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Office of Student Conduct

Section III: General University and Housing Policies Regarding Misconduct:

Personal Misconduct On or Off University Property

The University may discipline a student for the following acts of reported personal misconduct which occur on University property or at a University-sponsored function. Additionally, the University may discipline a student for the following acts of reported personal misconduct that are not committed on University property or the acts that arise from University activities that are being conducted off the University campus or if the misconduct undermines the security of the University community or the integrity of the educational process.  Such acts include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Acting as an accessory to any unlawful act or the violation of any University policy. Threatening or attempting to engage in any unlawful act or violation of any University policy or being present when a violation of policy occurs.
   
   
2. Acting with violence and/or aiding, encouraging, and/or participating in a riot.
   
   
3. Advertising/Solicitation
   a) Any posting of advertising materials must be done by authorized University staff only. For any posting of advertising materials within Ferris’ Housing facilities approval must be given by the Office of Student Leadership and Activities, with the final approval authority resting with the Housing Services Office. See the Office of Student Leadership and Activities for posting policy procedures.  The stuffing of apartment and residence hall mailboxes is not permitted.
   
   b) Solicitation is not permitted in the University buildings and/or grounds, excluding an approved university sponsored charity fundraiser program. University Housing reserves the right to individually approve or deny activities.
   
   
4. Actions that endanger the student, the University community, or the academic process.
   
   
5. Computer and Information System Misuse
   Unauthorized and/or inappropriate use of computers is prohibited. Such use includes, but is not limited to: damaging or altering records or programs, furnishing false information or invading the privacy of another user by using files, programs, or data without permission, engaging in disruptive and annoying behavior, or engaging in any unauthorized use of or access to computer hardware, software, accounts, or passwords.  Additionally, any and all actions in violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act are prohibited.
   
   
6. Damage to or destruction of property belonging to the University or others.
   
   
7. Dishonest conduct including, but not limited to, false accusation of misconduct; forgery, alteration, or misuse of any University document, record, or identification; abuse of the disciplinary system; and giving to a University official information known to be false.
   
   
8. Disorderly conduct that interferes with teaching, research, administration, or other University or University-authorized activity or that disrupts the university environment either during an event or incident or as a result of an event or incident.
   
   
9. Failure to comply with the directions of authorized University officials in the performance of their duties, failure to identify oneself when requested to do so, failure to comply with reasonable requests of other students, or failure to comply with the terms of the disciplinary sanction.
   
   
10. Game Processing (Hunting)
    Students are not permitted to process (butcher/clean/hang) game (deer, rabbits, fish, etc.) or hides anywhere in or near the residence halls, University apartments, or elsewhere on campus.
    
    
11. Harassment. See the Student Dignity and Harassment Policy in Section IV of this handbook on pages 41-42.
    
    
12. Hazing is defined as any conduct which subjects another person (whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or psychologically) to anything that may endanger, abuse, degrade, or intimidate the person as a condition of association with a group or organization, regardless of the person’s lack of consent.
    
    
13. Initiating or circulating a report or warning concerning an impending bombing, fire, or other emergency or catastrophe, knowing that the report is false; making a false report concerning a fire or that a bomb or other explosive has been placed in any University building or elsewhere on University property; or transmitting such a report to an official or an official agency.
    
    
14. Intoxication defined as being under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, regardless of age, where such behavior causes a disturbance or other concern to the University.
    
    
15. Lewd, indecent, or obscene conduct.
    
    
16. Parking on driveways, roadways, sidewalks, lawns and within yellow zones, posted or not is prohibited, All motor vehicles shall park only in the lot(s) assigned by the parking permit the vehicle was issued by the Department of Public Safety. Any violation of the University Parking Policy and Procedures may result in a ticket issued by the Department of Public Safety and/or disciplinary action.
    
