Process

The following summary presents key aspects of the code. Students should consult the code itself for complete information on each point.

Filing a Complaint

Any individual may file a complaint against a student suspected of violating the code by contacting the Office of Student Conduct or submitting a written complaint using the online reporting form. The form is located at https://publicdocs.maxient.com/incidentreport.php?RutgersUniv. 

Preliminary Review

Upon receipt of a complaint, a preliminary review is conducted by a conduct officer to provide information to the accused student and to the person filing the complaint about the conduct process, to assess the information collected by parties and witnesses, and to determine whether or not there is enough information to charge a student with a Code of Student Conduct violation. The student is also given an opportunity to resolve the case without the case having to proceed to a hearing.

Violations

The following are descriptions of violations under the Code of Student Conduct. Those found responsible for these violations under the Code will be sanctioned accordingly.

1. Academic integrity:

Please go to http://academicintegrity.rutgers.edu/academic-integrity-policy to review the policy.

2. Acts of dishonesty:

a. Forging, unauthorized alteration, or unauthorized use of any university documents or records, or any instrument or form of identification.

b. Intentionally furnishing false information to the university.

c. Intentionally furnishing false information to persons outside the university concerning the student's academic record, degree, or activities.

d. Intentionally initiating or causing to be initiated any false report, warning, or threat of fire, explosion, or other emergency.

e. Unauthorized entry into, use, or misuse of university property, including computers and data and voice communication networks.

3. Safety violations:

a. Intentionally or recklessly starting a fire (does not include university approved programs including fire, e.g., bonfires).

b. Misusing fire safety equipment or elevators.

c. Intentionally or recklessly endangering the welfare of any individual.

d. Intentionally or recklessly obstructing fire, police, or emergency services.

e. Using, possessing, or storing dangerous chemicals, fireworks, or explosives on university property, even if they are legal to possess because of a license, or illegally possessing dangerous chemicals, fireworks, or explosives on an off-campus property. Possessing and storing small containers of Mace is permitted.

f. Using, possessing, or storing of any object classified as a weapon by the State of New Jersey on university property or illegally possessing weapons on an off-campus property. Law enforcement officials who are authorized by law to carry firearms are excluded from this definition.

g. Utilizing any instrument in a manner that endangers or tends to endanger any person.

h. Obstructing the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on or adjacent to university premises or at university events.

i. Failing to comply with the reasonable and lawful directions of university officials and university police.

4. Physical misconduct:

a. Inflicting bodily harm upon any person.

b. Threatening to use force against a person.

5. Sexual harassment, sexual violence, relationship violence, stalking, and related misconduct

Violations of the Student Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment, Sexual Violence, Stalking, and Related Misconduct. Please refer to the policy for specific information regarding what would constitute a violation of this policy.  The policy can be found at http://policies.rutgers.edu/sites/policies/files/10.3.12-current.pdf .

6. Bullying, intimidation, and harassment:

a. Making, or causing to be made, any communication (including electronic or through social media) to another person in any manner likely to cause alarm.

b. Subjecting another person or threatening to subject another person to striking, kicking, shoving, or offensive touching.

c. Threatening to reveal personal information or media about a person electronically or through other means of communication.

d. Engaging in any other course of alarming conduct or repeatedly committing acts with the purpose of seriously alarming another person.

A person's behavior should be sufficiently severe, pervasive, or persistent as to substantially disrupt or interfere with the orderly operation of the institution or the rights of a student to participate in or benefit from the educational program.

8. Defamation

Creating a false statement about a university community member and communicating that false statement to a third party, which then exposes that community member to hatred, contempt, ridicule, loss of good will, or loss of reputation as a result of the false statement.

9. Hazing:

a. Engaging in any act that impacts the mental, emotional, or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in any organization or team whose members are Rutgers University students.

b. Engaging in any activity that is inconsistent with regulations or policies of Rutgers University or laws in the State of New Jersey for the purpose of initiation into, admission into, affiliation with, or continued membership in any organization or team whose members are Rutgers University students.

