Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Student Handbook 
    
2017-2018 Student Handbook [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Student Life Policies



Student Life Policies

Like many urban universities, the University of Houston is growing disproportionally faster than its city setting. The University of Houston continues to strive for a spirit of community, an atmosphere that is essential for intellectual growth and achievement. This spirit of community has not been the particular concern of any one person or of any single group. It has gradually evolved from the deepening loyalties of faculty, students, and organizations in the city and throughout the state.

With the spirit of community, the university has nurtured a climate of academic freedom and of freedom of inquiry. Insofar as possible, this climate should enable the University of Houston to solve its own problems, to the extent that they are peculiar to the nature of a university, in an atmosphere of considered deliberation in which all interested parties can participate by means of legitimate representation. This is the purpose of the Student Life Policies. In these policies are found-as clearly defined as possible-the distribution of authority, the identification of rights and responsibilities, the determination for accountability, the application of sanctions, and the mechanisms and guidelines for conflict resolution. These policies are intended to stimulate intellectual excellence in an atmosphere of freedom and to protect the integrity of the university community.

Members of the university community share the same responsibilities of citizenship as other members of the broader community. Students, faculty, and staff members are all subject to the same laws and ordinances. The university does not stand between national, state, or local law enforcement agencies and persons who break the law. Persons who break the law on the campus are subject to action by these agencies and, when appropriate, to the university’s internal discipline procedures.

There will be no retroactive application of any changes in the Student Life Policies. However, future change may supersede policies published herein. Alterations to the policies are published on the Dean of Students’ Website at www.uh.edu/dos.

Policies included herein apply to the University of Houston.

Amendment of Student Life Policies

Student Life Policies may be established, deleted, or amended by the approval of a university bill in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Student Government Association. In addition to the provisions of the Constitution and laws of the Student Government Association, the following shall apply to the process for considering Student Life Policy bills:

  1. The Senate may take action on the bill only after adequate notice has been given to the university community by the following means:
    1. The speaker shall, within two class days of the introduction of the bill, post a copy of the bill in a visible location outside the offices of the Student Government Association.
    2. The speaker shall, within five class days of the introduction of the bill, place a notice in The Daily Cougar announcing the introduction of the bill and other pertinent information concerning the bill and its consideration by the Senate.
    3. The speaker shall, within two class days of the introduction of the bill, provide the Faculty Senate and the Staff Council with copies of the bill. The Faculty Senate and Staff Council, or their designated committees, shall have a period of no less than 20 class days from the time of the bill’s introduction to provide the Student Senate with its recommendations regarding the bill.
  2. If approved by the Student Government Association, the bill shall be sent to the President for approval via the Dean of Students and the Vice President for Student Affairs, with copies sent to the Chairs of the Faculty Senate and Faculty Senate Campus Life Committee.

ALLEGED VIOLATIONS OF BOTH PUBLIC LAW AND STUDENT LIFE POLICY: UNIVERSITY ACTION TO BE TAKEN

In all cases involving public law, statutes, ordinances, student life policies, or university regulations, university action may be taken.

Enforcement of University Policy Jurisdiction

All alleged violations of Student Life Policies contained herein, unless otherwise specified in this section, shall be under the jurisdiction of the Dean of Students Office and the University Hearing Board.

The UH Police Department shall coordinate the investigation of criminal incidents, as necessary, for processing through the criminal court system. However, the University reserves the right to investigate and prosecute any alleged violations of the Student Life Policies and when appropriate enforce sanctions.

Violations of the Organizations Policy shall be under the jurisdiction of the University Hearing Board.

University of Houston traffic citations will be evaluated and resolved by Parking and Transportation. Students may appeal parking and traffic citations to the Student Traffic Court.

Violations occurring within the residence halls may be resolved by the appropriate residence halls staff and/or referred to the Dean of Students Office.