Student Conduct

Most students are legally adults and as such are expected to be aware that UWM does not assume custodial responsibility for its students'personal actions. Each student is responsible for his or her own personal behavior.

The Board of Regents has designated certain kinds of conduct as subject to University discipline. (Academic and Non-academic )

Academic Misconduct

UWM expects each student to be honest in academic performance. Failure to do so may result in discipline under rules published by the Board of Regents (UWS 14). The most common forms of academic dishonesty are cheating and plagiarism.

Cheating includes:

Submitting material that is not yours as part of your course performance, such as copying from another student's exam, allowing a student to copy from your exam; or,
Using information or devices that are not allowed by the faculty; such as using formulas or data from a computer program, or using unauthorized materials for a take-home exam; or,
Obtaining and using unauthorized material, such as a copy of an examination before it is given; or,
Fabricating information, such as data for a lab report; or,
Violating procedures prescribed to protect the integrity of an assignment, test, or other evaluation; or,
Collaborating with others on assignments without the faculty's consent; or;
Cooperating with or helping another student to cheat; or,
Other forms of dishonest behavior, such as having another person take an examination in your place; or, altering exam answers and requesting the exam be regraded; or, communicating with any person during an exam, other than the exam proctor or faculty.

Plagiarism includes:

Directly quoting the words of others without using quotation marks or indented format to identify them; or,
Using sources of information (published or unpublished) without identifying them; or,
Paraphrasing materials or ideas of others without identifying the sources.

Academic Integrity means honesty concerning all aspects of academic work. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty to develop:

Correct procedures for citing sources of information, words and ideas.
Ways to properly credit collaborative work with project team or study group members.
Strategies for planning and preparing for exams, papers, projects and presentations.
Alternative procedures for quiz/exam conditions in classroom environment where cheating has been observed.
If a student is charged with academic misconduct, there are specific procedures, including the right of appeal, which must be followed by UWM. Sanctions imposed by the university in response to academic misconduct range from reprimands to expulsion.

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Non-Academic Offenses
Examples include, but are not restricted to:
- Conduct which constitutes a serious danger to the personal safety of other members of the university community.
- The sale or delivery of a controlled substance as defined by the Wisconsin Uniform Controlled Substance Act (Ch.161, Stats.), or the possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell or deliver.
- Conduct that seriously damages or destroys university property or attempts to do so.
- Stalking or harassment.
- Conduct that obstructs or seriously impairs university-run or university-authorized activities.
- Unauthorized possession of university property or property of another member of the university community.
- Knowingly making a false statement to any university employee or agent on a university-related matter.
Prohibited Behavior While on University Property Chapter UWS 18 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code entitled "Conduct on University Lands" contains the rules and regulations governing the behavior of all persons present on any UW System campus including all real property sublet to the control of the university and/or the UW System Board of Regents.
These rules cover a wide range of prohibited acts including both individual and group behavior on university property. These regulations include provisions concerning:
- Traffic and parking regulations
- Use of ID cards
- Possession of University keys
- Alcoholic beverages and drugs
- Carrying firearms
- Unauthorized peddling
- Use of sound amplifying equipment
- Unauthorized demonstrations, picketing, rallies, and other assemblies
- Vandalism
- Other prohibited acts
In addition, Chapter 18 provides that any person convicted of any crime committed on campus involving danger to property or persons will be prohibited from entering university property for a period of two years from the date of conviction.
For a complete listing of all policies documented in Chapter UWS 18, "Conduct on University Lands", along with non-academic disciplinary procedures, obtain the booklet "Student Conduct Regulations and Disciplinary Procedures" from the first floor lobby of Mellencamp Hall or contact the Office of Student Life, Mellencamp 118, 229-4632. The following is specific information on a few major regulations The information provided may not include all provisions but is intended as general information only.

Smoking: There is no smoking on campus except in designated smoking areas and outdoors.
Weapons: No person may carry, possess or use any dangerous weapon on university lands or in university buildings except with the written approval of the chief administrative officer or for law enforcement purposes. No person may display or portray as real any object that resembles a dangerous weapon on university lands or in university buildings or facilities except with the written approval of the chief administrative officer. Dangerous weapons maybe confiscated and removed from university lands by police.
Vandalism: No person may break, tear up, mar, destroy or deface any notice, tree, shrub, flower or other vegetation, or dislocate any stones, or disfigure natural conditions, or deface, alter, destroy or damage in any way any other property, real or personal, within the boundaries of any university lands.
Bicycles: No person may park or store his or her bicycle in buildings, on sidewalks or driveways, or in motor vehicle parking spaces, except in areas designated for that purpose or in bicycle racks. Bicycles shall be parked so as not to obstruct the free passage of vehicles and pedestrians.
Skate Boards, Roller Skates and Roller Blades: No person may skateboard, roller skate, or use roller blades or any other similar wheeled device in university buildings. UWM provisions designate all areas exterior to campus buildings and structures as areas where roller skates and roller blades may be used with regard for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The use of skateboards is not allowed on any property at UWM.

Grievance/Appeals
If you are experiencing a University-related problem, have tried to solve it elsewhere on campus and been unsuccessful, the Office of Student Life should be your next stop. The staff there can help you with the full array of student concerns. Some matters are acted on in that office (e.g. appeals of certain financial obligations) and others involve getting students in touch with the proper individual or procedure.
Each academic department has established grievance procedures for handling such matters as complaints pertaining to grades, treatment by faculty, academic action, as well as appeals of decisions concerning these matters. Information about the procedures is available from the department office, school or college dean's office and the Office of Student Life.
For information concerning grievance procedures pertaining to nonacademic matters contact the Office of Student Life, 118 Mellencamp Hall 229-4632.

Text was taken from the UWM Student Handbook.
Download the 2003-2004 Student Handbook here.

To view the handbook on your computer you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. The reader is free software which will allow you to view and print PDF(Portable Document Format) files. For the most up-to-date version of the Reader or for more information visit www.adobe.com/

Last Updated August 29, 2003

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