Honor Codes

This section provides the codes and policies that students and student organizations are expected to follow at all times.

Abusive, Threatening or Bullying Behavior

Any conduct that threatens or endangers the physical, mental, and/or emotional health and safety of a member of the university community, including oneself, on or off university property, or at a university-sponsored or supervised activity is considered abusive or threatening behavior. Reports of abuse and/or threatening behavior may result in an immediate interim suspension from the University and/or university housing.

• Verbal: includes, but is not limited to, threats, unprofessional language, discrimination, harassment, bullying and cyberbullying made in person, over the phone, left on voicemail or other auditory means.
• Physical: includes, but is not limited to, assault, battery, fighting, false imprisonment, coercion, hazing, alcohol poisoning, stalking, prohibiting a person from freely entering or departing a room or event through physical force or presence or otherwise confining a person, and any unwanted physical contact, including sexual misconduct, between individuals or attempts of physical threat.
• Written: includes, but is not limited to, instant messaging, internet usage, email, cell phone/texting, social media, letters, unprofessional language, signs, banners, Spirit Rock, clothing, dry erase boards and/or other specific graffiti.
• Retaliation: includes, but is not limited to, extortion or action taken against another member of the community who has been identified as a complainant, victim, witness or university representative alleging misconduct.
• Implied threats: includes, but is not limited to, gestures, taunting comments and/or any behaviors that create a threatening environment, including threats against the University and/or its property.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to prepare and present their own work to satisfy academic requirements.

The academic integrity violations process is followed in all cases of suspected academic dishonesty. The first offense Pre-Hearing Conference is handled by the academic department and/or college. The second offense will result in an Honor Board hearing for undergraduate and master-level students.

For either first or second offenses, automatic referrals to an Honor Board may be recommended if there are instances of broad cheating or students have a combination of academic integrity charges with other violations/student conduct cases; in these cases, the student may face suspension or dismissal.

Additionally, prior to, a student must receive permission from each professor for double/multiple submissions of identical or substantially similar written assignments to fulfill a requirement in more than one course, covering all terms.

Doctoral candidates who are suspected of academic integrity violations are subject to the department and/or doctoral handbook.

Academic integrity violations include the following:

• Cheating: Students may not use unauthorized assistance, including technology, websites, and/or electronics, in preparing or completing assignments, including any oral or written presentations or any quiz or examination.
• Fraud: Students may not gain unfair advantage through deceit, falsification of record, including the unauthorized use of AI technology (such as ChatGPT).
• Plagiarism: Students may not plagiarize as it is an act of academic dishonesty and is defined as taking the ideas, writings, and/or words of another and representing them as one's own. Two common forms of plagiarism involve the use of written or oral work of another person without giving proper citation and the use of the work of another person as one’s own.
• Over-sharing: Students may not over-share, which is defined as copying numerical solutions, computer code, or lab experiments outside of collaborative assignments, to name a few examples of violations.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): The use of ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence (AI) tools in an educational setting must be guided by ethical principles and academic integrity. Students and faculty may use these tools for research support or aids to enhance their learning and scholarship but should not rely on them to produce original work. The University recognizes the potential benefits of AI but acknowledges the potential risks, such as creating unauthentic, inaccurate, biased, or harmful content. Students should follow best practices to ensure authentic scholastic accomplishment and academic integrity, including avoiding plagiarism or machine ghostwriting. Ultimately, the University upholds the importance of intellectual honesty and ethical research practices and expects students to act in accordance with these principles when using AI tools.

Alcohol Policy

Students who choose to consume alcohol are responsible for their behavior on and off campus and must abide by Florida State and U.S. Federal laws.

Students must be at least 21 years of age in order to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol. On or off university property or as part of its activities, unlawful possession, use/misuse, or distribution of alcohol to anyone under the age of 21 is prohibited. A student or student organization found responsible for illegal use, unlawful possession, misuse, or inappropriate behavior associated with alcohol use will be subject to the Honor Code process.

Disruptive or destructive behavior associated with, or as a consequence of, drinking is not an acceptable form of conduct. Being under the influence of alcohol does not excuse students and student organizations from negative behaviors and/or violations of the Honor Code, policies, and Florida statutes.

Alcohol use by those 21 years or older is allowed for approved university events and under Housing & Residence Life policies. Students living in on-campus housing and/or are guests of residents must adhere to the Alcohol Housing & Residence Life Community Standard. Liquor or hard spirits are not allowed.

