Minimum Sanctions Grid Proposal
AOD Violations
UWSP staff members are well-positioned to positively affect student behaviors by offering expectations
and consequences. A minimum sanctions practice allows for clear and transparent minimum guidelines
for students, but also affords professionals the autonomy to add or elevate sanctions for additional factors
that should be considered. Currently, AOD-related violations are remarkably similar, yet consequences of
AOD violations are varied and inconsistent (see content from Biennial Reviews). The adoption of a
minimum sanctions grid is proposed. Such a system of sanction builds accountability and standards, while
affording the flexibility to enhance a student’s disciplinary experience.
Benefits of Using a Minimum Sanctions Grid
 Treats students in similar situations similarly, a requirement of the Higher Education Act.
 Adds credibility and reduces inconsistency.
 Consistency helps to reduce the anger and frustration students experience when students are not treated
"fairly."
 Allows for clear and transparent policy, enforcement, and consequences.
 Provides important structures; students will know in advance what is expected, what will not be
tolerated, what the consequences will be.
 Represents thoughtful consideration of institutional responses to AOD violations.
 Sanctions will be research-based and evidence-driven to have a positive effect on the student drinkers
(such an effect reduces the secondary consequences on the community).
 Increase the confidence of the adjudicating officer in making good decisions.
 Encourages accountability and follow-up.
 Provides options, especially important for repeated violations and escalating sanctions.
 Encourages consistency in referrals.
 Encourages more consistent oversight.
 Encourages consistency in sanctioning across adjudicating officers, yet leaves room for autonomous
sanctioning decisions.
 Students know consequences in advance.
 Consistency in sanctions helps student staff feel supported in their effort to enforce policies.
Challenges of Using a Guiding Sanction Grid
 Students, knowing their consequences in advance, may approach the sanctions far too casually and be
willing to take the risk.
 An adjudicating officer may perceive that a grid is presented in response to inadequate skills.
 A sanction grid may be perceived as being punitive and not flexible enough.
Student Organization Sanctioning Grid--The following grid proposes minimums as well as a list of possible enhancements based upon the situation.
Alcohol Violations. This minimum sanction grid covers a 2 year (continuous) period of time.
Incident
Organization found not
responsible for AOD
violation
1st AOD violation
If situation warrants,
sanctions for the 2nd/3rd
violation may be applied to
1st violation
2nd AOD violation
If situation warrants,
sanctions for the 3rd
violation may be applied.
3rd AOD violation
These situations should be
referred to the campus
conduct officer for
adjudication
Edited December 2011
Minimum Sanction
Possible enhancements?
Follow up letter indicating findings
Letter may include:
No alcohol to be present at org.
activities, meet with Asst. Dir. To
review alcohol policies, etc.
 PACE response paper
 Interview (security officer)
 Make posters
 Community service
 Letters of apology
 Send individual to Student
Conduct Board
1. 16 weeks probation minimum
2. PACE class + $300 fee; all members
identified as participating in
documented behavior attend. 80% of
membership must attend
3. Advisor is notified as well as any
affiliated regional, national, or
international parent group.
4. Financial restitution for damages
5. Meet with SIEO Assistant Director 4
weeks after PACE
6. Public notification of incident of
SOCB website
1. 32 weeks probation minimum
2. External Review (comprised of 2 peer
group members, faculty member, and
student affairs staff member)
3. Advisor is notified as well as any
affiliated regional, national, or
international parent group.
4. Public notification of incident of
SOCB website




1. Immediate review of organization
recognition done by SOCB with
recommendation to SGA
2. Public notification of incident of
SOCB website
 If recognition is pulled, org. may
not re-organize for 6 years
 Permanent loss of recognition
Community service
Loss of campus office space
Letters of apology; ad in Pointer
Send individual to Student
Conduct Board
Violation of Probation
Possible Enhancements
No probation applied
1. Probation: Additional 16 weeks
2. Alcohol screening on campus at
UWSP CC
3. If miss PACE or follow-up meeting,
$ 100 additional to sign up again.
4. Recognition block instituted after
missed deadline and carried until
sanction is met.
1. Attend SOCB to review status- make
recommendation to SGA on
recognition status
(Fourth violator's sanction)