Community Standards

The following is a list of examples of prohibited behaviors/violations of College policies applicable to students of Allegheny College. This list nor the examples of prohibited behaviors in this handbook are intended to be exhaustive.

1. Acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to the following:
   1. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty as outlined in the Honor Code.
   2. Furnishing false information to any College official, faculty member, or office.
   3. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any College document, record, or instrument of identification.
2. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, disciplinary proceedings, other College activities, or of other authorized non-College activities when the conduct occurs on College premises.
3. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, hazing, or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person.
   
   Threatening behavior: includes harming, abusing, assaulting, threatening, endangering, intimidating, stalking, or harassing another person and extends to all oral or written statements, communications, conduct, gestures, expressions, or acts made in any medium (e.g., in person, via letter, telephone, text message, electronic mail, social media, or any other method) that causes a reasonable apprehension of physical or emotional harm to another person.
   
   Harassment: Harassing conduct is subject to disciplinary action if severe or pervasive enough to create an educational or work environment that limits or denies access. Examples of conduct that may rise to such a level may include: offensive jokes, slurs, epithets or name calling, physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, offensive objects or pictures, and interference with work performance. 
    
4. Violation of the College’s Harassment, Discrimination and Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures.
5. Hazing as described in the Pennsylvania State Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Laws section of this publication.
6.  Attempted or actual theft of, damage to, and/or tampering with  property of the College or personal property of a member of the College community or other personal or public property, on or off campus, as well as theft of services.
7. Failure to comply with directions of College officials or law enforcement officers acting in performance of their duties and/or failure to identify oneself to these persons when requested to do so.
8. Unauthorized possession, duplication, or use of keys/cards/codes to any College premises or unauthorized entry to or use of College premises, including Residence Halls.
9. Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, narcotics, or other controlled substances, as well as drug paraphernalia, except as expressly permitted by law.
10. Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages (except as expressly permitted by law and the College’s Alcohol Policy), including but not limited to the following:
    1. Possession/consumption by persons under the age of 21.
    2. Public intoxication by persons of any age.
    3. Providing alcohol to persons under the age of 21.
    4. Possession of a common source (keg, mini-keg, etc. - empty or full).
    5. Hosting an unregistered event with alcohol present as described in the “Allegheny College Alcohol Policy .”
11. Any possession and/or use of firearms, explosives, other weapons, or dangerous chemicals while on College premises, unless properly authorized.
    
    Firearm - Any device that shoots, expels, or is readily converted to expel a bullet, pellet, flare, tranquilizer, spear dart, paintball, or other projectile, whether loaded or unloaded, including those powered by CO2. This includes, but is not limited to, guns, air guns, dart guns, any form of play/toy guns, bb guns, pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, cannons, etc., and any ammunition for any such device.
    
    Weapon - Any device that is designed to or traditionally used to inflict harm. This includes, but is not limited to: (1) firearms, slingshots, switchblades, daggers, blackjacks, metal knuckles, guns, bows and arrows, hand grenades, hunting knives, nunchucks, throwing stars, etc.; (2) any object that could be reasonably construed as a weapon; or (3) any object legally controlled as a weapon or treated as a weapon under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Electric or electronic incapacitation devices including but not limited to stun guns, stun batons, and tasers.
    
    Explosives - Any chemical compound or mechanical mixture that contains any oxidizing and combustible units, or other ingredients, in such proportion, quantities or packing that an ignition by fire, friction, concussion, percussion, or detonator, or any part of the compound or mixture, may cause a sudden generation of highly heated gases that results in gaseous pressures capable of producing destructive efforts on contiguous objects or of destroying life or limb. This includes, but is not limited to, firecrackers, black powder, dynamite, etc. as well as detonating devices such as detonators, blasting caps, timers, incendiary wire, and the like.

      Pepper Spray - Any liquid or gaseous substance that when sprayed into the atmosphere irritates and blinds the eyes with tears, is not permitted in any container greater than 3 ounces. 

12. Participation in on-campus or off-campus activities that disrupt the normal operations of the College and/or infringe on the rights of other members of the College community; inciting others to disrupt scheduled and/or normal activities within any campus building or area.
13. Obstruction of the free flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic on campus or at College sponsored or supervised functions.
14. Conduct which is disorderly, disruptive, or indecent while on campus or at functions sponsored by, or participated in by, the College. This includes misconduct during EL Seminars, Study Away experiences, entertainment groups, and off campus gatherings.
15. Action or inaction by a witness and/or bystander which fails to discourage a violation of College policy, causing damage to College property or harm to an individual(s).
16. Violation of state, local, or campus fire policies, including
    1. failure to evacuate a College-owned building during a fire alarm;
    2. improper use of College fire safety equipment;
    3. tampering with or improperly engaging a fire alarm in a College-owned building;
    4. acts of arson; and
    5. use of open flames.
       A complete copy of the College’s Fire Regulations is available with the Safety Officer in the Public Safety Department.
17. Smoking is prohibited in all College buildings. (Refer to Residence Life hall policies for guidelines for residential areas.)
18. Bringing pets or other animals into College buildings, except assistance or service animals used by persons with disabilities. Some exceptions exist in residential areas; see applicable Residence Life policies.
19. Abuse of the student conduct system, including but not limited to:
    1. Failure to attend meetings scheduled for disciplinary purposes.
    2. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information.
    3. Attempting to discourage an individual’s proper participation in, or use of, the conduct system.
    4. Harassment (verbal or physical) and/or intimidation of a member of the Community Standards Board prior to, during, and/or after a conduct proceeding.
    5. Failure to comply with the sanction(s) imposed within the Conduct System.
    6. Influencing or attempting to influence another person to commit an abuse of the conduct system.
20. Violation of other published College policies, rules, or regulations.
21. Violation of federal, state, or local law, whether on or off campus.