public speaker

Read the "Why Tell the Truth?" article by Joseph Stowell and the "Academic Code of Honor" section of the Liberty University Honor Code. Then provide a thoughtful, clearly explained answer to all three of the following questions:
1. Give an example of how a public speaker might commit each of the following ethical wrongs in a speech presentation: a) beguilement; b) deceit; c) lying; and d) bearing false witness. Be sure to explain why your examples qualify as beguilement, deceit, lying, or bearing false witness.
2. According to Scripture, what ultimately makes these ethical violations wrong? You may cite the article. You also may reference other relevant biblical passages, not mentioned in the article, as you craft your answer.
3. According to the Liberty University Online Honor Code, what is plagiarism? From a Biblical standpoint, why is it wrong?
4.
Why Tell The Truth?
Truth-telling has fallen on hard times. Our culture has shifted to the ethics of
expediency and self-advancement, so falsehood is not only tolerated but even
encouraged in many cases. As a result, many of us have come to feel better about
lying to others.
If it takes a small lie to complete a sale, the falsehood is justified for the good of the
company. If a slight exaggeration of one’s productivity is needed to beat out someone
else for a raise or promotion, the untruth is considered a "competitive edge." Such
thinking has actually transformed nontruth from a vice to a virtue. Unfortunately, this
undermining of the absolute value of truth has devastating consequences.
Truth has valuable allies. It is the underlying foundation for trust, confidence, integrity,
faith, security, and stability. When truth is disposed of, her allies crumble and disappear
as well.
Conversely, falsehood is allied with suspicion, doubt, withdrawal, insecurity, conflict,
resentment, and anger. Whenever nontruth replaces truth, the friends of falsehood
always appear.
Augustine said, "When regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly
weakened, all things will remain doubtful." This erosion of trust and confidence
weakens every relationship into which nontruth is injected. Homes are victimized,
governments become suspect, media information is viewed with skepticism, and
business relationships wear the shrouds of suspicion.
No relationship can survive, let alone succeed, if it is based on that which is false.
Spiritual consequences

Scripture emphasizes the serious spiritual consequences of tampering with the truth. A
moratorium on lying is included in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:16). A lying
tongue is included in the list of things God detests (Proverbs 6:17). Liars are included
with those whose lives will be judged in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). God desires
for truth to dwell within us (Psalm 51:6). But why is truth so important to God?
For one thing, truth aligns us with God. God’s intense concern for truthfulness
centers on His very nature. He is a "God of truth" (Psalm 31:5). God cannot lie (Titus
1:2). Jesus Christ is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). The Holy Spirit is the "Spirit of
truth," and His mission is to guide us into the truth (14:17; 16:13). All the ways of God
are true (Psalm 25:10). Truth is the basis of our worship (John 4:24). Therefore, a
commitment to truth aligns us with God, His nature, and His mode of operation. It is a
matter of fellowship.
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Second, we are redeemed to reflect God’s character. Our very purpose in existing
as God’s children is to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). When we
participate in falsehood, we abort the purpose of our redemption and tarnish the
reflection of His glory through us. If God is truth, then we too must portray truth to
accurately reflect God’s image in our lives.
And third, truth-telling is a matter of submission to God’s will. God’s Word
commands us to speak the truth regardless of the cost. "A righteous man hates
falsehood" (Proverbs 13:5 NASB). Paul wrote, "Do not lie to one another" (Colossians
3:9). Nowhere in Scripture does God grant exemption from these commands. They are
absolute. Our consciences cannot be clear before God and our joy cannot be full if we
get involved with falsehoods.