Behavior falling into these categories shall be considered hazing regardless of whether a person is a willing participant. 

10. Invasion of privacy:

a. Making, attempting to make, transmitting, or attempting to transmit audio, video, or images of any person(s) on university premises in bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, or other premises where there is an explicit expectation of privacy with respect to nudity and/or sexual activity, without the knowledge and consent of all participants subject to such recordings.

b. Viewing or spying on a person(s) on university premises in bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, or other premises where there is an explicit expectation of privacy with respect to nudity and/or sexual activity, without the knowledge and consent of all participants.

11. Theft or damage to property:

a. Taking or attempting to take university property or private property without the consent of the owner or person legally responsible for that property.

b. Obtaining university services through devious means.

c. Knowingly possessing private or university property that was stolen.

d. Intentionally or recklessly damaging university or private property.

12. Distribution or possession of alcohol, narcotics, or other drugs:

a. Selling, transferring, or exchanging something in return for narcotics, prescription medications, or illegal substances on university property or between members of the university community.

b. Providing or facilitating the consumption of alcohol by any person without taking reasonable and prudent precautions to ensure that the person is of legal drinking age in New Jersey.

c. Sharing medical marijuana with individuals who do not have a medical marijuana prescription.

d. Possessing or consuming alcohol under the legal drinking age in New Jersey.

e. Possessing alcohol in areas of campus where alcohol is not permitted.

f. Unlawfully possessing or using drugs, narcotics, controlled substances, or paraphernalia.

g. Misusing or misappropriating any prescription, over-the-counter medication, or legal substance.

h. Possessing or using medical marijuana on any Rutgers University property.

13. Disruption:

a. Intentionally or recklessly interfering with any university activity or university-sponsored activity.

b. Disrupting or obstructing an academic class or lecture, an administrative or support function, or official university business.

c. Engaging in classroom conduct prohibited by the faculty member or in violation of the law or university policy.

It should be noted that this policy is not intended to punish students for classroom dissent or hinder organized, peaceful, and orderly protests that are undertaken within reasonable time, manner, and place restrictions placed upon the same by the university.

14. Disorderly conduct:

Engaging in conduct that is disruptive, lewd, or indecent, regardless of intent, which breaches the peace of the community.

15. Undisclosed recording:

Making, attempting to make, or transmitting an audio or video recording of private, nonpublic conversations and/or meetings on university premises without the knowledge and consent of all participants subject to such recordings. This provision does not extend to the recording of public events or discussions, or to recordings made for law enforcement purposes.

16. Violations of other university policies:

Violating other published university regulations or policies. 

17. Abuse of the disciplinary system:

a. Knowingly providing false testimony or evidence at a university hearing or disciplinary conference.

b. Disrupting or interfering with the orderly conduct of a university hearing or disciplinary conference.

c. Failing to complete imposed sanctions.

d. Refusing to provide information at a disciplinary conference or university hearing. A witness may choose not to present information if he or she feels information presented will lead to self-incrimination.

e. Harassing a University Hearing Board member before or after a disciplinary proceeding.

Campus Advisers 

Both individuals filing complaints and accused students may select a campus adviser to assist them during the disciplinary process. The Office of Student Conduct maintains a list of trained campus advisers for this purpose. Students are free to select any members of the university community to serve as their advisers, whether they are on the list or not.

University Hearings

University hearings are presided over by a hearing officer and heard by a hearing board usually composed of two students and one faculty or staff member. It is the hearing board's responsibility to determine whether the accused student is responsible or not responsible for violating the code. If the hearing board determines a student to be responsible by the standard of clear and convincing (for academic integrity cases) or preponderance of evidence (for nonacademic cases), it also recommends a sanction for the offense to the hearing officer. The hearing officer considers the hearing board recommendation and determines the sanction.

Appeals

A student found responsible for violating the code may appeal the finding, the sanction, and/or the process by which the decision was reached. Appeals are filed through the Office of Student Conduct, which forwards them to the Appeals Committee of the appropriate entity (Rutgers University–New Brunswick, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Rutgers University–Newark, Rutgers University–Camden).