Article II: Definitions
1. The term “University” means Western Michigan University.
2. The term “student” or “students” includes all persons taking courses at the University, both full-time and part-time, pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or professional studies. Persons who withdraw from WMU after a charge for an alleged violation of the Student Code has been determined, or who are not officially enrolled for a particular term, are considered “students”. “Students” also include those persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with the University as a student. The Student Code applies at all campuses/study centers affiliated with the University.
3. The term “faculty member” means any person hired by the University to conduct teaching activities, research, or who is otherwise considered by the University to be a member of its faculty.
4. The term "academic misconduct" relates to violations of academic integrity, and policies and procedures that are outlined in the University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs.
5. The term “University official” includes any person employed by the University, performing assigned administrative or professional responsibilities.
6. The term “member of the University community” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, University official, any other person employed performing services for the University, and those persons who are utilizing University resources through a contractual or other authorized relationship with the University. A person’s status in a particular situation and whether the Student Code applies to that person shall be determined by the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) or designee.
7. The term “University premises” includes all land, buildings, facilities, and other property (including adjacent streets and sidewalks) owned, used, controlled by, or in the possession of the University.
8. The term “registered student organization” or “organization” means any number of persons who have complied with the formal requirements for University recognition.
a. A separate process authorized by the VPSA or designee, as outlined in the Registered Student Organization (RSO) Handbook, will govern cases involving allegations against Registered Student Organizations or “Organizations” for the purposes of determining possible violations of the RSO Handbook and continued recognition as campus organizations.
9. A “computer facility” is any place where the University makes one or more computers or one or more computer hook-ups available.
10. The term “conduct body” means any person or persons authorized to facilitate the conduct process to determine whether a student has violated the Student Code. The “conduct body” is authorized to recommend and/or determine sanctions that may be imposed when a violation of the Student Code has occurred.
11. A “sanction” is the result of a finding of responsibility for a violation of the Student Code. Sanctions may be used in combination or separately. Sanction determination is based on the severity of the current offense, and/or previous offenses (if any), and/or the current conduct status of the student found responsible, and/or the threat to the health, safety, property of any person, and/or any other reasonable factor. Student Code sanctions are in addition to sanctions that can be imposed in other University forums such as, but not limited to, the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics or employment situations.
12. The term “Appeals Board” means the group of persons authorized to consider an appeal of cases that resulted in a sanction of suspension or expulsion.
13. The term “Appeal Officer” means the individual authorized by the VPSA or designee, on a case-by-case basis, to consider appeals from cases that result in a sanction(s) other than suspension or expulsion.
14. An “appointment” is any meeting (except a hearing) between a member of Student Rights and Responsibilities staff/Residence Life staff/or designee and one or more students to discuss a conduct case. Students are required to attend appointments.
15. A “conduct hearing” is the culminating meeting where all information deemed pertinent by the conduct body is heard. Final determinations as to responsibility, or lack thereof for violations of the Student Code, are the result of deliberations based on the information presented in the conduct hearing. Students may, but are not required, to attend conduct hearings.
16. The term “complainant” means a person alleged to have been subjected to behavior that violated the Student Code by a WMU student.
17. The term “respondent” means a student who, based on their behavior, could be in violation of policy outlined in the Student Code.
18. The term “information” means documentation submitted to staff in Student Rights and Responsibilities/or designee, that could be the basis for a formal charge of an alleged violation of the Code as determined by the appropriate staff in Student Rights and Responsibilities/or designee.
19. A conduct “charge” is determined by appropriate staff in Student Rights and Responsibilities/or designee based upon a complaint that has been brought forward. Cases involving a conduct charge will be processed according to the guidelines in the Student Code.
20. The term “shall” is used in the imperative sense.
21. The term “may” is used in the permissive sense.
22. The term “policy” is defined as the written regulations of the University as found in, but not limited to, The Student Code, the Residence Hall Community Living Expectations, the Registered Student
Organization Handbook, the University Computing Guidelines, The Western Michigan University Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs, the Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy and applicable policies enacted by the Board of Trustees or other authorized University official.