Many people have attempted to categorize the distortion of truth. Let’s look at four
categories we need to understand.
1. Beguilement
This is the tendency to reach a wrong conclusion and perhaps even share our false
assumptions with all who will listen. Our quickness to jump to wrong conclusions is a
subtle trap, because it victimizes us when we have no intention to be deceived or to
deceive.
You can’t always prevent others from reaching false conclusions about you, but you
can become more aware of your own assumptions about others.
I recall discovering some money missing from the church office when I was a pastor.
Immediately, a suspect’s name and face came to mind. I caught myself mentally
degrading the person, planning how I would confront him, and wondering who I should
tell so they could "pray about the situation." Then it was as though the Holy Spirit
tapped me on the shoulder and said, "What if you are wrong? Do you have all the
facts?"
It occurred to me that I had not an ounce of proof. Even our secular system of justice
proclaims a man innocent until proven guilty?which is more than I found myself willing
to do.
Beguilement is the sin of disseminating false conclusions. It is to delude or be deluded.
And though often done innocently, it is devastating. It plants seeds of mistrust, doubt,
and confusion. It can irreparably destroy reputations. We must learn to resist the
temptation to draw conclusions until sufficient information is gathered. Being careless
with details and having insufficient facts quickly lead to false accusations.
How can we fortify ourselves against this temptation to misjudge and pass along false
information? We must develop:
A patient spirit that suspends judgment until sufficient facts are verified (Galatians
5:22).
A love that believes the best until facts prove otherwise (1 Corinthians 13:6-7).
A faith that prays the situation into the courts of heaven, where an all-knowing
God promises to judge all men righteously (1 Peter 1:17).
A willingness to protect others by encouraging those who are sharing false
accusations to reserve judgment until sufficient facts are gathered (1 Corinthians
13:4).
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A boldness to go directly (if necessary) to those involved to clarify the facts
(Matthew 18:15).
The alternative is to become spiritual jackrabbits who jump to all the wrong
conclusions, leaving in our trails broken lives and relationships that we could have
protected and healed.
2. Deceit
We tend to equate facts with truth, yet it’s amazing how "facts" can be arranged to
distort the truth. The tremendous power of deceit is demonstrated in Genesis 3:1-6.
Through deceit, Satan not only gained control of Eve but also caused Adam to sin, and
imposed the curse of sin on all of God’s creation (Romans 5:12).
Satan’s ploy began with a question: "Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any
tree of the garden’?" (Genesis 3:1). At this point, Satan was dealing with factual
information. But Satan’s presentation of the facts suggested that God was restrictive
and stingy. To Eve, serving God was now perceived as enslavement. She concluded
that God was keeping her from experiencing the completeness of life.
God had actually said, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat" (2:16-17, emphasis added).
After reading God’s words, I am struck with His generosity and love. Adam and Eve
could eat from every tree in the garden except one?what a kind and generous
Creator!
Satan presented truth in a way that deceived Eve into thinking wrongly about God. He
twisted the facts to ultimately gain advantage over Eve and all the created order of
God. God’s Word calls it deceit (3:13; 2 Corinthians 11:3). It is a powerful tool in the
tactical warfare of Satan.
Deception has become a widely used technique for manipulation, self-advancement,
and self-protection. It is evident in the lives of many people:
Those who, living in known sin, carry the facade of pious behavior through the
halls of the church.
Businesspersons who carefully word the fine print to cloud the true commitment
being made on the dotted line.
Pastors who purposely use Scripture to manipulate a congregation.
Professors who selectively choose statistics to prove a point.
Deceit is a prevalent reality in our society. It is a destroyer of trust. It is a menace to
stable, growing relationships. The writer of Proverbs says, "Bread obtained by
falsehood is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel" (20:17).
Deceit is the sign of a wicked heart (12:20).
Both beguilement and deceit tamper with, twist, and distort the truth. Lying, on the other
hand, is the direct communication of nontruth.
3. Lying
Lying is the base of Satan’s strategy. In Genesis 3, not only did Satan deceive Eve
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about God’s goodness, but he also lied to her about God and His Word. He told her,
"You surely will not die!" (Genesis 3:4). That was a clear communication of nontruth.
God had said, "In the day that you eat from [the tree] you will surely die" (2:17). Lying
was a central part of Satan’s strategy.
It is not surprising that nontruth is still Satan’s main method of operation today. He has
pervaded our culture with the lie that there are no consequences to sin. His system
tells us that wealth and possessions will make us happy. He lies to us about God by
suggesting, "If God is good, why did He permit your parents to divorce? Why is there
so much suffering?"
His lies are abundant:
Be as good as you can, and you’ll go to heaven. Just be sincere.
Mankind is the result of a chance evolutionary process.
Success can be measured by wealth, cars, and houses.
Freedom is found in doing anything you want to do.
Lying is the strength of Satan’s system. Not only does he lie, but his desire is
that we will lie as well. When we lie, we imitate Satan rather than God.
Nontruth is the language of the world’s system. James warns us that friendship with the
world is hostility toward God, and that anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world
becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4).
Lying is part of the believer’s past. Lying is a product of the flesh that we should leave
behind as we mature spiritually. "Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old
self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true
knowledge according to the image of the One who created him" (Colossians 3:9-10).
Why do we lie so readily? Lying is a quick and easy way to gain advantage, protection,
and promotion of personal interests:
We lie to get people’s attention and have them think more highly of us.
We lie to get rich or to get elected.
We lie to protect our reputations.
We lie to escape punishment.
Most lies are dedicated servants of self. But there are also common "social lies" that
keep everyone smiling in spite of how they really feel.
Admittedly, it is sometimes hard to apply the truth tactfully. What do you say when
you’re expected to comment on a newborn, red, wrinkled baby in the hospital? How do
you respond when asked to admire a new dress, hat, or tie that should have been left
on the store shelves? In such cases, we often tell "little white lies." But there is never
anything "little" about lying.

