FAQ

The Conduct Conference Notification informs a student that they may have violated the Student Code of Conduct and specifies a time, day, and location for a meeting with a Conduct Conference Facilitator. If you need to reschedule your Conduct Conference, contact your Conduct Conference Facilitating the contact information is in your notification.

At the Conduct Conference, the Conduct Conference Facilitator will review the Student Conduct Process, discuss options to resolve the matter, present the information from any reports or documents related to the matter and ask the student how they would like to resolve the matter. The student may choose to reach an agreement with the Conduct Conference Facilitator. If so, the matter is concluded and there can be no appeal. If the student chooses not to resolve the matter at the Conduct Conference, the matter will be referred for further investigation. 

The Conduct Conference Facilitator will likely be either the Director of Student Conduct, the Assistant Director for Residential Community Standards, Safety and Security, a Resident Director, or a Graduate Assistant. However, any University staff member or faculty member may be trained to serve as a Conduct Conference Facilitator.

Yes, based on guidelines in the Student Conduct Policies and Procedures, the student may bring an advisor to any meeting involving a student conduct case. It must be a UMassD community member: faculty, staff, or student. However, if the student is facing or is likely to face criminal charges in court, they may bring a lawyer to be present. The student may consult with the advisor throughout the meeting, but it is important to note that the advisor may not speak on the student's behalf. If the student wants a parent, guardian, or family member to attend a student conduct meeting, the student must request this, and it must be approved by the Conduct Conference Facilitator or whoever will be conducting the meeting.

If the matter is not resolved in the Conduct Conference, it will be referred for further investigation. An investigator will be assigned who will meet separately with the student, the reporting party or parties, and possibly with witnesses. Upon completion of the investigation, the investigator will share the recommended findings with you in writing via your UMass Dartmouth email. The finding letter will include a finding of responsible or not responsible for each violation and if there is a finding of responsible, the recommendations for sanctions. You will have the option to respond to the finding in writing prior to a final decision by the Administrative Review Panel.

The primary investigators in the student conduct process are the Director of Student Conduct and the Assistant Director for Residential Community Standards, Safety and Security. However, any staff or faculty member could be trained to be an investigator. In cases alleging sexual misconduct, the Title IX Coordinator will assign an investigator who has specialized training in these matters. 

The Administrative Review Panel are faculty and staff who are trained to review investigation findings and to make the final decision following an investigation. Each panel is made up of 3 faculty or staff. In cases of sexual misconduct, the Administrative Review Panel will be made up of 3 faculty or staff members with specialized training in these matters.

Witnesses may be interviewed during an investigation. Both the accused student and reporting party or parties can provide names to the investigator of witnesses they would recommend interviewing. The investigator will use their discretion in deciding whether to interview witnesses.

Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, any of the below:

Dismissal is a permanent separation from the University. It is the most severe penalty that can be assessed by the University. The student is not eligible for readmission.

Suspension prohibits the student from registering for classes or from attending the University while the suspension is in effect. Suspension shall remain in effect for a specified period, generally not less than one year and not to exceed two calendar years from the time of the student conduct decision. At the end of the specified period and after all sanctions have been completed the student may apply for re-enrollment using the Readmission Application found at Registrar - Student Forms. 

There is a readmission fee. It is important to note that readmission to the University does not guarantee that a student will be readmitted to the major of his/her choice.  Those decisions are made by the academic department chair.

Deferred Suspension is the most serious sanction that can be imposed yet allows a student to remain enrolled.  Deferred Suspension shall remain in effect for a specified period, generally not less than one year and not to exceed two calendar years from the time of the student conduct decision. During this period a student found responsible of a violation by the student code of conduct proceeding may be subject to immediate Interim Suspension from the University. A student under the sanction of Deferred Suspension shall not represent the University as an official delegate, representative including participation in a Study Abroad program, athlete, or as a holder of office or committee chair in University groups of any kind.

Disciplinary Probation means that a student’s status with the University is probationary. It is a period when actions of the student are subject to scrutiny. Previous violations shall not be considered in the determination of responsible for any new violation but shall be considered in determining a sanction after responsibility has been established. Further misconduct during each probationary period may result in Removal from Housing, University Suspension or University Dismissal. At the discretion of the decision maker imposing probation, a student on Disciplinary Probation may lose the right to represent the University as an official delegate, representative including in a Study Abroad program, athlete, or as a holder of office or committee chair in University student groups of any kind. Probation shall remain in effect for a specified period, generally not less than one year and not to exceed two calendar years from the time of the student conduct decision. Probation may be imposed together with lesser sanctions as may be deemed appropriate

Loss of Privilege allows for the restriction of the activity of the student while she is on the University campus. The student may be prohibited from participating in non-academic or extra-curricular activities and/or from visiting certain specified areas of the University campus and/or from coming into contact with specified individuals while on campus. Loss of Privilege should be related to the offense, or serve to correct the result of the offense, or compensate in some relevant way the offended party(ies). Loss of Privilege may accompany other sanctions. In matters pertaining to the University Residences, Loss of Privilege may include but is not limited to the following:

Removal from Housing prohibits the student from residing in University Housing either for a period of 1-2 years or permanently. 

