Standards of Accountability

Responsible Technology Use

Failure to abide by NIU technology policies or state or federal laws or regulations regarding the fair uses of technology will result in legal action or official campus disciplinary procedures. Refer to the ITS and ResTech Web sites at www.its.niu.edu and www.restech.niu.edu for additional information about the acceptable uses of technology in academic and residential environments.

Removing from its university-assigned location, tampering with, altering, or damaging any component of a residence hall telephone or public address system is prohibited.

Accepting collect calls or placing third-party calls and charging them to a University telephone number is prohibited.

Instructions from University Officials

• As stated in the general conduct regulations of the University, residents must follow oral or written instructions regarding University regulations or state law as outlined by authorized representatives of the University. This includes all members of the residence hall and dining staff.
• Residents must present their University identification cards to University officials upon request.

University Regulations and Government Statutes

Failure to observe University regulations and federal, state, or local laws subjects the violator to University disciplinary action and/or prosecution in civil courts and/or remedial action under the terms of the housing contract.

Laws and regulations relate to:

• Acts of violence and disruption.
• Possession or use of firearms, clubs, air guns, any type of ammunition, explosives (including fireworks), knives, or other weapons.
• Misuse of telecommunication resources and copyright infringement.
• Gambling activities.
• Possession, use, or sale of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, narcotics, or controlled substances.
• Possession and use of alcohol by those who are under-age.

Disciplinary Policies and Procedures

Administrative Suspension and Review

Northern Illinois University has a responsibility to assure that students attending the University have a safe, non-disruptive environment. Every effort is made to assure that students receive assistance if they are experiencing difficulty at the institution. However, when such an effort has been made and the student is still not able to function in a non-disruptive manner at the University, the institution has a responsibility to take action.

Under these rare circumstances, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs or designee may impose immediate Administrative Suspension without Prejudice from residence halls or the University. The suspended student shall be given an opportunity to be heard or provide a written statement and may be accompanied by an observer or advisor other than an attorney.

The proceeding is in the nature of an administrative process and shall not be governed by strict rules of evidence. Such action may be taken only when the following conditions exist:

1. The student evidences behavior that is disruptive to the normal conduct of University business,
   or
2. The student evidences behavior that indicates that he/she may pose a hazard to him/herself or others,
   and
3. The behavior described in conditions 1 and 2 above cannot be effectively dealt with through the University judicial system or the voluntary medical withdrawal procedure,
   and
4. Efforts on the part of University officials to assist the student in meeting reasonable behavioral expectations have proven unsuccessful.

Discrimination and Harassment

• Harassment of individuals, especially based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability will not be tolerated in University residence halls or by the University in general.
• Such harassment is defined as acting or communicating in a manner that intentionally harasses, coerces, intimidates, threatens, or seriously embarrasses any persons on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.
• Behavior reflecting discrimination or harassment subjects the offender to serious University disciplinary sanctions, including, but not limited to, suspension or dismissal from both residence halls and the University.

Individual Hall Policies and Sanctions

Individual halls and/or Housing & Dining may set reasonable policies and levy disciplinary sanctions, including administrative fines that are binding on residents (subject to appeal) through the Complex Coordinator, the Hall Director, and/or the Hall Council.

Administrative Fine

The following violations of the residence hall contract (Addendum) may result in specified fines being applied administratively by Housing & Dining.

1. Violation of Residence Hall Grounds and Public Area Protocol Policy. $25
2. Violation of Room and Furniture Modification Policy. $50
3. Violation of the policies on Electrical Equipment and Appliances. $50
4. Violation of the Room Decoration Policy. $25
5. Projecting or dropping litter from a residence hall building (for example, pizza boxes, water balloons, paper airplanes, or toilet paper) or into the hallway or other common areas. $25
6. Violation of Appropriate Window Usage Policy. $25 plus cost of any of repairs or replacement.
7. Violation of the Room Change Policy prohibiting unauthorized residence hall resident room changes. (In addition to fines, residents may be required to move back to their University-assigned rooms). $25
8. Violation of the Prohibited Items Policy. $25
9. Violation of the Safety and Security Policy by failing to comply with listed, posted, or announced residence hall regulations governing building security. $25
• Examples include:
• Entering or exiting a residence hall building through other than designated doorways.
• Assisting others to gain unauthorized building or floor entry.
• Propping doors that are to remain locked.
• Failing to follow procedures at checkpoints for showing required identification by residents.
• Hosting guests more than 72 consecutive hours.
• Not following the stipulated procedure for registering guests.
10. Removing from its university-assigned location, tampering with, altering, or damaging any component of a residence hall telephone or public address system. $25
11. Unauthorized residence during a time period not covered by that individual’s residence hall contract (e.g., University-designated vacation periods). $50 plus the cost of the daily room rate.
12. Accepting collect calls or placing third-party calls and charging them to a University telephone number. $50 per call.
13. Violation of the Key Policy by relinquishing possession of one’s room key to another person, having possession of a residence hall room key not issued by the University, allowing one’s room key to be duplicated or modified, or using a key to gain entry to a floor other than one’s own building or residence. $50
14. Violation of the Residence Hall Smoking Policy. $25
15. Entering the Residence Hall between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. without having the appropriate Hall Entry card. $25.

Student Code of Conduct Schedule of Fine

The following schedule of fines applies to violation of the judicial code and may frequently involve additional sanctions or charges for the cost of equipment or damage repair, depending on the circumstances, as a result of the judicial process:

1. Tampering with life-safety devices (for example, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, smoke detectors, sprinkler heads, or heat sensors). $250
2. Projecting or dropping potentially dangerous objects from a residence hall building or in residence hall areas (for example, cans, bottles, water balloons, other heavy objects, balls of any type, or Frisbees). $100
3. Possession or use of fireworks/firecrackers. $50
4. Participation individually or as part of a group in an action that may result in damage to University property (such as water fights or participation inside a residence hall in sports suitable only for outdoor areas or special courts). $100
5. Possession of firearms or other illegal weapons. $100
6. Tampering with elevators or elevator controls. $100
7. Possession of bulk alcoholic beverage containers over two gallons in capacity (such as kegs, party balls, etc). Bulk containers are subject to confiscation and emptying. Furthermore, the container and tapper will be retained until the judicial process is complete. $50
8. Violating the Residence Hall Alcoholic Beverage Policy. $50 - $250 (Sanction depends upon the type or repetitiveness of the offense and current sanctioning standards).
9. Engaging in acts that may endanger the safety of others (e.g., pennying/blocking a person in a room, dangerous "pranks," etc.). $50 - $250
10. Misuse or defacement of the NIU OneCard. $50
11. Removal of food (except from á la carte dining locations), trays, china, silver, glasses, salt and pepper shakers, etc., from the dining room. $50
12. Any disruptive actions that violate normal socially accepted rules of conduct or may seriously annoy and/or disturb other customers in the dining room. $50
13. Unauthorized entry into the dining room. $50

Refer to the NIU Student Code of Conduct at www.niu.edu/judicial for more detailed information on University policies related to standards of acceptable behavior on campus.

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