This is not to say that we are to express truth brutally. God’s Word commands us to
speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). The truth must be accompanied by mercy,
gentleness, understanding, and grace. There is no virtue in glorifying God by telling the
truth while simultaneously destroying the glory of God’s grace with an insensitive spirit.
As Pascal said, "The abuse of truth ought to be as much punished as the introduction
of falsehood." We need to pray for wisdom in our speech (James 1:5). And we should
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train ourselves to search for the truth in every situation.
For instance, we can say that the red, wrinkled baby is precious (because all babies
are). And there’s bound to be something to be commended about that awful dress?
color, design, or style.
As Proverbs says, "A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely
word!" (15:23). And Paul tells us, "Let your speech always be with grace, as though
seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person"
(Colossians 4:6).
4. False Witness
Another sin against the truth is bearing false witness. Though the term false witness
can be applied to any false testimony, it specifically refers to those who bear false
testimony against another person, often for some personal gain. In a plot to acquire a
garden for King Ahab, Jezebel found two "worthless men" to lie about Naboth, the
owner of the land.
As a result, an innocent man was stoned to death, and a sulking king got his garden (1
Kings 21:1-16). At the crucifixion of Christ, the high priest brought in two "false
witnesses" to testify against the Lord (Matthew 26:60-61). The verbal sin of "bearing
false witness" is a serious offense before God. In fact, it was this term God used when
He included a prohibition against lying in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:16).
This sin is offensive because it strikes injury, often irreparable, to innocent people, their
reputations, and their families. It is a violent use of the tongue. It had the power to kill
Naboth and to crucify Christ. It’s not surprising that Proverbs 19:5 says, "A false
witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will not escape."
Living in the Truth
Beguilement, deceit, lying, and false witness are all methods of Satan to defeat God’s
glory in us and through us. It is through these patterns of falsehood that he enlists us
into the network of his "nontruth system."
Nontruth is part of every sin that Satan promotes. Whether it be lying to cover marital
unfaithfulness or the destruction of a godly reputation by beguilement, whether using
deceit to gain an unjust business advantage or bearing false witness to carry out some
selfish scheme, tampering with the truth supports, promotes, and protects the welfare
of sin. Can you think of a single sin where nontruth isn’t a natural by-product or
companion? It is the lifeblood of Satan’s system.
Oliver Wendell Holmes expressed it well: "Sin has many tools, but a lie is the handle
that fits them all."
Adapted from The Weight of Your Words, copyright ? 1998 by Joseph M. Stowell.
Used by permission of Moody Publishers. All rights reserved.
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? 2010 Life Action Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
Top Of The Page You are here: Revival Resources ? Publications ? Heartcry Journal ? Issue 47

I. PREAMBLE

Liberty University students, faculty, administrators, and staff together form a Christian community based upon the values and goals of the Bible. These are defined in our foundational statements, including our Doctrinal Statement, our Philosophy of Education and Mission Statement, the Statement of Professional Ethics for the Faculty, and our Student Code. Together, these statements situate Liberty University within the long tradition of university culture, which in its beginnings was distinctively Christian, designed to preserve and advance truth.

Anyone, whether Christian or non-Christian, who shares our values and goals, is both welcome and valued in our community. We want all students to feel comfortable in our community of learning, and we extend to all of our students our spiritual and academic resources, with the goal of fostering spiritual growth, character development, and academic maturity.

Communities are based upon shared values and practices. This Code of Honor, an expression of the values inherent in our Doctrinal Statement, defines the rules and principles by which our community functions. At the core of this Code are two key concepts: a belief in the dignity of all persons and an insistence on the existence of objective truth.

While we understand that everyone will not agree with the statements that follow, we do expect that our students respect and uphold these standards while registered at Liberty University. Abiding by the principles and behaviors established in this Code of Honor makes possible the success of our students and the strengthening of the Liberty community.

