A student by voluntarily joining the university community agrees to abide by the standards that have been instituted by DePaul University. Students are responsible for being familiar with all of the policies and procedures included in the Code of Student Responsibility. The Code of Student Responsibility was developed by the Student Affairs Office to give formal recognition to the rights and responsibilities of students at DePaul University and is based on the following principles:
- The intrinsic value of the person stands above other values. The personal rights and dignity of individuals are to be held inviolate. They take precedence over any academic goal set forth by the university.
- The student is respected as a responsible person. He or she is, therefore, encouraged to make informed decisions with respect to his or her own education and to be involved in university decisions to the fullest extent possible.
- The university is by definition a corporation. Just as the individual student has his or her own personal rights, so the university, as a corporate person, has an obligation to exercise its rights and privileges in conformity with the laws and procedures governing its actions.
- DePaul University recognizes that freedom to teach and freedom to learn depend upon opportunities and conditions in the classroom, on the campus and in the larger community. The responsibility to secure and respect general conditions conducive to learning is shared by all members of the academic community. Freedom is meaningless unless responsibility is also present.
The above rights can be exercised effectively and without fear only if they are incorporated into policies and regulations that are as precise and informative as possible, and only if there are adequate procedures to settle disputes that arise in their regard.
The Code of Student Responsibility protects students' rights by making explicit all disciplinary procedures so that no student may be disciplined except in strict adherence to proscribed policies.
As an academic and religious institution, DePaul has a vested interest in both the safety and well-being of the members of its campus community. As a result of the high caliber of men and women DePaul University attracts, the Code of Student Responsibility reflects the emphasis on responsibility in both the academic and nonacademic areas of university life. It is the intent of the code to provide the necessary guidelines to support and advance the educational and religious aims of the university without unduly restricting or diminishing the university experience.
The code outlines the minimum acceptable level of conduct expected of every student at DePaul. The policies and procedures outlined are those that students, faculty and administrators at the university have designed to further the educational and religious aims of the institution and to assist all students in the pursuit of their educational, personal and social development.
A student by voluntarily joining the university community assumes the responsibility for abiding by the standards that have been instituted by DePaul.
The Vice President for Student Affairs, or his/her designee, maintains exclusive authority for imposing sanctions for behaviors that violate the Code of Student Responsibility. The Vice President is also responsible for interpreting and/or implementing university procedures or policies to address issues that are not specifically covered by the various parts of this code.
University personnel charged with enforcement of the code will at all times endeavor to adhere to the intent of fundamental fairness so that each student's concern is addressed in an impartial and consistent manner.
The University may exercise jurisdiction for an offense committed off-campus when:
- The victim of such offense is a member of the campus community (student, faculty or staff); if the perpetrator of such offense is a student; or
- The offense occurred at a college sponsored or sanctioned event; or
- The accused student used his or her status as a member of the University community to assist in the commission of the offense (student ID card to pass a bad check); or
- The offense seriously impairs the pursuit of the University's objectives.
The university's adjudication of any violation of this code may proceed independently of any action taken by state, federal or municipal agencies.
The university reserves the right to refer incidents of misconduct to civil or criminal authorities.
This code is designed to protect the rights of all members of the university community so they can prosper academically, socially and personally. In order for this code to work effectively, however, students must take responsibility for confronting behaviors exhibited by their peers that negatively impact their experiences and violate established standards of behavior. It is imperative that students work in partnership with university faculty and staff members to protect the rights that have been afforded them.
DePaul University reserves the right to change policies or procedures maintained herein at any time during a student's enrollment period provided such changes are announced throughout the university community via official bulletin boards, office publications or student newspaper, or DePaul Web-based technology.
Students and student organizations are advised to read this code carefully so all are aware of the policies which guide the university in its dealings with them.
Although no list is exhaustive, the university has attempted in the following pages to accurately represent its nonacademic expectations. Students should contact their college office for specific information on the policies used to govern academic expectations at the university.
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Undergraduate Student Handbook 