Bystander Behavior and Complicity

A student or a group of students who are aware of illegal activities, violations of the Honor Code, and/or policy violations and do nothing to prevent, stop, or report it are in violation of the Honor Code policy. This includes complicit behavior. Confidential reports can be filed with Campus Safety & Security or the Dean of Students Office.

Campus Guests

Members of the Embry-Riddle community are responsible for the behavior of their guests while they are on campus. Guests are considered any person visiting the Daytona Beach Campus who are not faculty, staff, currently enrolled students, or contractors. Guests who are minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times. In addition, residential students must abide by and enforce all Housing & Residence Life Community Standards with their non-residential guests. Residential students may be held accountable for the policies/Community Standards their guests may violate.

Computer Use & Security Violations

Misuse of computing facilities, software, and hardware; unauthorized use of another individual’s computer account; misuse of one’s own computer account; or any violation of the policies for using computing and networking resources at Embry-Riddle is prohibited, including a federal, state or local law. Refer to Information Technology Acceptable Use of University Computing Resources Policy (APPM 7.5) found through ERNIE.

Criminal Violations and Arrest Notification

Violation of any state or federal criminal code on or off campus is prohibited. Behaviors and violations off campus are referred to the Honor Code at the discretion of the university administration. Students are always expected to be respectful at all times with law enforcement, federal agencies and/or emergency personnel.

Students accused, arrested for, or convicted of any misdemeanor, felony or sexual offense must notify Campus Safety & Security of their status within 48 hours after their release from jail and/or a judgment.  These disclosures are required in addition to those required at time of enrollment into the University.

Flight, Maintenance, and ROTC students and Athletes, among others, may have additional reporting responsibilities.

Discrimination

Embry-Riddle prohibits any form of discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, predisposing genetic characteristic, age, religion, pregnancy status, or any other characteristic protected by university policy or state, local, or federal law. Discrimination is defined as any intentional activity by individual(s), club(s), or organization(s) that could result in harassment; emotional or physical abuse or harm; embarrassment; or ridicule and these actions deprive other members of the community of educational or employment access, benefits, or opportunities on the basis of their actual or perceived membership in a protected class. Please refer to the Harassment Honor Code as well. Any individual or group found responsible for a violation will be subject to disciplinary action based on the appropriate and applicable Title IX, Honor Code, or other university policy. Learn more about Title IX Compliance.  

Disorderly Conduct

An individual may be charged with disorderly conduct for any behavior, including unprofessional language, that can be deemed excessively loud, lewd, indecent, obscene, disruptive, disrespectful, and/or disturbing the peace. Inciting others to be disruptive and/or inappropriate conduct at Embry-Riddle-sponsored or supervised events is also considered disorderly conduct and may result in immediate removal of any participant or guest at the discretion of the event organizer and/or Campus Safety & Security.

Participation individually or in groups on or off, or adjacent to, University property that causes damage to public or private property, injuries to other persons, or disruptions of university operations are prohibited.

Emergency/Fire Equipment & Procedures

Students are prohibited from the misuse of, vandalism to, removing of, and/or tampering with fire and emergency equipment, including but not limited to, fire extinguishers, alarms, hoses, sprinkler heads, smoke detectors, AED devices, safety/emergency vehicles and property, emergency phones (“blue phones”), any signage, and video surveillance equipment. Falsely reporting a fire, bomb threat, or other emergency is also a violation of this policy. In the event of an emergency or drill, students must follow the directives of university officials and/or emergency personnel.

Knowingly setting fire (arson), unintentionally setting fire, and intentionally setting off the fire alarm are also strictly prohibited.

Failure to Comply

Failure or refusal to comply with verbal or written requests and directions from university officials acting in an official capacity is a violation of the Honor Code.

Failure to follow all appropriately issued directives from university administration and local, state, and/or federal health, safety, fire, or environmental agencies in the case of a health safety emergency is a violation of the Honor Code (e.g. personal protective equipment requirements, medical screenings, required procedures intended to avoid close contact between individuals, on and off-campus parties/events, etc.).

All students are required to have student identification (EagleCard) and carry it with them at all times while on university property or university-sponsored events. Each student should be prepared to identify oneself and present and/or surrender one’s EagleCard upon request of university faculty, staff, Resident Advisors, and Campus Safety & Security Officers.