II. ACADEMIC CODE OF HONOR

A. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating and falsification.
Plagiarism is the intentional failure to give sufficient attribution to the words, ideas, or data of others that the student has incorporated into his/her work for the purpose of misleading the reader. In some cases, a student may be careless and fail to give credit to the words, ideas or data of others. In such situations, plagiarism has still occurred, but the professor may choose from an array of sanctions he/she deems appropriate. In order to avoid plagiarism, students must conscientiously provide sufficient attribution. Attribution is sufficient if it adequately informs and, therefore, does not materially mislead a reasonable reader as to the true source of the words, ideas, or data. Students who have any doubt as to whether they have provided sufficient attribution have the responsibility to obtain guidance from their professor or other person to whom they are submitting their work.
Plagiarism in papers, projects or any assignment prepared for a class shall include the following:
Cheating is a form of dishonesty in which a student attempts to give the appearance of a level of knowledge or skill that the student has not obtained, gives unauthorized aid, or wrongly takes advantage of another?s work. Examples include, but are not limited to:

Falsification is a form of dishonesty in which a student misrepresents the truth, invents facts, or distorts the origin or content of information used as authority. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. Plagiarism
o Omitting quotation marks or other conventional markings around material quoted from any printed source (including digital material)
o Directly quoting or paraphrasing a specific passage from a specific source without properly referencing the source
o Replicating another person?s work or parts thereof and then submitting it as an original
o Purchasing a paper (or parts of a paper) and representing it as one?s own work
o Multiple submissions: Multiple submission is the use of work previously submitted at this or any other institution to fulfill academic requirements in another class. For example, using a paper from a prior class for a current course assignment is academic fraud. Slightly altered work that has been resubmitted is also considered to be fraudulent. With prior permission, some professors may allow students to complete one assignment for two classes. In this case prior permission from both instructors is absolutely necessary.

2. Cheating
o Copying from another person?s work on an examination or an assignment
o Allowing another student to copy any portion of one?s work on an examination or an assignment
o Using unauthorized materials or giving or receiving any other unauthorized assistance on an examination or an assignment
o Taking an examination or completing an assignment for another, or permitting another to take an examination or to complete an assignment for the student.
o Reusing a paper from a previous course
o Paying another student to complete a course, an individual assignment or an examination

3. Falsification
o Dishonestly answering or providing information in the application process
o Citing a source that is known not to exist
o Attributing to a source ideas and information that are not included in the source
o Falsely citing a source in support of a thought or idea when it is known not to support the thought or idea
o Citing a source in a bibliography when the source was neither cited in the body of the paper nor consulted
o Intentionally distorting the meaning or applicability of data
o Inventing data or statistical results to support conclusions.

B. PROCEDURE FOR THE INVESTIGATION, ADJUDICATION, AND ASSIGNMENT OF SANCTIONS FOR THE VIOLATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CODE OF HONOR

When an alleged violation of the Academic Code of Honor has been reported to the instructor or administration, the instructor will confront the student within ten business days of the discovery of the infraction. The instructor may issue an oral or written reprimand, send written notification to the Online Department Chair, reduce a grade, adjust credit on an assignment and/or require additional work. The instructor may determine that a failing grade for the course is the appropriate sanction. In any event, the instructor will inform the student of his or her decision.

The reporting procedure is as follows:
If the professor determines that a sanction is called for, the professor will write a report of the infraction. The professor may issue an oral or written reprimand, reduce a grade, adjust credit, and/or require additional work. The professor also maintains the right to recommend a grade of F for the course if the investigation determines that it is the appropriate sanction. The Online Associate Dean will review the report and determine the appropriate sanction. If the F grade is given, the student will be notified by the Online Associate Dean. In this instance, the Registrar will record the F as failed for dishonesty, which will appear on the student?s transcript. The repeat policy may not be applied to this grade.

If the student is found guilty of academic dishonesty (either non-blatant or blatant) in any subsequent course where a grade of F is posted, he or she will be dismissed from Liberty University.
In determining the sanction to be imposed, the following will be considered: the student?s intent to violate the Code of Honor, the degree of carelessness, the gravity of the offense and the student?s overall conduct while enrolled at Liberty University. The Office of Student Affairs and the Registrar?s Office may be consulted during this process.

