Student Code of Conduct Policy

In the application of the provisions of this policy, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to them below, unless the context requires otherwise.

• University
  Qatar University.
• Board
  Qatar University Board of Regents.
• President
  The President of Qatar University.
• Responsible Vice President
  Qatar University Vice President for Student Affairs.
• Responsible Dean
  The Dean of one of the colleges at Qatar University, where the violation occurred.
• Student
  Any student, without discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, or otherwise, whether registered or regular at Qatar University, including visiting students or those registered from another university as required by circumstances.
• Responsible Authority
  The President, Vice President, Responsible Dean, or course instructor, as required by circumstances.
• Relevant Entity
  Any department, section, unit, office, or individual at the University.
• The Disciplinary Committee
  The Student Disciplinary Committee at Qatar University.
• Appeal Committee
  The committee for examining appeals submitted by students against a decision issued against them to impose a disciplinary action.
• Assignments
  Academic assignments, regardless of their title or description, and quizzes that are not classified midterm or final exams according to the approved course syllabus.
• Exams
  Midterm and final exams.
• Exam or Assignment Personnel
  Staff working in exam or assignment committees, supervisors, staff in exam or assignment centers, those responsible for proctoring and observation inside or outside exam or assignment halls, exam or assignment question authors and model answer keys, and those involved in printing exams or assignments and recording and grading marks.
• University Campus
  Lands, facilities, educational buildings, halls, laboratories, libraries, gardens, playgrounds, student housing, buses, transport vehicles, communication networks, accounts, or other services occupied or owned by the University, and university activities regardless of their location, and other matters subject to the University's authority.
• Laws, Bylaws, Policies, Regulations, Procedures, Decisions, and University Instructions
  Laws in the State of Qatar and the bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions issued by the University or those related to public order or public morals.
• Cheating
  Obtaining, giving, or leaking information related to questions, answers, or the content of an exam or assignment by an illegal means, including hacking electronic exam or assignment systems, falsifying exam or assignment results, or a student's possession and use of any means of information technology or other unauthorized means in exam or assignment halls and centers.
• Violation
  Any acts or statements, academic or non-academic, that violate university laws, bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, or instructions, as well as attempting or assisting in the commission of any violation.
• Organized Violation
  A violation committed by two or more students or committed by one or more students with the assistance of others, all with the aim of violating the provisions of this policy by any means.
• Disciplinary sanctions
  The disciplinary sanctions provided in this policy.
• Extra-curricular Student Programs
  Any non-academic activity or program, whether inside or outside the campus, not linked to a course within the study plan, and provided by the University.
• Staff member supervising the extracurricular program
  An employee from one of the departments of the Student Life Directorate or its equivalent in other colleges and departments.
• Academic Year
  Includes the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer semesters.
• Prescribed Period
  The period specified in the regulations and procedures implementing this policy.

Article (1)

An academic violation refers to any act or statement that violates university laws, bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions, as well as attempting or assisting in the commission of any violation, including but not limited to:

1. Resubmitting an assignment prepared for one course in another course.

2. Attempting to cheat in assignments.

3. Cheating in assignments or assisting or participating in it.

4. A student assigned research or assignments submitting work completed by other students or other persons or using Artificial Intelligence without adhering to the ethical guidelines governing its use.

5. Intentionally disrupting the educational process or its order.

6. Failure to observe academic integrity in assignments.

7. Using or attempting to use a mobile phone or any other means that may be used for cheating during assignments without prior authorization.

8. Attempting to cheat during exams.

9. Cheating during exams or assisting or participating in it.

10. Breaching the regulatory rules of exams.

11. A student or any other person (impersonator) attending or performing assignments or exams on behalf of the concerned student. Both the impersonator and the concerned student shall be penalized.

12. Violating the intellectual property rights of others, whether through copying, photographing, or undocumented citation from the Internet or printed sources.

13. Forging any documents, information, or figures submitted to the University.

14. Using or attempting to use a mobile phone or any device that may be used as a means of cheating during exams without prior authorization.

