Code of Conduct
Port Elizabeth TVET College code of conduct and disciplinary procedures for students.
1. A student shall not maliciously or wrongfully destroy damage, appropriate, abuse or remove property of Port Elizabeth College, or a fellow student or staff member, or a co-operative education employer.
2. A student shall not harass another person.
3. A student shall not, without prior permission from an appropriate PE College official, utilize any PE College property, facility, amenity or equipment.
4. In addition to the abovementioned rules, a student shall also comply with all other rules and regulations pertaining to his/her PE College division, department, and co-operative education programme or hostel (if applicable).
5. A student shall not commit acts of theft or damage in respect of PE College property or the property of any person or on any of Port Elizabeth College’s campuses. For the purposes of this rule, the possession of stolen property shall be deemed to constitute an act of theft.
6. No student shall bring on to any PE College campus and/or hostel any firearm or gun or mock replica or toy weapon, (except with the express permission of the Senior Manager: Education and Training Services), nor any dangerous weapon or explosives. The definition of dangerous weapons includes, but is not limited to, knives, daggers, or switchblades and martial arts equipment.
7. A student shall not commit any act of sale, distribution, use or possession of any illegal drug, as defined by the Drug and Drug Trafficking Act 140/1992, on any campus or hostel of Port Elizabeth College.
8. A student shall not act or threaten to act in a manner which interferes with the work or study of any member of staff or any student of Port Elizabeth College.
9. A student shall act in a respectful manner towards all fellow students, PE College staff as well as staff of contracted suppliers, or providers of services to Port Elizabeth College, or their employees, or his or her employer while undergoing experiential training, and towards members of the public; and in particular shall not use any language that abuses or demeans any person in terms of such person’s race, gender, beliefs or sexual orientation.
10. A student shall not abuse or otherwise interfere with any member of the Port Elizabeth College community in any manner which contributes to the creation of an intimidating, hostile or demeaning environment for staff or students in general and specifically in relation to the person’s race, gender, beliefs or sexual orientation.
11. A student shall not prohibit entry or exit from any PE College campus or any building on a PE College campus, or any PE College hostel, or obstruct the free movement of any member of Port Elizabeth College community, on a PE College campus.
12. A student shall notify the respective Head of Department of any change in his/her permanent address immediately or within five working days of such a change.
13. A student shall make use of waste bins for the purpose for which these have been provided, shall not leave litter in any part of the campus, including any building or its grounds and gardens. On no account shall waste bins be used for the purpose of conveying goods.
14. Where the identity of the person who has affixed any picture, poster or advertisement on any notice board, without the authority of the designated custodian of the precinct in which the notice board is; or elsewhere on the campus, has not been established, the student body issuing such picture, poster or advertisement or from which the picture, poster or advertisement originates, shall be presumed to have so affixed such picture, poster or advertisement in contravention of this rule. For the purpose of this rule a precinct is deemed to be any part of the Port Elizabeth College, whether building or ground, or both.
15. A student shall not solicit business from the College directly or indirectly without declaring his/her business interest.
16. Press statements on behalf of the College will only be issued by the Communications Office in accordance with the Communications Policy.
17. Where the identity of the person who has affixed any picture, poster or advertisement on any notice board, without the authority of the designated custodian of the precinct in which the notice board is; or elsewhere on the campus, has not been established, the student body issuing such picture, poster or advertisement or from which the picture, poster or advertisement originates, shall be presumed to have so affixed such picture, poster or advertisement in contravention of this rule. For the purpose of this rule a precinct is deemed to be any part of the Port Elizabeth College, whether building or ground, or both.
18. A student shall not solicit business from the College directly or indirectly without declaring his/her business interest.
19. Press statements on behalf of the College will only be issued by the Communications Office in accordance with the Communications Policy.
20. A student sitting for an examination or test shall comply with:
a) Any appropriate instruction by the investigator of an examination or test
b) all instructions printed on the examination or test sheet or on the cover of the answer book for that examination test
21. A student sitting a test or examination shall be guilty of an irregularity if:
a) he/she helps or tries to help another test or examination candidate, or communicates or tries to communicate with any person other than an invigilator, while in the test/examination venue
b) he/she causes a disturbance in the test/examination venue, or acts in an improper or unseemly manner and refuses after a warning has been issued by the chief invigilator to cease such disturbance, improper or unseemly conduct
22. A student shall acquaint himself/herself with the relevant rules regarding tests and examinations of the faculty in which he/she is registered.