In cases where the Dean perceives a clear conflict of interest or faulty judgment on the part of the Online Associate Dean, or where the sanctions suggested by the Online Associate Dean are demonstrably inconsistent with those that resulted from other similar instances of academic misconduct, the Dean reserves the right to adjust the sanction(s) as appropriate.
A written copy of the decision shall be mailed or e-mailed to the student.

Please Note: All cases of alleged academic dishonesty will be resolved with the utmost concern for strict confidentiality by those individuals involved in the proceedings. Information concerning the academic misconduct will be provided only to those with a need to know in order to perform their job duties

In cases where an allegation of any Academic Code of Honor violation occurs and the student does not admit guilt, he/she may pursue the process below. The student will be given an opportunity to provide written evidence in opposition to the charge. Persons who threaten or conduct other acts of retaliation against those individuals who acted in good faith (i.e., honestly and with intentions of being fair) in reporting (even if mistakenly) alleged instances of academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary action, including possible suspension or expulsion from Liberty. Any report of alleged academic dishonesty not made in good faith will also be subject to disciplinary action.

Examples of retaliation include, but are not limited to:

o Circumventing the appeal procedure and going directly to a university administrator such as the
Dean, the Provost or the Chancellor
o Threatening a faculty member or student
o Harassment

o Verbal or physical abuse
o Verbal or written disrespect to a faculty or staff member (this includes e-mails)
o Offensive or crude language directed at individuals
o Falsely accusing someone of committing academic dishonesty

A complete overview of the appeal process follows:

1. Processing Allegations
o The instructor will write a report outlining the violation.
o The report will be provided to the student and the Online Department Chair along with the sanction(s) recommended.
o The Online Department Chair will forward report to the Online Associate Dean. The Online Associate Dean will review, make decision on appropriate sanction and notify the student.
o If blatant academic dishonesty is demonstrated in a clear and convincing manner, the student may receive a grade of F for the course in which the academic misconduct occurred.
o Students who receive a grade of F for academic dishonesty on a particular assignment will be notified by the professor of the course in an appropriate manner, including but not limited to returning the assignment with comments, email, letter and/or a personal telephone call.
o If non-blatant academic misconduct (such as inadvertent plagiarism) occurs in a course, the professor will contact the student and conduct such further investigation as needed. If the professor determines that a sanction is called for, the professor will write a report of the infraction. The professor may issue an oral reprimand, send written notification to the Online Department Chair of the School in which the professor teaches the specific course, reduce a grade, adjust credit and/or require additional work.
o When a student receives a course grade of F for academic dishonesty, the Online Associate Dean will report the reason for the F to Student Affairs and the Registrar. They will request that it be recorded as an F grade for academic dishonesty. This F grade will appear on the student?s transcript.
o The student, upon receipt of the results of the academic honesty review by the Online Associate Dean, will have five business days to appeal the decision to the Dean through the Online Associate Dean.
o If warranted, the results of academic honesty review may be forwarded to the Office of Student Affairs for any additional disciplinary action that may be appropriate.

2. Appeal Procedure
o Within five business days of the notification, the student may submit a written appeal to the Online Associate Dean, but should do so through the professor. The Online Department Chair and Online Associate Dean will consult with the instructor and review the student’s written appeal. The Online Associate Dean will then notify the instructor, the Registrar and the student of his/her decision.
o After receiving the decision by the Online Associate Dean, the student may submit a written appeal to the Dean, through the Online Associate Dean. This written appeal must be received by the Online Associate Dean within five business days of the Online Associate Dean?s notification. The Dean will review the student’s appeal, as well as any information provided by the faculty member. When a decision has been reached, the Dean will notify the Online Department Chair, student affairs, the faculty member, the Registrar and the student.
o In determining whether any violation has occurred, the Online Associate Dean and Dean will apply a "clear and convincing" evidence standard. In some cases, a Student Affairs official or another University representative may join in the deliberations as a non-voting member for the purpose of providing any background information that may be pertinent to the appeal.
o Should no violation be found, a report indicating such will be forwarded to the faculty member. A report of all findings (either in favor of or against the student) will be sent to the Student Affairs? and Registrar?s office. The findings will be kept in the student?s official record.
o The professor reserves the right to impose a lesser sanction and send a report to the student’s file. These situations may require a failed assignment or reduced grade, but not a failure in the course.

