Guidance for Students

Steps To Get Back On Track With Student Conduct Code

As I am sure you have discovered, pursuing a college education is a significant investment in time, energy, finances, and peace of mind. The stress involved in the educational process can be substantially exacerbated by an accusation of student misconduct. If you find yourself accused of violating the student conduct code it will be important for you to have an understanding of the process before you reply. Mishandling of these matters can place your educational career, and the investment already spent, in grave jeopardy.

Understanding the Campus Political Environment

Institutions of higher education hold their reputations in high regard, after all, who wants a degree from a campus that has a reputation of allowing students to attain degrees who have not earned them. Additionally, if a campus develops a reputation for high crime rates or classroom disruption, it can also have a dire effect on applications, enrollment, and graduation rates. This is one main reason why the adjudication of student conduct is such a complicated matter, and an aspect of higher education that many are not aware. Take a few moments to review the following to gain a better understanding of the dynamics that affect the student conduct process.

There are many different types of educational systems that have different missions, ideologies and cultures. For instance, in California, we have the Community College System, the California State University System, the University of California System, and a variety of private colleges and universities. Each of these offer online, on ground and perhaps hybrid classes, that have various levels of accreditation and federal financial aid status.

Furthermore, within each of these systems exists a set of interested parties or constituents, routinely categorized as faculty, staff, management, and most importantly, students. Student adjudication of misconduct is adjudicated by administrative professionals and is governed by a set of rules known usually as the student conduct code (or a similar name)

"There are many different types of educational systems that have different missions, ideologies and cultures."

Each campus culture impacts the adjudication of student conduct and is pressured by the politics that exist between these constituency groups. For instance, at the UC and CSU campuses, relatively strong and vocal student associations exist which exert pressure on those campuses to ensure that due process policies and practices are implemented by qualified, trained professionals. However, these strong student associations are not as vocal at the community college campuses, for instance, and therefore students must rely upon the strength of the policies and guidance handed down from centralized district offices.

Finally, the rules that govern how student misconduct is adjudicated can be tricky, and often are not standardized between campuses. For example, if a student transfers from a community college to a “four year” or from a public to a private, or a non-denominational to a parochial, the rules can be very different. Also, depending on the alleged violation, there can be various levels of policy that may be applicable. For instance, if the allegation is academic dishonesty, there may be system rules that apply to all campuses within the system, individual campus rules that further define the process, and then there are the expectations outlined in the syllabus for the individual course and/or instructor. If for instance the allegations involve behavior in the housing or sports facility, those will likely have additional rules of conduct to consider.

In short, if you have been accused of misconduct, it is important for you to educate yourself on the policies and protocols that govern the process before you respond to the allegation. If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to call, we can help.