To better facilitate the compliance request, it is important to check your Embry-Riddle email account daily.

If previously assigned disciplinary sanctions imposed under the Honor Code, Housing & Residence Life Community Standards, and/or Embry-Riddle policies are not completed, students may be charged with Failure to Comply and possibly face suspension or dismissal. 

False Information

Providing false information or withholding information from a university official is prohibited including Campus Safety witness statements. Providing false information or accusatory reports is prohibited. Providing false information during a student conduct hearing is also prohibited; this includes tampering with witnesses in preparing for or during the hearing process.

False Representation, Forgery, and Fraudulent Business Transactions

The University prohibits:

• Misrepresentation of oneself as a representative or agent of the University for personal, non-university business
• Misrepresentation of an organization as a representative or agent of the University for personal, non-university business
• Acquiring identification or credit cards of another person or organization for personal, non-university business, including misuse of passwords, PIN numbers for credit/debit cards, and account numbers from bank accounts
• Manufacturing false identification cards, badges, driver’s licenses, EagleCards, and Embry-Riddle parking permits
• Forging, altering, falsifying, destroying, misuse, or unauthorized use or reproduction of a university document
• Using the computer login or identification of university personnel
• Intentional misrepresentation, concealment, or omission of facts, records, checks, or money to the detriment of a person or an organization, on or off campus

Student clubs and organizations may not use the university name in any form without permission, whether in the name of their organization or in any other manner, such as the name of their bank account. Students and student clubs and organizations may not use the university logo in any form (APPM 11.4).

Please note, submitting a fraudulent diploma or transcript to a postsecondary institution is also a violation of a Florida Statute.

Harassment

Harassment is defined as any willful, intentional or unintentional, persistent, or reckless act that knowingly and maliciously harms or taunts another individual or group or conduct that poses a reasonable fear of harm or creates a hostile environment. Harassment can be communicated/conducted via verbal or written words, actions, stalking, cyber-stalking, and threats. Making public personal videos, social media posts, text messages, screenshots, or photographs of an individual without consent is also considered harassment. Bullying, intimidating, and stalking may be considered forms of harassment or abuse/threatening behavior. This also includes intentional unwanted disclosure or threats to disclose an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expressions. Harassment is not acceptable within the University community. Any such action should be reported to Campus Safety & Security. If harassment or stalking is gender-based, it should be reported to the Office of Title IX Compliance.

Hazing

Embry-Riddle prohibits any form of hazing. Hazing is defined as any action or situation created by individuals, groups, teams, or student organizations – on or off campus – that could cause or has the potential to result in harassment, emotional or physical abuse, harm, embarrassment, ridicule, or the violation of a policy, no matter how positive the end result or intent.

Hazing is prohibited regardless of consent, membership, or length of affiliation. Hazing exists regardless of the knowledge and/or endorsement of the group’s members, advisor, coach, alumni, or leadership. Any suspicions of the above mentioned activities or any other activities that may be construed as hazing should be reported to the Dean of Students Office, Student Engagement & Student Union, or Campus Safety & Security. For additional information, please refer to Florida’s Chad Meredith Act; information can be found at the Florida Senate website.

Examples of hazing include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Paddling
• Forced consumption of alcohol, drugs (of any kind), food, and/or drink
• Forced excessive exercise
• Indecent stunts or dress
• Deprivation of sleep, normal sleep patterns, or adequate study time
• Physical harassment such as pushing, shoving, tickling, yelling, etc.
• Deprivation of normal amounts of food and water
• Individual or group interrogations such as line-ups
• Personal servitude
• Assigning pranks
• Forced or coerced trips, i.e. “kidnaps”
• Encouraging, pressuring, coercing, or rewarding the breaking of laws, regulations, and/or policies

Illegal Drugs & Other Substances or Paraphernalia

The University prohibits the unlawful manufacture, attempted manufacture, cultivation, distribution, possession, sale and/or use of illegal drugs and substances, unauthorized prescription drugs, stimulants, hallucinogens, designer and/or synthetic drugs, prohibited drugs and drug-related paraphernalia, and/or other similar non-prescribed agents known to be harmful or habit-forming drugs or chemicals (such as those used in huffing) on or off university property.

