Definitions

The following explanations are provided as examples of various
interpretations that exist for words used in the Statement of Student
Rights and Responsibilities.

The descriptions listed represent an abbreviated introduction to the concepts. In each section, a link is provided to the full policy and/or description, as appropriate.

A. Physically harming another person including acts such as killing, assaulting, or battering.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Assault: (1) a violent physical or verbal attack (2) a threat or attempt to inflict offensive physical contact or bodily harm on a person (as by lifting a fist in a threatening manner) that puts the person in immediate danger of or in apprehension of such harm or contact Battery: the act of battering or beating : an offensive touching or use of force on a person without the person's consent
Campus Community Perspectives	Assault: an intentional act, verbal or physical, that can be described as creating fear of physical harm. (Expect Respect) Battery: an intentional and unwanted act of physical contact. (Expect Respect)
University Policies	Violence in the University Community (THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STANDARD PRACTICE GUIDE)
Michigan State Law	Physical Assault: intentionally causing or attempting to cause physical harm to another through force or violence. (Michigan Legislature)

B. Sexually assaulting another person

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Sexual Assault: illegal sexual contact that usually involves force upon a person without consent or is inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent (as because of age or physical or mental incapacity) or who places the assailant (as a doctor) in a position of trust or authority
Campus Community Perspectives	Sexual Assault: any form of unwanted sexual contact obtained without consent and/or obtained through the use of force, threat of force, intimidation, or coercion. (Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center) Sexual Assault: a crime involving forced or coerced "sexual penetration" (first and third degree) or "sexual contact" (second and fourth degree) (Department of Public Safety)
University Policies	University of Michigan Sexual Assault Policy
Michigan State Law	Sexual Assault: assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct. (Michigan Legislature)

C. Sexually harassing another person

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Sexual Harassment: uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature especially by a person in authority toward a subordinate (as an employee or student)
Campus Community Perspectives	Sexual Harassment: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature (SAPAC)
University Policies	Sexual Harassment (The University of Michigan Standard Practice Guide) University of Michigan Sexual Assault Policy
Michigan State Law	Sexual Harassment: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature (Michigan Legislature)

D. Hazing

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Hazing: (1) to harass by exacting unnecessary or disagreeable work : to harass by banter, ridicule, or criticism (2) to haze by way of initiation
Campus Community Perspectives	Hazing: any action or situation, with or without the consent of the participants, which recklessly, intentionally, or unintentionally endangers the mental, physical, or academic heath or safety of a student. (Campus Anti-Hazing Campaign)
University Policies	University Policy Against Hazing Hazing: includes the following willful acts, with or without the consent of the individual involved: physical injury, assault or battery kidnapping or imprisonment intentionally placing at risk of severe mental or emotional harm (putting "over the edge") degradation, humiliation, or compromising of moral or religious values forced consumption of any liquid or solid placing an individual in physical danger (at risk) which includes abandonment impairment of physical liberties which include curfews or other interference with academic endeavors.
Michigan State Law	Hazing: an intentional, knowing, or reckless act by a person acting alone or acting with others that is directed against an individual and that the person knew or should have known endangers the physical health or safety of the individual, and that is done for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, participating in, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any organization. (Michigan Legislature)

E. Stalking or Harassing another person

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Stalking: to pursue obsessively and to the point of harassment Harassing: (1)to annoy persistently (2) to create an unpleasant or hostile situation for, especially by uninvited and unwelcome verbal or physical conduct
Campus Community Perspectives	Harassment: unwanted negative attention perceived as intimidating, demeaning or bothersome to an individual. (Expect Respect) Stalking: a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment made against the expressed wishes of another individual, which causes that individual to feel emotional distress including fear, harassment, intimidation or apprehension. (SAPAC)
University Policies	Violence in the University Community (Standard Practice Guide) Discriminatory Harassment: "Verbal or physical conduct by a member of the faculty or staff that is based upon race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, age, marital status, handicap or Vietnam-era veteran status"
Michigan State Law	Harassment: means conduct directed toward a victim that includes, but is not limited to, repeated or continuing unconsented contact that would cause a reasonable individual to suffer emotional distress and that actually causes the victim to suffer emotional distress. Harassment does not include constitutionally protected activity or conduct that serves a legitimate purpose. (Michigan Legislature) Elliot-Larson Civil Rights Act: Discrimination because of sex includes sexual harassment. Sexual harassment means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct or communication of a sexual nature under the following conditions: (i) Submission to the conduct or communication is made a term or condition either explicitly or implicitly to obtain employment, public accommodations or public services, education, or housing. (ii) Submission to or rejection of the conduct or communication by an individual is used as a factor in decisions affecting such individual's employment, public accommodations or public services, education, or housing. (iii) The conduct or communication has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's employment, public accommodations or public services, education, or housing, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive employment, public accommodations, public services, educational, or housing environment.