III. PERSONAL CODE OF HONOR

A. CONDUCT THAT UNDERMINES THE SAFETY, MISSION, OR REPUTATION OF LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Acts that may undermine the safety, mission, or reputation of Liberty University are violations of the Personal Code of Honor. Examples of such acts include, but are not limited to:

? Flagrant violations of institutional policies and standards of dress when visiting campus (see Appendix A for dress code)
? Causing public embarrassment to the University, or their representatives or employees.

Respect for the dignity of each individual as a person created in God?s image is fundamental to the institutional culture desired at Liberty University. Misconduct that is contrary to the teachings of the Christian faith (thus constituting a violation of Liberty University?s Personal Code of Honor) includes, but is not limited to:

Any attempt to provide or support residential students with the opportunity to break the Residential Code of Honor (the Liberty Way).

Non-marital sexual relations and the encouragement or advocacy of any form of sexual behavior that would undermine the Christian identity or faith mission of the University are morally inappropriate sexual misconduct and constitute violations of this Personal Code of Honor.

Liberty University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that promotes reverence for the Word of God, a commitment to the highest ideals of academic excellence, health, and responsible social behavior. This includes recognizing the rights of others and respecting the Christian ideals of Liberty University.

1. Sexual, Physical, Written or Verbal Misconduct
o Sexually-oriented joking or comments
o Harassment of an individual based on race or gender
o Unwelcome touching or any touching of a sexual nature
o Verbal or physical abuse
o Verbal or written disrespect to a faculty or staff member (this includes e-mails)
o Offensive or crude language directed at individuals
o Display of objects or pictures that depict nudity or are otherwise sexual in nature
o Persistent, unwanted attempts to change a casual or friendly relationship into a romantic or more intimate one

2. Sexual Harassment
Liberty University is committed to providing students and employees with an environment free of harassment in any form. Any act of harassment (i.e., physical, psychological, verbal or sexual) that threatens a person or persons is considered a serious offense and will not be tolerated or condoned. Any person or group who commits acts of harassment based upon race, ethnicity, gender or disability on or off campus will be subject to disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal from the University. Behavior that constitutes sexual harassment, which is a form of sexual discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, includes but is not limited to unwanted sexual attention, requests for sexual favors and/or other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature which negatively affects another person.

Reporting Procedure
Any student who believes that he/she has been the subject of harassment in any form should report the incident immediately to the Online Student Affairs Office. The student will be given the opportunity to express his/her concerns and will then be appraised of the recourse available to him/her under school policy and local and state statutes.

Penalty
Any student of Liberty University, who engages in the aforementioned behavior(s), is subject to disciplinary action, which may result in community service or possible dismissal. Since the University takes such charges seriously, where the results of an investigation reveal a complaint of harassment/sexual harassment to be frivolous or groundless, the individual having made such a complaint may be subject to the same disciplinary action.

3. Pornography
Involvement with pornographic, obscene, indecent, or other similarly offensive materials, expressions, or conduct is inconsistent with the Personal Code of Honor and the Christian faith. Use of the University’s computing network to obtain or distribute such materials constitutes a violation of the Personal Code of Honor.

4. Alcohol and Drug Use
Liberty University is dedicated to providing a learning environment that promotes reverence for the Word of God, a commitment to the highest ideals of academic excellence, health, and responsible social behavior. This includes recognizing the rights of others and respecting the Christian ideals of Liberty University. The following are strictly prohibited: any illegal use or abuse of a controlled substance, any use of alcohol or tobacco by any LU Online student on the property of Thomas Road Baptist Church or Liberty University, or any use of alcohol or tobacco as any part of a Thomas Road Baptist Church or Liberty University related or sponsored program off campus (this includes school sponsored courses or missions trips in the United States or overseas).

All LU Online students, whether on or off-campus, are expected to conduct themselves at all times in a manner supportive of the Christian character and reputation of Liberty University. Keeping in mind that the public will judge Liberty University and its Christian ideals by the actions of its students, Liberty University will not tolerate conduct by any student, whether on or off-campus, which is deemed by the administration to reflect negatively on the public image of the University.

B. PROCEDURES FOR THE INVESTIGATION ADJUDICATION AND SANCTIONING OF VIOLATIONS OF THE PERSONAL CODE OF HONOR

1. Processing Allegations
When an alleged violation of the Personal Code of Honor has come to the attention of the faculty, staff, or administration, that allegation shall be passed on to Student Affairs, who shall determine (with assistance from the appropriate Online Associate Dean or Online Dean) whether formal discipline is warranted and, if so, the nature of the appropriate sanction(s).
Pastoral or Professional counseling may be recommended in some instances. Any cost associated with such counseling shall be borne by the student. If counseling is deemed to have been sufficient to address the student’s misconduct, Liberty University reserves the right to remove the record from the student?s permanent file. If counseling was deemed to have been ineffective, then Liberty University reserves the right to retain permanent records and dismiss the student from the University.