Article (2)

A non-academic violation refers to any act or statement that violates university laws, bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions, as well as attempting or assisting in the commission of any violation, including but not limited to:

1. Organizing an event at the University without obtaining prior approval according to the University bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

2. Collecting donations on campus or from university members without obtaining prior written approval according to the University bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

3. Disrupting public order on campus.

4. Using or exploiting the University logo, buildings, or resources, or exploiting student benefits for an unauthorized purpose without prior approval according to university bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

5. Issuing bulletins, newspapers, magazines, or posters or distributing them on campus without obtaining prior written approval from the entities concerned at the University according to the University bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

6. Bringing, carrying, or manufacturing any weapons, sharp tools, or explosive or flammable materials on campus.

7. Possession, consumption, distribution, or bringing intoxicants or narcotics to the campus.

8. Theft, destruction, defacement, or burning of any University property or causing harm to its members or visitors.

9. Failure to observe traffic rules on campus.

10. Failure to comply with the instructions of University security personnel while performing their duties or refusing to provide identification upon request.

11. Enabling others to use University documents and IDs for illegal purposes.

12. Presence of male students without justification in areas designated for female students, or the presence of female students without justification in areas designated for male students.

13. Any abuse, insult, physical, verbal, or psychological harm committed by a student against any university members, visitors, or others present on campus.

14. Smoking in unauthorized areas on campus.

15. Failure to adhere to policies, laws, procedures, decisions, and instructions related to student clubs, organizations, trips, activities, events, and Extra-curricular programs organized inside or outside the campus.

16. Obstructing the progress of events or Extra-curricular programs organized or co-organized by the University, whether inside or outside the University, or organized inside the University by external entities.

17. Participating in any activity that is inconsistent with the University laws, bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

18. Establishing organizations, clubs, or associations that conduct activities on campus or joining such entities without obtaining prior written approval according to the University bylaws, policies, decisions, regulations, procedures, and instructions.

19. Falsifying/forging or using any documents, information, or figures submitted to the University.

20. Violating university procedures and instructions related to student housing.

21. Wearing inappropriate attire that does not conform to university traditions and customs.

22. Giving or stating any incorrect data or information to any media entity on any media platform regarding any university matter.

23. Defaming the University or any of its members on social media or by any other means.

24. Posting photos, videos, or audio recordings of any university members on social media and other electronic means without taking their consent.

25. Damaging the reputation of the University inside or outside the campus.

26. Any conduct inconsistent with honor, dignity, or ethical standards or breaches good conduct inside or outside the University.

27. Every behavior that includes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or otherwise, or bullying in any form, or harassment in any form on campus.

28. Misuse of the University's Internet or electronic devices, such as hacking systems, using networks for illegal or unauthorized purposes, using malicious software (e.g., viruses) within university systems, or tampering with any electronic systems of the University.

29. Any student holding any powers within the University may be considered a violator if he/she misuses those powers to achieve personal gains or to cause harm to others.

30. Threat or blackmail, whether direct or using other means, such as the Internet or electronic messages.

31. Illegal gathering of students on campus or without obtaining prior permission from the University with the aim of damaging order or disrupting university activities.

Article (3)

Disciplinary Sanctions for Academic Violations

The Discipline Committee shall select the appropriate penalty for academic violation from among the following disciplinary sanctions:

1. Warning the student not to repeat the violation.

2. The student shall be required to resubmit the assignment in which the violation occurred or complete an alternative assignment.

3. Requiring the student to write an essay discussing the negative impact of the violation on the university experience.

4. Cancelling the result of the assignments regarding which the violation occurred.

5. Verbal warning.

6. Written warning.

7. Cancelling the student's registration in the course in which the violation occurred.

8. Cancelling the student's registration in the course in which the violation occurred and barring them from registering for the same course for one semester.

9. Cancelling the student's registration in the semester in which the violation occurred.

10. Assigning a failing grade in the course in which the violation occurred.

11. Assigning a failing grade in the course in which the violation occurred and barring him/her from registering for the same course for one semester.

12. Assigning a failing grade in the semester in which the violation occurred.

13. Delaying the awarding of the academic degree for a period not exceeding one academic year.

14. Suspension from the University for one semester.

15. Suspension from the University for more than one semester and not exceeding two academic years.

16. Permanent dismissal from the University.

Article (4)

A graduate student shall be permanently dismissed from the University if he/she commits cheating or attempts to cheat.

Article (5)

Disciplinary Sanctions for Non-Academic Violations

The Discipline Committee shall select the appropriate penalty for the non-academic violation from among the following disciplinary sanctions:

1. Requiring the student to write an essay discussing the negative impact of the violation on the university experience.

2. Assigning the student to activities related to community service relevant to the University's goals.

3. Cancelling or withdrawing the student's Extra-curricular record.

4. Verbal warning.

5. Written warning.

6. Temporary or final deprivation of a scholarship.

7. Temporary or final deprivation of joining the student employment program.

8. Temporary or final deprivation of utilizing student housing.

9. Temporary or final deprivation of membership or participation in any non-academic student activities, including student organizations, leadership, and volunteer initiatives.

