Student Responsibilities
All students at The University of Texas at Tyler are subject to all Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System and institutional rules and regulations. Rules regarding student conduct and discipline are included in Rule 50101 of the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents (www.utsystem.edu/board-of-regents/rules), in Series 500 of the UT Tyler Handbook of Operating Procedures (www.uttyler.edu/ohr/hop) and in The University of Texas at Tyler Manual of Policies and Procedures for Student Success (www.uttyler.edu/mopp). Failure to read and comply with policies, regulations and procedures will not exempt a student from whatever penalties the student may incur.
Student Conduct and Intervention
The University of Texas at Tyler administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and established due process. It is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities.
Student Conduct and Intervention staff are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations; information on the conduct process can also be found on the Student Conduct and Intervention website www.uttyler.edu/sci.
Students at the university neither lose the rights nor escape the responsibilities of citizenship. They are expected to obey and conduct themselves in accordance with both the penal and civil statutes of the local, state, and federal government and the Rules and Regulations of the Board of Regents, university regulations, and administrative rules, and to observe standards of conduct appropriate for an academic institution.
A student is subject to discipline for prohibited conduct that occurs on or off campus, including but not limited to institution or U.T. System sponsored off-campus activities such as field trips, internships, rotations, or clinical assignments regardless of whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.
If you have questions about the student discipline process, please contact Student Conduct and Intervention at 903.565.5946 or visit www.uttyler.edu/sci.
Scholastic Dishonesty
The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative that a student demonstrates a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor, providing false or misleading information in an effort to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, or other assignment), or the attempt to commit such an act. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Copyright Infringement
Unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material may subject students to civil and criminal penalties under the Unites States Copyright Law of 1976, as amended (Title 17, United States Code) or “Copyright Act”. Material subject to federal law includes, but is not limited to, printed materials, choreographic works, pantomimes, pictorial, graphic, or sculptural works, including the individual images of a motion picture or other audiovisual work. It also includes computer software, computer programs, musical works, sound recordings, and videos and other audiovisual work. It is also a violation of federal copyright law for any of the above to be electronically distributed through peer to peer sharing,
Students found in violation of the Copyright Act law may also be subject to student disciplinary proceedings as described above.
For more information on what constitutes copyright infringement and penalties see The UT System's copyright information website at https://www.utsystem.edu/offices/general-counsel/intellectual-property.
Hazing
Hazing, submission to hazing, or failure to report first-hand knowledge of hazing incidents is prohibited by state law and, in addition to disciplinary actions, is punishable by fines up to $10,000 and confinement in county jail for up to two years. Hazing is defined as activities that subject a probationary member of a group to dangerous, harmful, or degrading acts. Any student who, acting singly or in concert with others, engages in hazing is subject to discipline. Hazing in State educational institutions is prohibited by State law (Texas Education Code Section 51.936 and Sections 37.151-37.157). Hazing with or without the consent of a student whether on or off campus is prohibited, and a violation of that prohibition renders both the person inflicting the hazing and the person submitting to the hazing subject to discipline. Knowingly failing to report hazing to the Chief Student Affairs Officer can subject one to discipline. Initiations or activities of organizations may include no feature that is dangerous, harmful, or degrading to the student, and a violation of this prohibition renders both the organization and participating individuals subject to discipline.
Hazing is defined by state law as, "...any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student, that endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization whose members are or include students at an educational institution."
In an effort to encourage reporting of hazing incidents, the law grants immunity from civil or criminal liability to any person who reports a specific hazing event in good faith and without malice to the dean of students or other appropriate official of the institution and immunizes that person for participation in any judicial proceeding resulting from that report. The penalty for failure to report under the law is a fine of up to $1,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both. Penalties for other hazing offenses vary according to the severity of the injury which result, and include fines from $500 to $10,000 and/or confinement for up to two years.