Deferred Removal from Housing shall be imposed for a period of 1-2 years. During this period a student found responsible of a rule violation by the student code of conduct proceeding may be subject to immediate removal from University Housing. A student under the sanction of Deferred Removal from Housing shall not represent the University Housing as an official delegate, representative, or as a holder of office or committee chair in University Housing groups of any kind.

Work Requirement permits certain work requirements or duty obligations when such assignments are related to the offense, serve to correct the result of the offense, or compensate in some relevant way the offended party(s). Work Requirement may accompany another sanction.

Restitution is action requiring a student to make compensation for loss, damage, or injury the student may have caused. Restitution may accompany another sanction.

Warning normally in writing, is intended to make the student aware of the possible consequences of individual or group actions.

No contact with a specific student, faculty, staff, or community ember, where all direct or indirect (via a third party on his behalf and with his/her knowledge) verbal, physical, and electronic forms of contact are prohibited.

Administrative Reassignment within Housing and Residential Education to another room or apartment. Fees or fines may be assessed for alcohol and drug violations or incidents involving a physical altercation, as well as in matters where an assessment of damages has occurred.

Revocation of Admission or Degree may be revoked for fraud, misrepresentation, or another violation of the Code of Conduct in the admissions process or in obtaining the degree or for other serious violations committed by a student after admission or prior to graduation.

The following additional sanctions may be imposed upon registered student organizations:

• Loss of Recognition of all University privileges for a designated period of time.  Conditions for future recognition may be specified.
• All sanctions listed above.

Both the student who was found responsible by the Administrative Review Panel and anyone who was victimized may appeal the decision as long as they participated in the investigation. The appeal is filed from a link provided in the decision letter. The appeal must be submitted within 5 business days of receiving the decision. See the Appeal Brochure found in the Forms Section of the Student Conduct website or the Appeals section of the Student Conduct Policies and Procedures also found on the Student Conduct website for more specifics on the appeal process. The appeal decision is final.

Some minor residence life and housing violations may be handled by notifying students of the policy and warning them verbally or in writing.

The student affairs staff that have involvement in the student conduct process including RDs and senior housing staff, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Associate and Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Associate and Assistant Deans of Students, and Student Conduct staff. Clerical staff in each of those areas, student workers, and Administrative Review Panel members also have limited access that is bound by confidentiality. Beyond those listed, University officials on a need to know basis or other exceptions as listed in FERPA, can access the records by requesting to view them. Students may view their own record, upon request, and if they want copies it is at 10 cents a page if it is a record that the office is able to release.

Case records shall be destroyed after seven (7) years after the date of the last incident in which the student was found responsible, but not before the student graduates from the University. In cases involving University Dismissal, University Suspension, or permanent Trespass from the University, the record becomes permanent.

Conduct Conferences and other types of student conduct meetings are scheduled with consideration of the student's class schedule. If the student cannot attend the scheduled Conduct Conference or Investigation Interview, the student should call the Conduct Conference Facilitator or Investigator assigned to the case and leave a DETAILED message, including name, phone number, and student identification number. It is then the student's responsibility to follow up with the Conduct Conference Facilitator or Investigator to reschedule. Failure to reschedule within a few days can result in a decision being made without the student's input. 

Contact will be made with parents/guardians of students each time the student has been found in violation of the Alcohol Policy and/or Drug Policy after the student conduct process is completely exhausted.

Anyone may file a complaint or incident report alleging an infraction of the Code of Conduct, Residence Hall regulations, laws, or such other regulations as may exist or be established within 1 (one) year of the incident.

Complaints may be filed online in the Campus Tools section of MyUMassD or at the main Student Conduct and Dispute Resolution website. Complaints may also be filed at Public Safety, the Office of Student Conduct, Student Affairs, and the Office of Housing and Residential Education. All complaints or reported incidents of student misconduct will be referred to the Division of Student Affairs.

Conduct, occurring on or off campus, that violates generally accepted standards of good behavior and is adverse to the University's purpose or interests or presents a danger to the health and safety of the University community may be subject to discipline. The full Code of Conduct is found on the Student Conduct website.

Students found responsible for violation of University policy will be subject to the complete range of sanctions and penalties provided in the Student Conduct Policies and Procedures.