Student Conduct
Policy Violations
Article II: Proscribed Conduct
WAC 504-26-200 Jurisdiction of the university standards of conduct for students.
The university standards of conduct for students shall apply to conduct that occurs on university premises, at university sponsored activities, and to off-campus conduct that adversely affects the university community and/or the pursuit of its objectives. Each student is responsible for his/her conduct from the time of application for admission through the actual awarding of a degree, even though conduct may occur before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and during periods between terms of actual enrollment. These standards shall apply to a student's conduct even if the student withdraws from school while a disciplinary matter is pending. The university has sole discretion to determine what conduct occurring off campus adversely impacts the university and/or the pursuit of its objectives.
WAC 504-26-201 Misconduct--Rules and regulations.
Any individual or organization found to have committed, assisted, conspired, or attempted to commit the following misconduct (WAC 504-26-202 through 504-26-226) is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in WAC 504-26-405.
WAC 504-26-202 Acts of dishonesty.
Acts of dishonesty, include but are not limited to the following:
(1) Academic integrity violations including, but not limited to, cheating as defined in WAC 504-26-010.
(2) Knowingly furnishing false information to any university official, faculty member, or office.
(3) Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any university document or record, or instrument of identification whether issued by the university or other state or federal agency.
WAC 504-26-203 Disruption or obstruction.
Students have the right to freedom of speech, including the right to dissent or protest, but this expression may not interfere with the rights of others or disrupt the university's activities. Prohibited behavior includes: Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, other university activities, including its public service functions on or off campus, or of other authorized nonuniversity activities when the conduct occurs on university premises or is directed toward community members by any means including use of telephone, computer, or some other medium.
WAC 504-26-204 Abuse of self or others.
Physical abuse, threats, intimidation, and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person, including one's self.
WAC 504-26-205 Theft or damage to property.
Theft of and/or the intentional or reckless damage to the property of another.
WAC 504-26-206 Hazing.
(1) No student or student organization at Washington State University may conspire to engage in hazing or participate in hazing of another.
(a) Hazing includes any activity expected of someone joining a group (or maintaining full status in a group) that causes or is likely to cause a risk of mental, emotional and/or physical harm, regardless of the person's willingness to participate.
(b) Hazing activities may include but are not limited to the following: Abuse of alcohol during new member activities; striking another person whether by use of any object or one's body; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and/or psychological shock; morally degrading or humiliating games or activities that create a risk of bodily, emotional, or mental harm.
(c) Hazing does not include practice, training, conditioning and eligibility requirements for customary athletic events such as intramural or club sports and NCAA athletics, or other similar contests or competitions, but gratuitous hazing activities occurring as part of such customary athletic event or contest are prohibited.
(2) Washington state law also prohibits hazing which may subject violators to criminal prosecution. As used in RCW 28B.10.901 and 28B.10.902, "hazing" includes any method of initiation into a student organization or living group, or any pastime or amusement engaged in with respect to such an organization or living group that causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger or physical harm, or serious mental or emotional harm, to any student or other person attending a public or private institution of higher education or other postsecondary education institution in this state.
(3) Washington state law (RCW 28B.10.901) also provides sanctions for hazing:
(a) Any person who violates this rule, in addition to other sanctions that may be imposed, shall forfeit any entitlement to state-funded grants, scholarships, or awards for a period of time determined by the university.
(b) Any organization, association, or student living group that knowingly permits hazing by its members or others subject to its direction or control shall be deprived of any official recognition or approval granted by the university.
WAC 504-26-207 Failure to comply with university officials or law enforcement officers.
Failure to comply with directions of university officials and/or law enforcement officers acting in performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so.
WAC 504-26-208 Unauthorized keys or unauthorized entry.
Unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of keys to any university premises or unauthorized entry to or use of university premises.
WAC 504-26-209 Violation of university policy, rule, or regulation.
Violation of any university policy, rule, or regulation published in hard copy or available electronically on the university web site.
WAC 504-26-210 Violation of law.
Conduct which would constitute violation of any federal, state, or local law.
WAC 504-26-211 Drugs and drug paraphernalia.
Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of marijuana, narcotics, or other controlled substances, and drug paraphernalia except as permitted by federal, state, and local law.
WAC 504-26-212 Alcohol.
Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by university regulations), or public intoxication are prohibited. Alcoholic beverages may not, in any circumstance, be used by, possessed by, or distributed to any person under twenty-one years of age.
WAC 504-26-213 Firearms and dangerous weapons.
No student may carry, possess, or use any firearm, explosive (including fireworks), dangerous chemical, or any dangerous weapon on university property or in university-approved housing. Airsoft guns and other items that shoot projectiles are not permitted in university-approved housing. Students wishing to maintain a firearm for hunting or sporting activities must store the firearm with the Washington State University department of public safety.
WAC 504-26-214 Disruptive activity.
Participating in an on-campus or off-campus riot or unlawful assembly that disrupts the normal operations of the university and/or infringes on the rights of other members of the university community; leading or inciting others to disrupt scheduled and/or normal activities within any campus building or area. For peaceful demonstrations, students should consult with university police for safety guidelines.
