Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities

Off-campus Student Conduct

In 2006, there were several important changes to the California Code of Regulations, Article 2, Section 41301, commonly called the Student Conduct Code. It is important that everyone who works with students be aware of these changes, as violations of the Student Conduct Code can affect a student’s status at San Diego State University.

The Student Conduct Code previously applied to student actions and behavior on university property or at university activities on campus and off campus. It now includes individual student behavior anywhere off campus at the registered events of recognized student organizations. Further, the Student Conduct Code now applies to all students when violations take place within a designated off-campus area bordered to the north by Interstate 8, west at 55th Street, south at College Place/Greek Circle, and east at East Campus Place. In addition, the scope of conduct that violates the code has expanded to include more types of risky behavior.

The goal of these changes is to reduce behavior that threatens the health or safety of our students, disrupts the educational process and/or negatively affects the university’s relationship with the community. It also aims to help develop citizenship as part of the university’s commitment to the education of the whole person, per the SDSU Mission Statement.

Students are expected to adhere to the Student Conduct Code. They are expected to be good citizens and to engage in responsible behaviors that reflect well upon their university, to be civil to one another and to others in the campus and surrounding communities, and to contribute positively to student and university life. This includes upholding all published university policies, rules, regulations, or presidential orders.

Student behavior that is not consistent with the Student Conduct Code is addressed through an educational process designed to promote safety and good citizenship and, when necessary, impose appropriate consequences. Sanctions can be imposed on applicants, enrolled students, students between academic terms, graduates awaiting degrees, and students who withdraw from school while a disciplinary matter is pending.

Below are several areas of unacceptable off-campus risk behaviors that violate the Student Conduct Code and will receive priority attention from the university. They include, but are not limited to:

• Any act chargeable as a violation of a federal, state, or local law that poses a substantial threat to the safety or well-being of members of the university (or off-campus community), to property within the university (or off-campus community), or poses a significant threat of disruption or interference with university operations.
• Illegal use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of alcoholic beverages, or public intoxication.
• Use, possession, manufacture, or distribution of illegal drugs or drug-related paraphernalia, or the misuse of legal pharmaceutical drugs.
• Participating in an activity that substantially and materially disrupts the normal operations of the university, or infringes on the rights of members of the university or off-campus community.
• Conduct that threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person within or related to the university community, including physical abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment, or sexual misconduct.
• Hazing, or conspiracy to haze, as defined in Education Code Sections 32050 and 32051.