjudication of misconduct.

    5. Sexual Misconduct. Sexual Misconduct, including Title IX sexual harassment, is prohibited. The definitions of sexual misconduct and Title IX Sexual Harassment are located in AP&P #625 (Sexual Misconduct) and the Procedures for Responding to Reports of Title IX Sexual Harassment (Title IX Sexual Harassment). All complaints involving students are investigated in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Procedures for Responding to Reports of Title IX Sexual Harassment and adjudicated in accordance with the hearing process outlined in this SCC.

    6. Public Exposure. Includes without limitation deliberately and publicly exposing one’s intimate body parts, public urination, defecation and public sex acts.

Responsibility
  1. Responsibility: Students and student organizations are given and accept a high level of responsibility to self, to others and to the community. Conduct that violates this standard includes, but is not limited to:
    1. Alcohol. Use, possession, or distribution of alcoholic beverages or paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by Applicable Law and OU Policies. To better ensure that minors at medical risk as a result of alcohol intoxication will receive prompt and appropriate medical attention, OU follows the  medical amnesty statute adopted by the State of Michigan.

    2. Drugs. Use, possession or distribution of illegal drugs and other controlled substances or drug paraphernalia except as expressly permitted by Applicable Law and OU Policies.

    3. Prescription Medications. Possession, use, abuse, misuse, sale, or distribution of prescription or over-the-counter medications except as expressly permitted by Applicable Law and OU Policies.

    4. Failure to Comply. Failure to comply with the reasonable directives of OU 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.

    5. Other OU Policies. Violating other OU Policies, including without limitation all OU Housing policies.

    6. Violations of Law. Violations of Applicable Law.

    7. Infectious/Contagious Diseases and Health and Safety Protocols. Failure to comply with all directives from University representatives, and all University and other rules, regulations, and policies, including without limitation all public health guidance issued by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, any other United States’ departments and agencies, any State of Michigan departments and agencies, executive orders, local and University health and safety protocols related to COVID-19, other infectious/contagious diseases and all other health and safety protocols. The University may deny my participation in certain campus activities and I may be subject to discipline for my failure to comply.

Office of the Dean of Students

Oakland Center, Suite 150
312 Meadow Brook Road
Rochester, MI 48309-4454
(location map)
(248) 370-3352


Office Hours:
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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