23. No student is allowed to use alcohol on the college premises unless it is part of their curriculum and is permitted by the principal.
24. No student shall make, distribute, reproduce, copy or make use for a purpose other than for his/her own private, personal study of any material in which copyright resides, without the permission of the author or owner therefore. Included in this definition of material in which copyright resides are teaching materials, computer software, printed materials and audio or video recordings.
25. All students acknowledge that the use of such electronic resources is made available to them for academic or PE College related purposes only. Private and personal use is disallowed.
26. The following actions or omissions shall constitute misconduct and Port Elizabeth College may initiate the appropriate investigation and disciplinary action against students who fail or refuse to abide by these rules. Such disciplinary action may vary from a verbal reprimand to expulsion from Port Elizabeth College depending upon the seriousness of the offence.
a) Sharing network log-on usernames with or disclosing passwords to any third person(s)
b) Intentionally bypassing the security mechanisms of the mail system or any other secure website or network (e.g. creating bogus accounts)
c) Modifying the internal mail transport mechanism to forge a routing path that a message take through the Internet
d) Storing, downloading and propagating, printing, distributing, sending or accessing racist, sexist, politically or religiously derogatory content or material, or pornographic material as contemplated in Schedule 1, 2, 6, 7 & 11 of the Films and Publications Act 65/1996, as read with the Films and Publications Amendment Act No. 34/1999.
e) Knowingly sending or forwarding messages and attachments that could be infected with malicious codes such as viruses, as well as spam, if in doubt please contact the IT department
f) Any non-academic/non-business actions that knowingly prevent other users from using e-mail or Internet access
g) Any destructive and disruptive practices either via e-mail or the Internet
h) Sending, replying to or forwarding e-mail messages or other electronic communications which hides the identity of the sender or represents the sender as someone else
i) Users of the institution’s electronic mail systems who obtain access to materials of other organisations may not copy, modify or forward copyrighted materials, except under the specific copyright terms and conditions and
j) Using information, e-mail, files, downloads or data to commit fraud or any other criminal offence(s)
k) Making illegal copies of Port Elizabeth College’s software installation discs.
27. Criminal Conduct:
a) Any criminal offence, in terms of the criminal law of South Africa, committed by a student of Port Elizabeth College, is an offence deemed to be subject to disciplinary action by Port Elizabeth College.
b) Any student convicted of any criminal offence by a South African court with criminal jurisdiction in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act 51/1977 shall be guilty of an offence in terms of this Code of Conduct, and shall be subject to disciplinary action by Port Elizabeth College.
28. Conduct relating to the work of Port Elizabeth College:
a) A student shall, at shall at all times, have in his/her possession the student card issued by Port Elizabeth College in his/her name, and shall produce such student card upon request by an authorized member of Port Elizabeth College staff or the campus security personnel. It is a disciplinary offence for a registered student at Port Elizabeth College to lend his/her student registration card to any other PE College student or to any other person.
b) A student shall not commit acts of forgery, falsification, nor shall he/she alter any document, record or instrument of identification, or any medical certificate, or any document he/she is submitting in support of his/her application for registration at Port Elizabeth College.
c) A student shall not make unauthorized use of the name or badge of Port Elizabeth College.
d) A student shall not disobey a Suspension Order made in terms of Port Elizabeth College’s Rules on Disciplinary Procedure.
29. Special rules relating to consumption of alcohol:
a) A student shall at all times refrain from drunken or disorderly behaviour that disturbs the peace of other students.
b) No student shall sell, serve or assist any other person to sell or serve liquor on any PE College campus or property.
30. Conduct in the Resource Centre of Port Elizabeth College:
a) A student shall obey all “Resources Centre Rules” as published from time to time.
31. Rules of conduct relating to meetings:
a) No student body, association or group of students shall arrange any meeting on any Port Elizabeth College campus to which non-PE College speakers have been invited without the permission of the relevant Senior Manager.
32. Rules relating to safety:
a) A student shall not use an immersion heater on any PE College campus or in the hostel.
b) A student shall not interfere with or make unauthorized use of fire protection equipment.
33. Conduct in respect of PE College disciplinary structures and proceedings:
a) A student present at any disciplinary hearing shall not, in any circumstances, interfere with or in any manner disrupt or disturb the process.
For more information, please refer to the Code of Conduct as approved by the Governing Council 2007/07/04