VI.E.1. Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct
VI.E.1.01 Policy
The College provides a safe and responsive learning environment for all students. The College achieves that environment by enforcing the Lone Star College System Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct. The Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct applies to all students enrolled in a credit or non-credit course at the College. It also applies to all online-only and hybrid students.
VI.E.1.02 Definitions
(a) Prohibited Computer Use can take many forms—especially in a fast developing industry—but the following list should allow students to understand the types of uses that are specifically prohibited. The following list is not a complete list, but does provide some illustrative examples for students to appreciate in using the College’s computers or its systems.
1. Intentionally disrupting the access of other students, faculty, or staff to the College’s digital or electronic resources;
2. Knowingly obtaining access to a computer account, identification number, or password assigned to another student, faculty member, staff member, or college office without authorization;
3. Knowingly using an account, identification number, or password belonging to another student, faculty member, staff member, or College office for other than its intended purpose without authorization, or using an identification number or an inactive account, password, or identification number;
4. Misusing the College’s computer equipment by falsifying or altering records or documents, damaging programs belonging to others, sending harassing or threatening material, or unlawfully duplicating copyrighted property;
5. Intentionally using the College’s computer resources to store, download, upload, display, print, or email computer images that constitute “obscene materials” as defined by Texas law that are not directly related to, or required for, a specific educational course or research project related to an educational program;
6. Displaying or transmitting messages, images, or cartoons that are sexually explicit or that demean a person on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender national origin, disability, or religion;
7. Using the College’s e-mail or other computer resources for commercial purposes or for personal financial gain; or
8. Intentionally overloading the College’s computer resources.
Access to the College’s e-mail and similar electronic communication systems remains a privilege extended to current employees, students, and affiliates in good standing. The privilege of access ends with the termination of employment, the failure to re-enroll in a College educational program, or disciplinary sanctions. This definition includes unauthorized access based on previous standing with the College.
(b) College-sponsored activity means events and activities initiated by a student, student organization, college department, faculty member, or other employee, which meet one of the following conditions.
1. The College hosts the event or activity on its premises.
2. The College expressly authorizes, aids, supervises, or conducts the event or activity.
3. The College funds any portion of the event or activity.
4. The College’s registered student organizations initiated, conducted, or promoted the event or activity in the organization’s or College’s name.
(c) Prohibited weapons include:
1. Firearms (any device designed, made, or adapted to expel a projectile through a barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance or any device readily convertible to that use).
2. Ammunition.
3. An explosive weapon (any explosive or incendiary device, bomb, grenade, rocket or mine designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury, death, or substantial property damage, or for the principal purpose of causing such a loud report as to cause undue public alarm or terror, and includes a device designed, made or adapted for delivery or shooting an explosive weapon).
4. An illegal knife (knife blade over 5½ inches; hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown; switchblade knife; dagger; bowie knife; sword; or spear).
5. A taser (any weapon firing barbs attached by wires to batteries, causing temporary paralysis).
6. Knuckles (any instrument consisting of finger rings or guards made of a hard substance designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by striking a person with a fist enclosed in the knuckles).
7. A chemical dispensing device (device other than a small chemical dispenser sold commercially for personal protection, designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of causing an adverse psychological or physiological effect on a human being).
8. A zip gun (a device or combination of devices that was not originally a firearm adapted to expel a projectile through a smooth-bore or rifle-bore barrel by using the energy generated by an explosion or burning substance).
9. A club (instrument specially designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury or death by striking a person with the instrument, including a blackjack, nightstick, mace, and tomahawk).
(d) Prohibited items include:
1. Any self-balancing motorized boards (segways or hoverboards), unless specifically authorized by the Chancellor or his or her designee.
2. Any unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), unless specifically authorized by the Chancellor or his or her designee.
(e) Student means any person (1) registered with the College, (2) who the College has accepted for admission, or (3) who intends to attend the College.
(f) Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed against a student that endangers the student’s mental health, physical health, or safety. A student organization cannot require such acts to initiate, affiliate, appoint, or maintain membership in any student organization. Whether the act occurs on or off the College’s property remains irrelevant.
VI.E.1.03 Non-Academic Code of Conduct
Non-academic misconduct can occur in many different ways. The list below presents some examples of non-academic misconduct. The list does not contain every conceivable example of non-academic misconduct. The College publishes this list only giving students examples of the types of conduct that might qualify as non-academic misconduct.