Students accused of violating this policy may go before an Honor Board and, if found responsible, expect sanctions up to and including suspension and/or dismissal from the University. Additional sanctions may include required drug testing at the student's expense; a positive finding of a drug test will constitute evidence of drug use and further sanction(s) will be imposed. Hair or other types of drug testing may be required at the student's own expense.

Any suspicion of drug use should be reported immediately to Campus Safety & Security as withholding knowledge constitutes equal responsibility and involvement in the incident.

Lasers

Lasers are prohibited on campus with the exception of class instruction. Prohibited items will be confiscated by Campus Safety & Security. Additional exceptions to the policy must be approved in writing by the Office of Environmental Health & Safety.

Obstruction & Disruption

Students and student organizations are prohibited from disruption or prevention of teaching, research, student conduct proceedings, investigations, meetings, interviews, ceremonies, right of way access or delivery of goods , emergency responses, other university activities (including public service events), or other authorized activities on university property.

Policy Violation

University, Housing & Residence Life, Campus Safety & Security (e.g. parking rules), Student Engagement & Student Union, department, academic, and/or any other rules or regulations established by Embry-Riddle must be adhered to at all times.

In addition to university policies, local, state, and/or federal health, safety, fire, or environmental regulations - including but not limited to Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), etc. — must not be violated.

Recordings

It is prohibited to videotape, audio record, or take pictures of persons using any current or future technologies without their knowledge and/or consent when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy and/or confidentiality.

Sexual Harassment/Misconduct

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University does not tolerate sexual harassment. Such conduct is harmful to the well-being of our community members, our learning and working environments, and the collegial relationships among students, faculty, and staff that characterize the culture of Embry-Riddle. All forms of sexual harassment under the Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy or the University Sexual Misconduct Policy are regarded as serious offenses, and violations may result in disciplinary action, including the possibility of separation from the university. For more information, visit Title IX Compliance. 

Solicitation

Solicitation of and by students, student organizations, faculty, and staff for money, goods, or services without authorization from a Student Engagement & Student Union director is prohibited. Door-to-door promotions in the residence halls and fliers on cars are prohibited. Solicitation by non-students is closely monitored and regulated and must also be approved by a Student Engagement & Student Union director.

Student Organization Violations

In addition to the organization’s own policies and procedures, all student organizations must adhere to the same policies that individual students are expected to follow. Hearing procedures and rights and responsibilities related to alleged violations by student groups, including fraternities, sororities, and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), are the same as the hearing procedures and rights and responsibilities for individual Embry-Riddle students.

Theft

Theft or attempted theft, unauthorized possession, misuse, or wrongful appropriation of property, or sale of property not belonging to oneself is strictly prohibited.

Unauthorized Entry or Use

Use of university facilities, equipment, and vehicles without proper authorization is prohibited, including unauthorized entry or attempted entry; unauthorized use or misuse of personal and/or university electronics, software, and systems; misuse or wrongful appropriation of keys, access codes, and EagleCards; tampering with entry systems and RFID readers; and/or gaining unauthorized access to information, property, or persons. Possession of items used to gain unauthorized entry is prohibited.

Use of Tobacco & Nicotine

Use of tobacco products are not permitted anywhere on university-owned or leased property (including buildings, parking lots, personal vehicles, etc.). Additionally, tobacco products are prohibited in all university vehicles, including vans, trucks, buses, and all university aircraft. Students are prohibited from using any tobacco product whether in the form of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, dipping/snuff, smokeless cigarettes, electronic cigarettes/vaping, hookahs, e-liquids, vapor products, and/or alternative nicotine products, or chewing tobacco on campus.

Vandalism

Destroying, defacing, damaging, or tampering with property on university premises or property of any other person is prohibited.

Weapons

With the exception of law enforcement and Campus Safety & Security Officers, it remains university policy that guns may not be possessed on property owned or controlled by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, including parking lots.

Possession of weapons and weapon replicas, including but not limited to, firearms, BB guns, air guns, knives, swords, machetes, blow darts, spears, compound bows/arrows, Tasers, brass knuckles, slingshots, martial arts devices, dangerous chemicals, incendiary devices, or other explosive substances including fireworks is prohibited and banned from University property. This policy includes ammunition, any device capable of firing or launching a projectile, or other objects classified or used as weapons with potential for danger or harm. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved in writing by the Director of Campus Safety & Security, including requests from Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) whose primary function involves the use of weapons or replicas. Pocket knives with blades two inches in length or shorter are allowed for functional purposes.

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