Responsibilities to the Texas A&M Community

Being an Aggie means being united to all members of the Aggie Family through a common bond—the Aggie Spirit. Through this spirit, Aggies take pride in their traditions, develop a strong commitment to the service of others, and aspire to academic excellence. This is an exciting time of exploration, development and growth. Challenge yourself in intellect, spirit, mind, body and character, and make the most of your time at A&M by seizing every opportunity.

Know Why You are Here

As you begin at Texas A&M, explore your reasons for choosing to attend college and determine what you hope to obtain from your experience. Being a college student involves much more than being academically successful. It involves developing into a responsible adult in all facets of your life. The decisions you make will often have lifelong effects. Remember your ultimate goal is to complete your degree.

Know Yourself

Living away from home provides freedom and responsibility. It is your opportunity to show who you are and apply your values to everyday choices and take responsibility for your well-being. College can be both exciting and stressful and it is important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Eating well-balanced meals and having a daily exercise routine can help minimize stress.

Know Community Concerns & Take Action

As a new member of our community we expect you to uphold the values of Texas A&M, just like those before and after you. Consider your impact on Texas A&M and how the following items play into maintaining an institution strong in integrity and respect:

Academic Integrity

In addition to the Aggie Code of Honor, the University Student Rules provide guidance to members of our community. These rules are based upon a balance between the rights and responsibilities of individual students and the needs of the community. Cheating, plagiarism or other acts of academic dishonesty diminish the entire process of learning and value of an A&M degree. As a member of the Aggie community, it is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty and uphold your community’s standards. Visit aggiehonor.tamu.edu.

Alcohol

As you enter a new environment, it is important to establish and follow personal guidelines about alcohol consumption. While you think about your choices, remember that proper use of alcohol is dictated by state law and Texas A&M University Rules. There are benefits to abstaining from alcohol use. Information and programs regarding alcohol and other drugs are available through Health Promotion at studentlife.tamu.edu/hp.

Diversity & Inclusion

As a major public institution of higher education, Texas A&M University has both an extraordinary opportunity and a special responsibility to create and maintain a climate that affirms diversity of persons as well as diversity of views. Diversity is an indispensable component of academic excellence. A commitment to diversity means a commitment to the inclusion, welcome, and support of individuals from all groups, encompassing the various characteristics of persons in our community. Further information is available through the Department of Multicultural Services at dms.tamu.edu.

Drowsy or Distracted Driving

Road trips are an integral part of college life, and drowsy driving can be a concern. The college student routine often includes many of the risks most commonly associated with drowsy driving crashes such as: sleep loss, driving late night hours and an active lifestyle that restricts sleep. Before hitting the road, make sure to get a good night’s sleep. Cell phone use, especially text messaging, should be limited or avoided to prevent an accident. Some recent statistics on distracted driving: texting while driving is about 6 times more likely to result in an accident than driving while intoxicated; almost 50% of all drivers between the ages of 18 and 24 are texting while driving; and people who text while driving are 23% more likely to be in a car accident.

Relationship Violence

Relationship violence is a pattern of actual or threatened acts that physically, emotionally, or sexually abuse someone in the relationship. Jealousy, constant criticism, threats ,and repeated broken promises are a few warning signs that a relationship may be abusive. Dating abuse is a pattern of controlling behaviors that one partner uses to get power over the other. Acquaintance rape and sexual assault are also relationship concerns that students should be aware of. Information, education, and support regarding relationship violence or sexual assault are available through the Office of the Dean of Student Life (979-845-3111), Student Assistance Services (979-845-3113 or sas.tamu.edu), the Department of Civil Rights and Equity Investigations (979-458-8407 or titleix.tamu.edu), the Women’s Resource Center (979-845-8784 or wrc.tamu.edu), the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center (979-862-8920 or studentlife.tamu.edu/glbt), and Health Promotion (979-845-0280 or studentlife.tamu.edu/hp)