General Statement

Georgia College may discipline a student in non-academic matters. This normally involves matters which occur on the GC campus or at GC-sponsored events, but may be extended to off-campus matters which could reasonably be expected to impact the GC community. Repeated off-campus arrests generally result in GC judicial charges as well as criminal charges. For the purposes of this section the term conduct shall include acts which knowingly or unknowingly violate federal, state, or local laws and/or Georgia College rules and regulations, or which the student knew or reasonably should have known would result in occurrences prohibited by this section. All students are expected to adhere to the stipulations of the GC Honor Code, which addresses lying, cheating, stealing, plagiarism and vandalism. All residence hall students are expected to adhere as well to the contract terms and stipulations listed in the University Housing Handbook for Residence Hall students and The Village residents.

Students are subject to disciplinary action for violating the following Code of Conduct:

1. Underage possession or use of alcohol; illegal possession, use, or sale of controlled substances; or conduct that violates local, state, or Federal laws or GC regulations regarding alcohol and other drugs.
2. Conduct that constitutes a danger to the personal safety of other members of the University community. This may include assault, attempted assault, or the threat of assault.
3. Conduct that obstructs, seriously impairs, attempts to obstruct or seriously impair University-run or University-authorized activities or University business on any University property, indoors or out.
4. Acts which violate University provisions concerning parking, traffic, ID cards, University keys, smoking in unauthorized places, carrying firearms, unauthorized peddling, unauthorized use of sound amplifying equipment and other acts which violate local, state or federal laws, or which violate appropriate conduct.
5. Intentional harassment of another person. Harassment includes, but is not limited to, threatening, intimidating, verbally abusing, impeding, telephoning, communicating electronically, following or persistently bothering or annoying. Harassment may represent but is not limited to acts based on sex, race, religion, national origin, handicap or sexual orientation.
6. Failing to abide by disciplinary sanctions imposed by a GC judicial body or authority.

Student Arrests

If a student is arrested, whether on-campus or off-campus, the university may judge the student's behavior a violation of a university regulation and in conflict with the recognized mission of the university. The university may initiate disciplinary procedures.

When a student is charged both with a criminal offense off the campus and charged with a violation of the student code of conduct or honor code at the university, the two processes are unrelated and conducted independently of each other.  A student found not guilty in one setting may be found guilty in the other.

Disciplinary Sanctions

Disciplinary action or sanctions shall mean any action affecting the status of an individual as a student which is taken by Georgia College in response to student misconduct. The term shall include, but is not limited to reprimands, personal probation, revocation and/or limitation of privileges, restitution, probation, suspension or expulsion, denial of particular university privileges and other less severe actions. The sanctions of this policy may or may not jeopardize the student's progress in his course of study.