10. Temporary or final deprivation of benefiting from any available student services.

11. Delaying the awarding of the academic degree for a period not exceeding one academic year.

12. Dismissal from the University for a period not exceeding one semester.

13. Dismissal from the University for at least one semester but not exceeding two academic years.

14. Final dismissal from the University.

Article (6)

A faculty member or the Extra-curricular program supervisor may exclude any student who disrupts order during a lecture or during the organization of the program.

Article (7)

The course instructor shall have the authority to impose any of the disciplinary sanctions stipulated in Article (3), items (1) through (4), for academic violations listed in Article (1), items (1) through (7), of this policy.

Article (8)

The provisions contained in Article (41) of this policy shall not apply to the disciplinary sanctions imposed by the course instructor after their approval by the College Dean.

Article (9)

The University may not count courses studied by the student at any other university during the period of their dismissal.

Article (10)

In the event a student commits the violations stipulated in Articles (1) to (7) as specified in Article (1) of this policy more than once in one or more courses, the dean of the college must refer the violation documents to the Responsible Vice President to take what they deem appropriate.

Article (11)

The Discipline Committee shall consist of:

1. Five faculty members, including a legal member and a representative from Student Affairs. The President, upon the recommendation of the Responsible Vice President, may replace any member of the Discipline Committee with a reserve member in either of the two cases specified in Article (23).

2. The Discipline Committee shall have a secretary to record its minutes, without having the right to vote.

3. A decision shall be issued by the President to name the members of the Discipline Committee based on the proposal of the Responsible Vice President.

4. The meeting of the Discipline Committee shall not be valid unless at least three members are present, including the legal member.

Article (12)

The term of membership of the Discipline Committee shall be one year subject to renewal for a similar period or periods The Committee shall continue to exercise its duties and powers until the President issues a decision to reforming it.

Article (13)

With the exception of the violations set forth in Article (1), items (1) through (7), the authority to consider academic and non-academic violations and to recommend the imposition of any of the disciplinary sanctions provided in Articles (3), (4), and (5) of this policy shall rest with the

Discipline Committee.

Article (14)

The Responsible Vice President has the authority to close the investigation or refer the student accused of the violation to the Discipline Committee within the prescribed period from the date the incident was referred, for the violations stipulated in Articles (8) to (14) of Article (1), and in examinations and non-academic violations, while observing Article (9) of this policy.

Article (15)

The University President may cancel the awarding of a degree or revoke it based on a recommendation from the Responsible Vice President.

Article (16)

The Discipline Committee shall commence its review of the incident's details within the prescribed period or recommend the dismissal of the complaint, in accordance with this policy and its related regulations and procedures.

Article (17)

In the event a violation occurs during final examinations in any semester, the Discipline Committee must impose the disciplinary sanctions before the beginning of the following semester, and before the last day of the add/drop period, whenever possible.

The Responsible Vice President has the right to extend the time periods mentioned in this article for a similar period or periods, even after the end of the add/drop period, if necessary.

Article (18)

The investigation sessions of the Discipline Committee shall be confidential. A breach of this may subject the committee members to accountability.

Article (19)

The student accused of the violation must attend the investigation and disciplinary hearing sessions to which they are summoned by the appropriate means.

Article (20)

The Discipline Committee may question the student and impose the appropriate penalty in their absence if they fail to attend the hearing sessions twice without an acceptable excuse. The student shall be notified of this in writing via their university email.

Article (21)

The Discipline Committee shall interrogate the student and review all documents it deems in the interest of the investigation to review, even if they are confidential.

Article (22)

The Discipline Committee shall issue its decisions by a majority vote. In the event of a tie, the side with which the Committee chairperson voted shall prevail.

Article (23)

In the event of an impediment preventing the chairperson of the Appeals Committee or any of its members from attending the meeting, or in the event of a conflict of interest between any of them and the student, the Committee shall notify the Responsible Vice President within the prescribed period. The reserve member shall replace one of the members, and the committee shall be chaired by the person recommended by the Vice President, all in accordance with the regulations stipulated in Article (11).

Article (24)

The recommendations of the Discipline Committee must be reasoned and signed by the chairperson and the members and shall be sent to the Responsible Vice President to take the necessary action.