    
17. Personal Identification and Key Security. Ferris students are required to carry their student ID at all times.  All students (and their guests) are required to provide identification upon request of a University official including student staff members.  Additionally a student may not duplicate and/or disseminate his/her student ID or university housing key.  It is expected that students will take proper precautions to ensure the safety of their student ID, university housing key, and residence hall room or apartment.
    
    
18. Physical abuse of any person, including the following:
    a) The use of physical force or violence to restrict the freedom of action or movement of another person or to endanger the health or safety of another person;
    
    b) Physical behavior that involves an expressed or implied threat to interfere with an individual’s personal safety, academic efforts, employment, or participation in University-sponsored extracurricular activities and causes the person to have a reasonable apprehension that such harm is about to occur; or
    
    c) Physical behavior that has the purpose or reasonably foreseeable effect of interfering with an individual’s personal safety, academic efforts, employment, or participation in University-sponsored extracurricular activities and causes the person to have a reasonable apprehension that such harm is about to occur.
    
    
19. Possession of firearms or other weapons. Answers to questions or issues related to firearms or other weapons may be located in the University’s Campus Violence and Weapons Prohibition policy, which you will find at http://www.ferris.edu/htmls/administration/buspolletter/bpl0319.pdf.
    
    
20. Release of access codes for University computer and duplicating systems and other University equipment to unauthorized persons; use of an access code for a purpose other than that for which the code was originally authorized and/or intended.
    
    
21. Sexual Misconduct as defined by the University Sexual Assault policy in Section IV of this handbook, found on pages 42-46, including unwelcome or unwanted touching.
    
    
22. Unauthorized entry, use, or occupancy of University facilities; including refusal to vacate a University facility when directed to do so by an authorized official of the University.
    
    
23. Unauthorized possession, use, manufacture, distribution, or sale of fireworks, incendiary devices, flammable or combustible materials, or other dangerous explosives on University Property is prohibited.
    
    
24. Unauthorized possession or use of alcoholic beverages.
    The use or possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited by Ferris State University in the following areas:
    
    a) On or off University property, or in the course of a University activity or student organization activity, when the possession or use is contrary to law and/or university policy.
    
    b) On or off University property, when possession or use creates a danger to self or others, including but not limited to the sale, gift, or transfer of alcohol to minors.
    
    c) In or on any property of the University frequented by the public, except in areas specifically designated by the President of the University.
    
    
25. Unauthorized possession or use of illegal drugs or controlled substances.The term “controlled substance” is defined by Michigan law, and includes, but is not limited to, substances such as marijuana, cocaine, narcotics, certain stimulants and depressants, and hallucinogens. The following actions are prohibited by Ferris State University:
    
    a) Use or possession of any drug, controlled substance, or drug paraphernalia on or off University property or in the course of a University activity or student organization activity, contrary to law or without a valid and legal prescription for such drugs or controlled substances.
    
    b) Use of University facilities to manufacture, process, or distribute any drugs or controlled substance contrary to law.
    
    c) Sale, gift, or transfer of drugs, controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia, whether or not such sale, gift, or transfer occurs on or off University property or in the course of a University activity or student organization activity.
    
    d) Production, manufacture or use of any substance that is used as a drug on or off University property.
    
    
26. Unauthorized taking or possession of University property or services; unauthorized taking or possession of the property or services of others.
    
    
27. Verbal abuse of another person, including the following:
    
    a) An expressed or implied threat to:
    
    i. Interfere with an individual’s personal safety, academic efforts, employment or participation in University-sponsored activities; or
    
    ii. Injure that person or damage his or her property and, under the circumstances, causes the person to have reasonable apprehension that such harm is about to occur; or,
    
    b) Inflammatory speech, spoken or written inflammatory communication as a personal insult to the listener or listeners in personally abusive language inherently likely to provoke a violent reaction by the listener or listeners toward the speaker.
    
    
28. Violation of other published University regulations, policies, or rules including Bulldog Values.
    
    
29. Any violation of any local, state, or federal law is against University Policy.