WAC 504-26-215 Obstruction.
Obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on university premises or at university-sponsored or supervised functions.
WAC 504-26-216 Disorderly conduct.
Conduct that is disorderly, lewd, or indecent; disturbing the peace; or assisting or encouraging another person to disturb the peace on university premises or at functions sponsored by, or participated in by, the university or members of the academic community.
WAC 504-26-217 Unauthorized use of electronic or other devices.
Unauthorized use of electronic or other devices: Making an audio or video record of any person while on university premises without his or her prior knowledge, or without his or her effective consent when such a recording is of a private conversation or of images taken of a person(s) at a time and place where she or he would reasonably expect privacy and where such images are likely to cause injury or distress. This includes, but is not limited to, surreptitiously taking pictures of another person in a gym, locker room, or restroom, but does not include taking pictures of persons in areas which are considered by the reasonable person to be open to public view, such as Martin Stadium or the Glenn Terrell Mall.
WAC 504-26-218 Computer abuses or theft.
Theft or other abuse of computer facilities and resources, including but not limited to:
(1) Unauthorized entry into a file, to use, read, or change the contents, or for any other purpose.
(2) Unauthorized transfer of a file.
(3) Use of another individual's identification and/or password.
(4) Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with the work of another student, faculty member, or university official.
(5) Use of computing facilities and resources to send obscene, harassing, or threatening messages.
(6) Use of computing facilities and resources to interfere with normal operation of the university computing system.
(7) Use of computing facilities and resources in violation of copyright laws.
(8) Any violation of the university computer use policy found at http://www.wsu.edu/~forms/HTML/EPM/EP4_Electronic_Publishing_Policy.htm
WAC 504-26-219 Abuse of the student conduct system.
Abuse of the student conduct system, including but not limited to:
(1) Failure to obey the notice from a university conduct board or university official to appear for a meeting or hearing as part of the student conduct system.
(2) Willful falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information before a student conduct board.
(3) Disruption or interference with the orderly conduct of a student conduct board proceeding.
(4) Filing fraudulent charges or initiating a student conduct code proceeding in bad faith.
(5) Attempting to discourage an individual's proper participation in, or use of, the student conduct system.
(6) Attempting to influence the impartiality of a member of a university conduct board prior to, and/or during the course of, the student conduct board proceeding.
(7) Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of a university conduct board prior to, during, and/or after a student conduct code proceeding.
(8) Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed under the standards of conduct for students.
(9) Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the student conduct code system.
WAC 504-26-220 Discrimination.
Discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or mental, physical, or sensory disability is prohibited in conformity with federal and state laws.
WAC 504-26-221 Sexual misconduct.
(1) Sexual misconduct is any sexual activity with another that is unwanted and nonconsensual. Sexual misconduct includes physical contact as well as voyeurism.
(2) Consent to sexual activity requires that, at the time of the act, there are actual words or conduct demonstrating freely given agreement to sexual activity-silence or passivity is not consent. Even if words or conduct alone seem to imply consent, sexual activity is nonconsensual when:
(a) Force or blackmail is threatened or used to procure compliance with the sexual activity; or
(b) The person is unconscious or physically unable to communicate his or her unwillingness to engage in sexual activity; or
(c) The person lacks the mental capacity at the time of the sexual activity to be able to understand the nature or consequences of the act, whether that incapacity is produced by illness, defect, the influence of alcohol or another substance, or some other cause.
(3) A person commits voyeurism if, for the purpose of arousing or gratifying the sexual desire of any person, he or she knowingly views, photographs, or films another person, without that person's knowledge and consent, while the person being viewed, photographed, or filmed is in a place where he or she has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
WAC 504-26-222 Harassment.
Conduct by any means that is severe, pervasive, or persistent, and is of such a nature that it would cause a reasonable person in the victim's position substantial emotional distress and undermine his or her ability to work, study, or participate in his or her regular life activities or participate in the activities of the university, and actually does cause the victim substantial emotional distress and undermines the victim's ability to work, study, or participate in the victim's regular life activities or participate in the activities of the university.
WAC 504-26-223 Stalking.
Intentionally and repeatedly harassing or following a person and intentionally or unintentionally placing the person being followed or harassed in fear of physical harm to one's self or property or physical harm to another person or another's property.
WAC 504-26-224 Reckless endangerment.
Engaging in conduct that creates an unreasonable risk of harm to another person or property.
WAC 504-26-225 Trespassing.
Knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in or on university premises or any portion thereof. Any person who has been given written notice by a university official of the university's decision to exclude him or her from all or a portion of university property is not licensed, invited, or otherwise privileged to enter or remain on the identified portion of university property, unless given explicit written permission by university administration.
WAC 504-26-226 Violation of a disciplinary sanction.
Violation of any term or condition of any disciplinary sanction constitutes a new violation and may subject the student to additional sanctions.