2. Conduct Review
Where evidence exists that a violation of the Personal Code of Honor may have occurred, Student Affairs shall refer the matter to the appropriate Online Associate Dean or Online Dean. They along with Student Affairs shall deliberate and determine the appropriate penalty.
Should no violation be found, the Director?s report indicating such shall be forwarded to the appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean. Where a violation is found, Student Affairs may notify the student verbally, but will also notify the student in writing (by e-mail or letter) of the sanction(s). The appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean shall receive a copy of the final decision.

3. Sanctions
The Findings of Student Affairs along with any recommendations for further action will be carefully reviewed by the appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean. These two individuals may accept, reject or modify the Student Affairs report and shall determine the final disposition of the matter, unless the student affairs office along with the campus police feels that the student could be a danger to the campus. In these instances, the student affairs office can override the Online Associate Dean and Dean.

The appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean may direct that the records of a disciplinary action be retained in a student?s file, noted on transcripts or be disclosed to the appropriate entities responsible for assessing the character and fitness of the student as an applicant to a chosen profession.

In addition to any personal communication of the decision to the student involved, a written copy of the decision shall be sent to the student by e-mail or registered, return receipt mail.

C. APPEAL PROCEDURE

Students are provided the opportunity to appeal any disciplinary decision to the Student Affairs office, appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean. The outcome of an appeal may include an overturn of the proposed action or disciplinary probation, the assignment of disciplinary community service, retention or administrative withdrawal. The appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean may either accept or overturn a previous decision to withdraw a student from Liberty University. Records documenting this process are maintained by the Office of Student Affairs and the Registrar.

If a student is administratively withdrawn or asked not to return, he/she must submit a written request for readmission to Student Affairs. The student is to provide a thorough account of the actions that led to his/her dismissal or non-return and the student?s strategy for successfully continuing studies at the University. In addition, the following is required:

Only after the aforementioned information is received will consideration for reinstatement occur. Readmission to the University will be subject to any stipulations made by the appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean and the Office of Student Affairs. This process does not guarantee readmission. If readmission is granted, the Office of Student Affairs will notify the Office of Admissions. The Office of Admissions will notify the student.

Students, who are reported to have violated the policies or regulations of the University that require an administrative withdrawal, may be required to meet (in person or by phone) with Student Affairs for a personal conference. Student Affairs will present the alleged violation(s) to the student and the student will then be given full opportunity to present his/her position concerning the allegation. Student Affairs will conduct an investigation of the alleged violation(s). When the investigation is complete, and the allegation is determined to be true, Student Affairs will consider the facts and relevant information concerning the violation(s), including the student’s prior disciplinary record. Student Affairs will consult with the appropriate Online Associate Dean and Online Dean before making a decision. NOTE: During the investigative process, the student is allowed to continue attending classes, unless they are a perceived threat to the campus community or a disruption to the online learning environment.

1. Reapplication/Readmission
o Separate letters of recommendation from a counselor and civic leader
o One letter of recommendation from a pastor or Liberty faculty member

2. Administrative Withdrawal Process and Appeal
o The student has 24 hours, after receiving notification of the decision, to decide whether he/she wishes to accept the decision. NOTE: Failure to meet the 24-hour deadline will result in an automatic administrative withdrawal.
o If the student decides to appeal the decision, the time of the appeal hearing will be determined and the student will be notified by Student Affairs who will schedule the hearing within seven business days of the student?s request for appeal. NOTE: During the appeal process, the student is allowed to continue attending classes, unless they are a perceived threat to the campus community or a disruption to the online learning environment.
? If the administrative withdrawal is upheld, all academic work is lost for the semester except classes that have been completed before the time of the decision.
? Once the student has been administratively withdrawn, he/she will not be permitted to visit the campus until his/her student status has been reinstated.
? Reapplication is subject to administrative review after a six-month period of absence from the University.
? Readmission will be considered after a minimum one-year absence from the University for the commission of a felony, assault, drug and/or stealing dismissals and is also subject to administrative review and approval.