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Student Conduct

The personal behavior and ethical conduct of each student at California State University, Northridge impacts, positively or negatively, on the climate and reputation of the entire institution. Thus it is imperative that each student act at all times with integrity and with respect toward all members of the campus community. The University assumes that all students will conduct themselves as mature, responsible, and law-abiding citizens who will comply with University policies and regulations. Inappropriate conduct by students or by applicants for admission is subject to discipline as provided in Sections 41301 and 41302 of Title 5, California Code of Regulations, as follows:

41301. Standards for Student Conduct

The University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy living and learning environment for students, faculty, and staff. Each member of the campus community must choose behaviors that contribute toward this end. Student behavior that is not consistent with the Student Conduct Code is addressed through an educational process that is designed to promote safety and good citizenship and, when necessary, impose appropriate consequences.

1. Student Responsibilities

   Students are expected to be good citizens and to engage in responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another and to others in the campus community, and contribute positively to student and university life.

2. Unacceptable Student Behaviors

   The following behavior is subject to disciplinary sanctions:
   1. Dishonesty, including:
      1. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty that are intended to gain unfair academic advantage.
      2. Furnishing false information to a University official, faculty member, or campus office.
      3. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of a University document, key, or identification instrument.
      4. Misrepresenting oneself to be an authorized agent of the University or one of its auxiliaries.
   2. Unauthorized entry into, presence in, use of, or misuse of University property.
   3. Willful, material and substantial disruption or obstruction of a University-related activity, or any on-campus activity.
   4. Participating in an activity that substantially and materially disrupts the normal operations of the University, or infringes on the rights of members of the University community.
   5. Willful, material and substantial obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or other traffic, on or leading to campus property or an off-campus University related activity.
   6. Disorderly, lewd, indecent, or obscene behavior at a University related activity, or directed toward a member of the University community.
   7. Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person within or related to the University community, including physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, or sexual misconduct.

   8. Hazing, or conspiracy to haze, as defined in Education Code Sections 32050 and 32051: “Hazing” includes any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a student organization, or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization which causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm, to any student or other person attending any school, community college, college, university or other educational institution in this state; but the term “hazing” does not include customary athletic events or other similar contests or competitions.

      A group of students acting together may be considered a ‘student organization’ for purposes of this section whether or not they are officially recognized. Neither the express or implied consent of a victim of hazing, nor the lack of active participation while hazing is going on is a defense. Apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing is not a neutral act, and is also a violation of this section.

   9. Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of illegal drugs or drug-related paraphernalia, (except as expressly permitted by law and University regulations) or the misuse of legal pharmaceutical drugs.
   10. Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by law and University regulations), or public intoxication while on campus or at a University related activity.
   11. Theft of property or services from the University community, or misappropriation of University resources.
   12. Unauthorized destruction, or damage to University property or other property in the University community.
   13. Possession or misuse of firearms or guns, replicas, ammunition, explosives, fireworks, knives, other weapons, or dangerous chemicals (without the prior authorization of the campus president) on campus or at a University related activity.
   14. Unauthorized recording, dissemination, or publication of academic presentations (including handwritten notes) for a commercial purpose.
   15. Misuse of computer facilities or resources, including:
       1. Unauthorized entry into a file, for any purpose.
       2. Unauthorized transfer of a file.
       3. Use of another’s identification or password.
       4. Use of computing facilities, campus network, or other resources to interfere with the work of another member of the University Community.
       5. Use of computing facilities and resources to send obscene or intimidating and abusive messages.
       6. Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with normal University operations.
       7. Use of computing facilities and resources in violation of copyright laws.
       8. Violation of a campus computer use policy.
   16. Violation of any published University policy, rule, regulation or presidential order.
   17. Failure to comply with directions of, or interference with, any University official or any public safety officer while acting in the performance of his/her duties.
   18. Any act chargeable as a violation of a federal, state, or local law that poses a substantial threat to the safety or well-being of members of the University community, to property within the University community or poses a significant threat of disruption or interference with University operations.
   19. Violation of the Student Conduct Procedures, including:
       1. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information related to a student discipline matter.
       2. Disruption or interference with the orderly progress of a student discipline proceeding.
       3. Initiation of a student discipline proceeding in bad faith.
       4. Attempting to discourage another from participating in the student discipline matter.
       5. Attempting to influence the impartiality of any participant in a student discipline matter.
       6. Verbal or physical harassment or intimidation of any participant in a student discipline matter.
       7. Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed under a student discipline proceeding.
   20. Encouraging, permitting, or assisting another to do any act that could subject him or her to discipline.