Article (25)

Upon the direction of the Responsible Vice President, the Director of University Security, or their delegate from the security staff, shall investigate the non-academic violations stipulated in Article (2) of this policy, gather information regarding them, establish the facts, and present evidence related to the committed violation.

Article (26)

Prior to commencing the investigation, the student shall be notified in writing of the decision to refer them for investigation through a summons containing the following information:

1. The student’s full name (three or four parts).

2. Enrollment ID number or personal identification number.

3. The name of the college in which the student is enrolled.

4. The subject matter of the alleged violation.

5. The authority that decided to refer the student for investigation and the date of such decision.

6. The time and place of the investigation.

The summons shall be served to the student accused of the violation via their university email address or the mobile phone number registered with the University, within a prescribed period prior to the investigation. The student shall be responsible for updating or changing their registered mobile phone number with the University.

Article (27)

The investigation period begins on the date the student is referred to the Discipline Committee and ends with the preparation of a final report on the investigation's findings, which includes the recommendations of the Discipline Committee. The investigation period may not exceed the prescribed duration, but it may be extended for an additional period with the approval of the Responsible Vice President.

Article (28)

The Discipline Committee may take the necessary measures to ensure the integrity of the investigation, including, in particular, the following:

1. Reviewing records and documents, recording this in the minutes, initialing/marking each reviewed page, and recording the date of review.

2. Requesting copies of any documents which the investigation does not require seizing the originals or the public interest does not ask to attach them.

Article (29)

The investigation must be in writing and recorded in sequentially numbered minutes. The minutes shall state the date and time of opening the session, the location of the meeting, the name of the investigator, the referral decision and the authority that issued it, the name, age, place of residence, and enrolled college of the student under investigation, a summary of the incident under investigation, the statements of prosecution and defense witnesses, the documents reviewed, the time and date of closing the minutes. Each page of the minutes must be signed at the bottom by the investigator and by the person/s who gave their statement on that page.

Article (30)

Any person summoned to provide testimony in the investigation who fails to appear or refuses to provide the information in their possession without an acceptable excuse shall be subject to disciplinary action. No witness may be a relative of the accused student up to the fourth degree. A witness shall not be required to take an oath.

Article (31)

No disciplinary action shall be imposed on a student except after a written investigation, hearing their statements, and investigating their defense. If the student refuses to attend at the specified time without an acceptable excuse, their right to have their statements heard shall be forfeited, and the investigation shall proceed.

Article (32)

No more than one disciplinary action may be imposed for a single violation. The imposed disciplinary action must be proportional to the severity of the violation, taking into account prior records and any mitigating or aggravating circumstances, within the limits of the disciplinary sanctions prescribed in this policy.

Article (33)

Any decision issued to impose a disciplinary action on a student shall be reasoned.

Article (34)

The Responsible Vice President shall notify the relevant authorities to implement the disciplinary action imposed on the student, and the student shall be notified in writing of the disciplinary action decision within the prescribed period from its date of issuance.

Article (35)

The investigation and disciplinary action documents shall be kept in the student's file. A special record of disciplinary sanctions shall be created and placed in the same file, in which the violations and disciplinary sanctions imposed on the student, and the dates and numbers of the decisions issued are recorded. If the investigation revealed the participation of more than one student in the violation, it is sufficient to keep the investigation documents in the file of the first violator, and a true copy shall be kept in the files of the remaining students.

Article (36)

All entities within the University are obligated to maintain the confidentiality of the investigations and accountability procedures.

Article (37)

For violations referred to the Discipline Committee at the end of the semester, for which there is not enough time to be decided upon before the start of the academic holiday, the student may be summoned to appear before the Discipline Committee at the beginning of the semester for the academic staff.

Article (38)

1. The student may appeal a disciplinary action imposed by the course instructor under this policy to the Responsible dean of the college within the prescribed period from the date of notification.

2. The appeal shall be decided upon within the prescribed period, and the dean's decision on the appeal shall be final. The lapse of this period without a decision shall be considered an implicit rejection.

3. In the absence of an appeal, the Dean of the college shall approve the disciplinary action.

Article (39)

The Appeals Committee shall be formed of:

1. Three faculty members, including a legal member. The President, upon the recommendation of the Responsible Vice President, may replace any member of the Committee in either of the two cases specified in Article (23).

2. The Appeals Committee shall have a secretary to record its minutes, without having the right to vote.

3. The President shall issue a decision defining the duties and powers of the Appeals Committee.

4. The term of membership of the Appeals Committee shall be one year, renewable for a similar period or periods. The Committee shall continue to exercise its competencies until a decision is issued by the President to reforming it.