F. Possessing, using, or storing firearms, explosives, or weapons on University controlled property or at University events or programs

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Firearms: a weapon from which a shot is discharged by gunpowder —usually used of small arms

Explosives: an explosive substance

Weapon: (1) something (as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy (2) a means of contending against another

University Policies

Weapon Possession
(Standard Practice Guide)

Dangerous Weapon: any firearm or any other dangerous weapon as defined in or interpreted under Michigan law or…any knife, sword or machete having a blade longer than four (4) inches, or, in the case of a knife with a mechanism to lock the blade in place when open, longer than three (3) inches.

(Board of Regents Ordinance)

Michigan State Law

Firearms: a weapon from which a dangerous projectile may be propelled by an explosive, or by gas or air. Firearm does not include a smooth bore rifle or handgun designed and manufactured exclusively for propelling by a spring, or by gas or air, BB's not exceeding .177 caliber.
(Michigan Legislature)

Explosives: any chemical compound or mechanical mixture that is commonly used or intended for the purpose of producing an explosion and which contains any oxidizing and combustive units or other ingredients in such proportions, quantities, or packing that an ignition by fire, friction, by concussion, by percussion, or by detonator of any part of the compound or mixture may cause such a sudden generation of highly heated gases that the resultant gaseous pressures are capable of producing destructible effects on contiguous objects or of destroying life or limb.
(Michigan Legislature)

Dangerous Weapon: a firearm, dagger, dirk, stiletto, knife with a blade over 3 inches in length, pocket knife opened by a mechanical device, iron bar, or brass knuckles.
(Michigan Legislature)

G. Tampering with fire or other safety equipment or setting unauthorized fires

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Tamper: to interfere so as to weaken or change for the worse —used with with : to try foolish or dangerous experiments —used with with : to render something harmful or dangerous by altering its structure or composition

Campus Community Perspectives

False Fire Alarms: Nothing does more harm to fire safety in residence halls than pulling a false alarm. It can lead to residents assuming that any alarm is false and if they do not evacuate the building they endanger themselves and others if the alarm represents an actual fire.

(Campus Housing Fire Safety Guide)

H. Illegally possessing or using alcohol

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Possess: to have and hold as property Use: to consume or take
Campus Community Perspectives	UHS Alcohol Guidelines
University Policies	Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy
Michigan State Law	Constitution of Michigan 1963: A person shall not sell or give any alcoholic beverage to any person who has not reached the age of 21 years. A person who has not reached the age of 21 years shall not possess any alcoholic beverage for the purpose of personal consumption. An alcoholic beverage is any beverage containing one-half of one percent or more alcohol by volume. (Michigan Legislature)

I. Illegally distributing, manufacturing, or selling alcohol

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Distribute: to give out or deliver especially to members of a group

Manufacture: something made from raw materials by hand or by machinery

University Policies

Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy

Michigan State Law

Constitution of Michigan 1963: A person shall not sell or give any alcoholic beverage to any person who has not reached the age of 21 years. A person who has not reached the age of 21 years shall not possess any alcoholic beverage for the purpose of personal consumption. An alcoholic beverage is any beverage containing one-half of one percent or more alcohol by volume.
(Michigan Legislature)

Distribute: means to deliver other than by administering or dispensing a controlled substance.
(Michigan Legislature)

J. Illegally possessing or using drugs

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Drug: something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness

University Policies

Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy: While on University property all individuals are prohibited from possessing, consuming, manufacturing, dispensing, or being under the influence of illegal drugs or engaging in improper self-medication.

Drug: includes:
a. controlled substances, as defined in 21 USC 802, which cannot be legally obtained; or
b. legally obtainable controlled substances which were not legally obtained, including:

prescribed drugs when prescription is no longer valid;
prescribed drugs used contrary to the prescription;

prescribed drugs issued to another person.

(UHS Drug Policy)

Michigan State Law

Drug: means a substance recognized as a drug in the official United States pharmacopoeia, official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official national formulary, or any supplement to any of them; a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in human beings or animals; a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of human beings or animals; or, a substance intended for use as a component of any article specified in this subsection. It does not include a device or its components, parts, or accessories.
(Michigan Legislature)

K. Illegally distributing, manufacturing, or selling drugs.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Drug: something and often an illegal substance that causes addiction, habituation, or a marked change in consciousness Distribute: to give out or deliver especially to members of a group Manufacture: something made from raw materials by hand or by machinery
Campus Community Perspectives
University Policies	Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy: While on University property all individuals are prohibited from possessing, consuming, manufacturing, dispensing, or being under the influence of illegal drugs or engaging in improper self-medication.
Michigan State Law	Drug: means a substance recognized as a drug in the official United States pharmacopoeia, official homeopathic pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official national formulary, or any supplement to any of them; a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in human beings or animals; a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of human beings or animals; or, a substance intended for use as a component of any article specified in this subsection. It does not include a device or its components, parts, or accessories. (Michigan Legislature) Distribute: means to deliver other than by administering or dispensing a controlled substance. (Michigan Legislature)

L. Intentionally and falsely reporting bombs, fires, or other emergencies to a University official

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Emergency: an unforeseen combination of circumstances or the resulting state that calls for immediate action. Or an urgent need for assistance or relief.

