A. Community Responsibility
As a learning community, the honor code – a commitment to living with honesty, integrity, responsibility, and respect – helps guide standards for behavior on the basis of shared values and principles. Maintaining a vibrant learning environment that supports all members of our community requires students to make ethical decisions while taking personal and social responsibility for their actions. Each member of the University community bears responsibility for their conduct, reasonably holding others responsible for their actions, and refraining from actions that impair the university’s purpose or its reputation. When a student’s behavior is not consistent with our community standards, the University will respond and hold a student accountable for violations of the code of conduct.
The honor system and student conduct process exist to protect the interests of the community, challenge those whose behavior is not aligned with community standards as reflected in university policies, and hold them accountable for those actions. Sanctions are intended to challenge students’ moral and ethical decision-making and help them bring their behavior into accord with our community expectations. When unable to live according to community expectations, the student conduct process may determine that students should no longer share in the privilege of participating in this community.
B. Alcohol Use
The vitality of the academic community relies on each member taking personal responsibility for his or her actions regarding alcohol use and safeguarding the well-being of others.
- The University welcomes and supports the decision of students not to drink.
- Elon emphasizes education about risks, choices and personal responsibility regarding the use of alcohol. Students are expected to make conscious choices that do not diminish the academic or social success, or personal safety, of themselves or others.
- The University observes laws regarding alcohol use, particularly those that address underage drinking, and holds students accountable for their choices.
- Students whose drinking creates a risk of danger to the health and safety of themselves or others are subject to suspension and/or loss of other University privileges.
Alcoholic beverages may be possessed and/or consumed only by individuals 21 years of age or older in their residence or an approved location.
Innocent Bystander Policy: Elon understands and supports students being social and wanting to spend time with each other. This may lead to situations where underage students are in the presence of alcohol possession and/or use that violates University policy. In order to hold the responsible students accountable, while supporting those who are not violating policies, the Innocent Bystander policy may be enacted at the time alcohol policy violations are identified. Students in the presence of alcohol policy violations will not be charged with an alcohol policy violation if either of the following is included in the incident report:
(a) there is no physical indication the student has been drinking (slurred speech, odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, etc.), AND a reasonable number of students take responsibility and attest the student is not in violation, or
(b) the student requests and passes an “Alco-Sensor” test at the time of the incident.
C. Drug Use
Elon University is committed to the intellectual and personal development of students. Substance misuse inhibits students’ development and is negatively correlated with academic success and personal safety.
Elon University observes and strictly enforces all local, state and federal laws related to possession, use, sale or distribution of controlled or illegal substances. Sale or distribution of illegal or controlled substances or for uses other than as intended creates a significant danger for the Elon University community. Individuals who are involved in any drug-related violation are subject to criminal action, as the University may report these individuals to the legal authorities. Students convicted of any offense involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance may also be deemed ineligible to receive Financial Aid.
Students are accountable for upholding Elon University’s drug policies even when in states or countries in which certain drugs have been decriminalized or consumption is legal.
Though some impairing substances may be legal to purchase in North Carolina or other states, Elon University prohibits possession and/or use of these substances by Elon students. Students are responsible for knowing, understanding, and following the University’s drug policies. (See specific policies on drug use in section 5-C. Responsibility (Social Policies)
D. Safety Policies
Good Samaritan Policy: Elon embraces students helping each other and enacts the Good Samaritan policy when a student is actively seeking appropriate medical care for a student. If a student is with another student “in danger” or “of concern” and calls for medical aid they will not be held accountable for violating the University alcohol or drug use policies. The University’s main concern is getting the proper care for the student in need. Students should call for help and NOT drive anyone in need of medical attention. Most students are not trained to care for the student should they become ill or disruptive which could impact one’s ability to drive safely. Students with or observing a student “in danger” are expected to seek medical attention. If a student is with another student who has ingested dangerous amounts of alcohol or other drugs and does not call for assistance, they may be held accountable with strict sanctions for “Behavior that Endangers the Health or Safety of Self and/or Others.”
Medical Safety Policy: When an individual receives emergency medical attention related to his or her consumption of alcohol or drugs, he/she will be required to immediately complete a substance abuse assessment within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the Office of Student Conduct or the Office of Student Health and Wellness (typically 24-72 hours) and participate in any recommended treatment.
As a part of the conduct process, and provided that the student did not commit any other egregious code of conduct violations, the student will not be subject to disciplinary suspension as a result of the policy violation but will receive other consequences (if this is the student’s first violation). (These consequences typically include being assigned suspension in abeyance, our highest level of probation that carries with it the loss of study abroad and leadership privileges for one year from the date of the incident.)
Failure to complete the elements of the Medical Safety Policy will limit the student’s continued eligibility. If there is a subsequent hospitalization, the University will review the incident on a case-by-case basis and reserves the right to handle each situation as deemed necessary.
E. Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct
Elon University has an obligation to ensure learning and working environments that are free from discrimination or harassment. The University has procedures in place to receive, investigate, respond to and resolve complaints of discrimination, including harassment based on sex. Title IX violations include discrimination on the basis of sex or gender and include domestic or dating abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, nonconsensual sexual acts, sexual misconduct and indecent exposure. (When acts are based on sex or gender, stalking or invasion of privacy and threatening behaviors may also be considered Title IX related violations.) Elon University will not tolerate acts of interpersonal violence (including sexual violence), will investigate all reports, and if warranted will adjudicate these cases.
For more information on reporting incidents of sexual violence and harassment, please visit the University's Title IX Policy and Procedures or www.elon.edu/e-web/students/saa/.