TAMIU Student Handbook 2022-2023

Page 28 of 92 12. “ Faculty member ” means any person hired by the University to conduct classroom, teaching, or research activities or who is otherwise considered by the University to be a member of its faculty. (Refer to the Faculty Handbook ) 13. “ Honor Council ” means the hearing body responsible for administering academic violation cases involving students . 14. “ Incapacitation ” means the physical and/or mental inability to make informed, rational judgments. States of incapacitation include, but are not limited to, sleep, unconsciousness, and brownouts and blackouts (where an individual is awake but is not forming memories). Where alcohol or other drugs are involved, incapacitation is defined with respect to how the substance consumed impacts a person’s decision- making capacity, awareness of consequences, and ability to make fully informed judgments. 15. “ Investigation ” means the process to obtain and review facts relevant to one or more conduct charges. Investigations may result in charge(s) , a form of alternative dispute resolution, or dismissal of complaint. 16. “Investigative authority” means one or more trained individuals appointed to conduct a formal investigation to discover and examine the facts of an allegation and conclude if, based on the preponderance of the evidence, the allegation is substantiated, unsubstantiated, or if there is insufficient information. In grievances involving allegation of sex-based behaviors, the investigative authority will be limited to only reporting the evidence collected during the investigation, as well as issuing appropriate determination surrounding credibility of witnesses and evidence. 17. “ Institution ” or “ University ” means TAMIU. 18. “ Member of the University community ” includes any person who is a student, faculty member, staff, University official or any other person employed by the University . 19. “Mitigating factors” means facts or circumstances that may be relevant to the adjudication or sanctioning of a student conduct case. These factors do not constitute a justification or excuse for the offense in questions. 20. “ Not in good disciplinary standing ” means a student who is subject to the following restrictions: ineligibility to hold an office in any student organization recognized by the University or to hold any elected or appointed position within the University; Ineligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletic activity; ineligibility to represent the University in any capacity, including representing the University at any official function; and, ineligibility to receive a University-administered scholarship or fellowship when the sanction is in place for longer than one semester. 21. “ Organization ” means any number of people who meet one or more of the following criteria: a. Belong to a group whose members are primarily TAMIU students including but not limited to academic, athletic, recreational, religious, performance, political, and social or similar groups, and/or,