Campus Community Perspectives

(Campus Housing Fire Safety Guide)

M. Stealing, vandalizing, damaging, destroying, or defacing University property or the property of others

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Steal: to take the property of another wrongfully and especially as a habitual or regular practice

Vandalism: willful or malicious destruction or defacement of public or private property

Damage: loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation

Destroy: to ruin the structure, organic existence, or condition of : to ruin as if by tearing to shreds

Deface: to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details

Campus Community Perspectives

Vandalism: the destruction or alteration of property (individual, public or communal)
(Expect Respect)

Michigan State Law

Vandalism: is the willful or malicious destruction, injury, disfigurement, or defacement of any public or private property, real or personal, without consent of the owner or person having control.
(Michigan Legislature)

N. Obstructing or disrupting classes, research projects, or other activities or programs of the University; or obstructing access to university facilities, property, or programs (except for behavior that is protected by the University’s policy on Freedom of Speech and Artistic Expression)

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Obstruct: to hinder from passage, action, or operation

Disrupt: (1) to break apart : to throw into disorder (2) to interrupt the normal course or unity of

Activity: a form of organized, supervised, often extracurricular recreation

Program: the performance of a program : curriculum

Campus Community Perspectives

Safety In Residence Hall

University Housing is committed to providing housing and facilities that are safe for residents and guests. The following standards are designed to protect the interest of all students.

2.1 Disruptive Behavior
Behavior that is disruptive to orderly community living is prohibited. In the residence hall communities, this includes, but is not limited to throwing items in the hallways, bouncing balls, engaging in horseplay or creating a health or safety hazard. Riding a bike, skateboarding and rollerblading are prohibited inside of all residence halls. Possessing or using any motor-driven vehicle inside a residence hall is also prohibited, except for assistive devices utilized by a person with a disability. Additional prohibited behavior includes, but is not limited to, streaking, nudity and sexual activity in common areas.

(Community Living at Michigan)

University Policies

U-M Policy on Freedom of Speech and Artistic Expression

O. Making, possessing, or using any falsified University document or record; altering any University document or record, including identification cards and meal cards

Merriam-Webster Dictionary	Falsify: to make false as a) to make false by mutilation or addition b) to represent falsely
University Policies	University Records: all records, regardless of their form, prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by administrators, faculty acting in administrative capacities, and staff of university units in the performance of an official function. (Standard Practice Guide)

P. Assuming another person's identity or role through deception or without proper authorization. Communicating or acting under the guise, name, identification, email address, signature, or indicia of another person without proper authorization, or communicating under the rubric of an organization, entity, or unit that you do not have the authority to represent

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Rubric: an authoritative rule

University Policies:

Identity Misrepresentation
(Standard Practice Guide)

Proper use of Information Resources, Information Technology, and Networks at the University of Michigan
(Standard Practice Guide)

Q. Failing to leave University controlled premises when told to do so by a police or security officer with reasonable cause.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Premises: tract of land with the buildings thereon : a building or part of a building usually with its appurtenances (as grounds)

R. Conviction, a plea of no contest, acceptance of responsibility, or acceptance of sanctions for a crime of civil infraction (other than a minor traffic offense) in state or federal court if the underlying behavior impacts the University community

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Sanction: the detriment, loss of reward, or coercive intervention annexed to a violation of a law as a means of enforcing the law

S. Misusing, failing to comply with, or jeopardizing Statement procedures, sanction, or mediated agreements, or interfering with participants involved in the resolution process

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Misuse: incorrect or improper use

Sanction: the detriment, loss of reward, or coercive intervention annexed to a violation of a law as a means of enforcing the law

T. Violating University computer policies

Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Violate: to fail to keep : breach, break, infringe, transgress

University Policies

U-M Proper Use Policy: Computing resources shall be used in a manner consistent with the instructional, public service, research, and administrative objectives of the University. Use should also be consistent with the specific objectives of the project or task for which such use was authorized. All uses inconsistent with these objectives are considered to be inappropriate use and may jeopardize further access to services.
http://www.umich.edu/~policies/responsible-use.html

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