3. Application of this Code

   Sanctions for the conduct listed above can be imposed on applicants, enrolled students, students between academic terms, graduates awaiting degrees, and students who withdraw from school while a disciplinary matter is pending. Conduct that threatens the safety or security of the campus community, or substantially disrupts the functions or operation of the University is within the jurisdiction of this Article regardless of whether it occurs on or off campus. Nothing in this Code may conflict with Education Code section 66301 that prohibits disciplinary action against students based on behavior protected by the First Amendment.

4. Procedures for Enforcing this Code

   The Chancellor shall adopt procedures to ensure students are afforded appropriate notice and an opportunity to be heard before the University imposes any sanction for a violation of the Student Conduct Code.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

The maintenance of academic integrity and quality education is the responsibility of each student within this university and the California State University system. Cheating or plagiarism in connection with an academic program at a campus is listed in Section 41301, Title V, California Code of Regulations, as an offense for which a student may be expelled, suspended, or given a less severe disciplinary sanction. Academic dishonesty is an especially serious offense and diminishes the quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend upon the integrity of the campus programs. Such dishonesty includes:

1. CHEATING

   Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.

   Comments:

   1. Faculty members are encouraged to state in advance their policies and procedures concerning examinations and other academic exercises as well as the use before examinations of shared study aids, examination files, and other related materials and forms of assistance.
   2. Students completing any examination should assume that external assistance (e.g., books, notes, calculators, pagers, cell phones/cameras, PDAs, other electronic devices, conversation with others) is prohibited unless specifically authorized by the instructor.
   3. Students must not allow others to conduct research or prepare any work for them without advance authorization from the instructor. This comment includes, but is not limited to, the services of commercial term paper companies.
   4. Substantial portions of the same academic work may not be submitted for credit in more than one course without authorization.

2. FABRICATION

   Intentional falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

   Comments:

   1. “Invented’’ information may not be used in any laboratory experiment or other academic exercise without notice to and authorization from the instructor. It would be improper, for example, to analyze one sample in an experiment and covertly “invent’’ data based on that single experiment for several more required analyses.
   2. One should acknowledge reliance upon the actual source from which cited information was obtained. For example, a writer should not reproduce a quotation from a book review and indicate that the quotation was obtained from the book itself.
   3. Students who attempt to alter and resubmit returned academic work with intent to defraud the faculty member will be in violation of this section. For example, a student may not change an answer on a returned exam and then claim that they deserve additional credit.

3. FACILITATING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

   Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

   Comments:

   For example, one who knowingly allowed another to copy from his or her paper during an examination would be in violation of this section.

4. PLAGIARISM

   Intentionally or knowingly representing the words, ideas, or work of another as one’s own in any academic exercise.

   Comments:

   1. Direct Quotation:

      Every direct quotation must be identified by quotation marks, or by appropriate indentation or by other means of identification, and must be promptly cited in a footnote. Proper footnote style for any academic department is outlined by the MLA Style Sheet or K. L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations. These and similar publications are available in the Matador Bookstore and at the reference desk of the Oviatt Library.

   2. Paraphrase:

      Prompt acknowledgment is required when material from another source is paraphrased or summarized in whole or in part in your own words. To acknowledge a paraphrase properly, one might state: “to paraphrase Locke’s comment . . .’’ and conclude with a footnote identifying the exact reference. A footnote acknowledging only a directly quoted statement does not suffice to notify the reader of any preceding or succeeding paraphrased material.

   3. Borrowed Facts or Information:

      Information obtained in one’s reading or research which is not common knowledge among students in the course must be acknowledged. Examples of common knowledge might include the names of leaders of prominent nations, basic scientific laws, etc. Materials which contribute only to one’s general understanding of the subject may be acknowledged in the bibliography and need not be immediately footnoted. One footnote is usually sufficient to acknowledge indebtedness when a number of connected sentences in the paper draw their special information from one source. When direct quotations are used, however, quotation marks must be inserted and prompt acknowledgment is required.