Article (40)

Articles (12), (18), (22), (23), and (24) of this policy shall apply to the formation and recommendations of the Appeals Committee.

Article (41)

1. The student may appeal the decision imposing a disciplinary action to the Appeals Committee within the prescribed period from the date of notification. The Committee's recommendations shall not be final until the appeal deadline has passed, and they have been approved by the Responsible Vice President.

2. If the student appeals the disciplinary action decision, the Appeals Committee shall decide on the appeal within the prescribed period from its submission date during the Fall and Spring semesters. Its decisions shall not be considered final until approved by the Responsible Vice President.

3. In all cases, the Responsible Vice President, when considering the recommendation to impose a disciplinary action, may cancel or reduce it.

4. The President, upon the recommendation of the Responsible Vice President, may reconsider the disciplinary action of dismissal from the University mentioned in items (15, 16) of Article (3), Article (4), and in items (13, 14) of Article (5).

Article (42)

Any student who violates the provisions of this policy or other instructions issued by the University shall be subject to a disciplinary action, without prejudice to their civil or criminal liability, if applicable.

Article (43)

The President may, in cases requiring the handling of certain violations with the utmost privacy or confidentiality or in exceptional circumstances, form exceptional or emergency committees to look into these urgent violations.

Article (44)

If cheating is discovered after the test has been taken, or after the final grade has been approved, the perpetrator shall not be exempt from disciplinary accountability in accordance with the provisions of this policy.

Article (45)

A student referred for investigation under this policy may not withdraw from the University, complete their clearance, or withdraw from the course in which they cheated before the investigation is concluded. Upon referring a student for investigation, the Discipline Committee must also notify Student Affairs to halt their graduation or clearance procedures until a final decision is made regarding the alleged violation.

Article (46)

In all cases, the student shall bear the cost of what they have damaged, in addition to the cost of repair or installation, and any resulting consequences.

Article (47)

Disciplinary sanctions may be reduced or increased in proportion to the severity of the violation. Disciplinary sanctions may be reduced due to circumstances related to the student, the violation itself, or any other mitigating circumstances. Disciplinary sanctions may be increased in cases of the student's repeated violation of this policy, a violation coupled with disruption of the university system, examinations, or studies, or coupled with an assault in any form on a faculty member, employee, or examination proctor, or the student's commission of an organized violation, or any other aggravating circumstances.

Article (48)

With the approval of the Responsible Vice President, the college or the complaining party, and the student's guardian may be notified of the violation and the determined disciplinary action.

Article (49)

The right to disciplinary action shall lapse one year after the date the student commits the violation. This period is interrupted by investigation procedures or the referral of the student for disciplinary action. The period is calculated anew from the date of the last action taken. If multiple individuals are referred for disciplinary action, the interruption of the period for one of them results in its interruption for the others. However, if the act constitutes a crime, the right to disciplinary action shall not lapse until the criminal case lapses. Disciplinary procedures are terminated upon the student's death.

Article (50)

The student is not entitled to drop the course that is the subject of the complaint or withdraw from the semester before a final decision is issued by the Responsible authority. In the event the course is dropped or the student withdraws, the University has the right to re-enroll the student in the same course and implement the disciplinary action issued against them.

Article (51)

The records of violations, investigations, and disciplinary sanctions shall be kept in confidential records in the office of the Responsible Vice President throughout the student's period of study, and for a period of six years after their graduation or discontinuation of studies.

Article (52)

The procedures and provisions of this policy, in addition to the special provisions for student housing, shall apply to students residing in student housing.

Article (53)

If the student accused of a violation is in their final year at the University, their graduation certificate shall not be issued until the alleged violation has been decided upon.

Article (54)

If the violation attributed to the student constitutes a criminal offense, the matter must be presented to the President. The President may inform the Public Prosecution, and doing so shall not prejudice the University's right to impose a disciplinary penalty for what has been proven against the student, unless the establishment of disciplinary responsibility depends on the resolution of the criminal case.

Article (55)

The implementation of this policy's procedures may be in paper form, electronic form, or both.

Article (56)

This policy shall be effective from the date of its entry into force, and all previous regulations and policies that conflict with it are hereby repealed. The authority that approved this policy has the right to interpret and amend this policy when necessary.

Academic and Non-Academic Violation Incident Report Form

Academic Violation Form - Course Instructor

Academic Violation Form - Disciplinary Committee

Non-Academic Violation Form