(a) Disrupting, obstructing, or interfering with College activities, access to college facilities, or college-sponsored activities.
(b) Physically or psychologically abusing, threating violence, making terroristic threats, stalking, or harassing the College’s members or visitors. This includes oral and electronic threats.
(c) Using, possessing, or storing any weapon, dangerous chemical, ammunition, or explosive element regardless of whether the possessor holds a federal, state, or other license.
(d) Using a simulated weapon, explosive, or ammunition, in an assault or battery.
(e) Operating a self-balancing board within College buildings.
(f) Unauthorized operation of unmanned aerial vehicles within College premises, which includes College parking lots. Only the Chancellor or his or her designee can authorize operation of unmanned aerial vehicles within College premises.
(g) Using electronic cigarettes, vaporizers, or battery-powered inhalation device within College buildings.
(h) Initiating or inducing a false report with the College.
(i) Misusing or damaging fire safety equipment. Tampering, misusing, damaging, or playing with fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, exit lights, emergency lights, fire alarms or doors, or other similar equipment.
(j) Engaging in prohibited computer use.
(k) Violating the terms of any disciplinary action.
(l) Inducing or participating in hazing.
(m) Violating any College policy, procedure, regulation or rule.
(n) Unlawfully possessing, using, selling, administering, or distributing alcoholic beverages, illegal or controlled substances, designer drugs, or drug paraphernalia.
(o) Littering, damaging, defacing, removing,23 or destroying the College’s property without the College’s authority.
(p) Gambling, raffling, or holding a lottery at the College without approval.
(q) Violating any local, state, federal, or other applicable law.
(r) Engaging in obscene, vulgar, lewd, or indecent conduct, expression, or sexual conduct on the College’s property.
(s) Furnishing false information or willfully misrepresenting any fact to the College or to the College’s community members acting in their official capacities.
(t) Forging, altering, falsifying, or misusing the College’s documents, records, forms, or identification cards.
(u) Willfully misrepresenting to anyone the relationship between an individual and the College. This includes willfully misrepresenting that the College supports, sponsors, or approves the services or activities of any person, group, or organization.
(v) Stealing or trying to steal the College’s property or services or those of any of its community members.
(w) Infringing upon the right of other students to fair and equal access to any of the College’s library materials and other of the College’s academic resources.
(x) Using, without authorization, the College’s facilities (not including the College's common outdoor areas)24 or equipment.
(y) Causing false information to be presented before any College administrative proceeding, or intentionally destroying evidence relevant to such a proceeding.
(z) Failing to comply with the direction of College officials, including campus security officers acting in the performance of their duties.
(aa) Abandoning a child in any place on the College’s premises without providing reasonable and necessary care for the child.
Attempting to commit acts prohibited in this Non-Academic Code of Conduct, or encouraging or assisting others to commit such acts is prohibited and may be punished to the same extent as if one had committed the prohibited act.
VI.E.1.04 Classroom Misconduct
The College recognizes and encourages distinct views in the learning process. Differing viewpoints, however, must be part of the learning process—not detract from it. Individual faculty members set appropriate conduct standards at the start of each class or course. Students who disrupt a classroom, and are warned by the instructor, may be asked to leave the classroom. A student refusing to leave a classroom after being asked to do so by the instructor may be removed by the College’s Police Department. The instructor must submit a written report documenting the incident to the Chief Student Services Officer. The report must include the date, time, place, and describe the circumstances of the classroom disruption.
VI.E.1.05 Off-Campus Activities
Students are not under the College’s control when not on the College’s property or when such students are not participating in a College-sponsored activity. The College assumes no responsibility for the off-campus activities or its students’ personal conduct. Students who break the law risk the related consequences of so doing. The College may, however, take disciplinary action against students whose conduct at a non-college-sponsored event poses a serious and substantial danger to any student.
VI.E.1.06 Professionalism
Students assigned to healthcare or other facilities, as part of clinical courses or serving in internships as part of a course, are expected to behave in a professional manner. Students must adhere to professional norms for the particular professional field. A student’s performance evaluation includes a professional conduct component.
LSCS Policy Manual Section VI adopted by the Board of Trustees on October 6, 2022
Footnotes:
23 See Tex. Educ. Code §§ 51.9315(c)(1)–(2).
24 See Tex. Educ. Code §§ 51.9315(c)(1)–(2).