Article I: Definitions

The term “College” means Texas Southmost College.
The term “student” shall mean one who is currently enrolled in the College District. These policies and regulations shall also apply to any prospective or former student who has been accepted for admission or readmission to any component institution while he or she is on the premises of any component institution. This Student Code of Conduct applies at all locations of the College.
The term “faculty” or “faculty member” means any person hired by the College to conduct classroom or teaching activities or who is otherwise considered by the College to be a member of its faculty.
The term “College official” includes any person employed by the College, performing assigned administrative or professional responsibilities.
The term “member of the College community” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, College official or any other person employed by the College. A person’s status in a particular situation shall be determined by the Vice-President of Finance and Administration.
The term “premises” of the College District is defined as all real property over which the College District has possession and control (including adjacent streets and sidewalks).
The term “organization” means any number of persons who have complied with the formal requirements for College recognition.
The term “Student Conduct Board” means any person or persons authorized by the Vice-President of Finance and Administration. to determine whether a student has violated the Student Code of Conduct and to recommend sanctions that may be imposed when a rules violation has been committed.
The term “Dean of Student Success”” means a College official authorized on a case- by-case basis by the Vice-President of Finance and Administration. to impose sanctions upon any student(s) found to have violated the Student Code of Conduct. The Vice-President of Finance and Administration may authorize the Dean of Student Success to serve simultaneously as an Dean of Student Success and the sole member or one of the members of the Student Conduct Board. The Vice-President of Finance and Administration may authorize the same Dean of Student Success to impose sanctions in all cases.
The term “Appellate Board” means any person or persons authorized by the Vice-President of Finance and Administration to consider an appeal from a Student Conduct Board’s determination as to whether a student has violated the Student Code of Conduct or from the sanctions imposed by the Vice-President of Finance and Administration.
The term “shall” is used in the imperative sense.
The term “may” is used in the permissive sense.
The Vice-President of Finance and Administration is that person designated by the College President to be responsible for the administration of the Student Code of Conduct.
The term “policy” means the written regulations of the College as found in, but not limited to, the College Policy Manual, Student Code of Conduct, Student Handbook, the College web page, the College computer use policy, and the College Catalog.
Cheating shall include, but shall not be limited to:
a. Copying from another student’s test or class work;
b. Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test;
c. Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator;
d. Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an unadministered test, paper, or another assignment;
e. The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the unadministered test;
f. Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for oneself, to take a test;
g. Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test; or
h. Manipulating a test, assignment, or final course grades.
The term “plagiarism” shall be defined as appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in
one’s own written work.
The term “Accused Student” means any student accused of violating this Student Code of
Conduct.
The term “Complainant” means any person who submits a charge alleging that a student violated this Student Code of Conduct. When a student believes that he/she has been a victim of
another student’s misconduct, the student who believes he/she has been a victim will have the same rights under this Student Code of Conduct as are provided to the Accused Student, even if another member of the College community submitted the charge itself.
The term “Collusion” shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another per-son in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements.
Disorderly conduct” shall include any of the following activities occurring on premises owned or controlled by the College District:

a. Behavior of a boisterous and tumultuous character such that there is a clear and present danger of alarming persons where no legitimate reason for alarm exists.
b. Interference with the peaceful and lawful conduct of persons under circumstances in which there is reason to believe that such conduct will cause or provoke a disturbance.
c. Violent and forceful behavior at any time such that there is a clear and present danger that free movement of other persons will be impaired.
d. Behavior involving personal abuse or assault when such behavior creates a clear and present danger of causing assaults or fights.
e. Violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud, or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which there is reason to believe that such conduct will cause or provoke a disturbance.
f. Willful and malicious behavior that interrupts the speaker of any lawful assembly or impairs the lawful right of others to participate effectively in such assembly or meeting when there is reason to believe that such conduct will cause or provoke a disturbance.
g. Willful and malicious behavior that obstructs or causes the obstruction of any doorway, hall, or any other passageway in a College District building to such an extent that the employees, officers, and other persons, including visitors, having business with the College District are denied entrance into, exit from, or free passage in such building.