To facilitate this, the University has developed a Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students are individual members of the University. By virtue of this membership, a student acquires rights and assumes responsibilities to the University community. The Code of Conduct strives to balance the maintenance and promotion of individual rights with the need to protect and preserve an environment consonant with the community's goals. As such, the code reflects the University community's expectations and the standards established for each of it's members.
Students are also members of larger communities such as city, state, and nation.
A student's conduct may be subject to concurrent review by the University community and another jurisdiction. Therefore, students charged with violating the University Code of Conduct may also be held responsible for violating existing local, state, and federal law. Similarly, Marshall University upholds and will not violate students' rights guaranteed under the United States Constitution, and federal and state statutes. Upon enrollment at the University, each student becomes responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of this code, and all other applicable University and community standards. Official University action will be taken when a student's behavior violates community standards, and interferes either with the University's educational purpose, or with its duty to protect individual health, welfare, and property.