Every college has a student conduct code of some sort. And while you may have recently learned about this code in orientation – or remember hearing about it during previous years – many students are unaware of exactly what is in the code and what the possible repercussions are for breaking the code.
The No. 1 thing to keep in mind is that all codes are different. If you are a student at Washington College, the code will be slightly different from the ones at Loyola University Maryland or Johns Hopkins University. However, there tend to be some universal similarities between all of them.
Protecting the well-being of students
If you look at your college’s student conduct code, you will notice that the well-being of others is normally front and center. This means that if you engage in any activity that the college determines put others at risk, you could end up facing suspension or even expulsion.
But just what does this mean? What constitutes endangering others? It all depends, but here is just some of the prohibited conduct pointed out in many of these student conduct codes:
- Physical abuse, including threats of abuse
- Emotional abuse, including threats of abuse
- Hazing
- Bullying or other forms of intimidation
With these types of accusations, remember that the college reserves the right to discipline a student, even if there are no civil or criminal court cases pending.
Drinking, drug use can result in college disciplinary action
Student conduct codes also typically include information related to drugs and alcohol. This means that if you are caught drinking or using drugs –let’s say at a party that is broken up by police – not only are you facing criminal consequences, you could also end up facing school repercussions as well.
Conduct involving drugs and alcohol can fall into many categories, including the following:
- Possession of drugs, including marijuana
- Distribution of drugs
- Selling, storing or transporting of any type of drug
- Underage drinking
- Providing other students under the age of 21 with alcohol
Of course, this is not necessarily a comprehensive list and the specifics will be included in your college’s student conduct code. You are encouraged to understand the code at your college and know what steps to take if facing accusations of violating the code.
