Code of Student Conduct Revision
Code of Student Conduct Revision
What is the Code of Student Conduct?
• Rules and regulations that all students must follow when they
become members of the Rutgers community
• Contains procedures and process for addressing violations of
the Code of Student Conduct
• Provides information regarding student records
• Informs the community of the jurisdiction of the Rutgers
University conduct process
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
THE STUDENT CONDUCT
PROCESS IS NOT THE SAME
AS THE CRIMINAL PROCESS
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Differences Between Criminal Process and
Student Conduct Process
Criminal Process
Student Conduct Process
Penalties include loss of life and
liberty (loss of rights)
Penalties include removal from
community (loss of privilege)
Federal rules of evidence
observed
All reasonable information
considered
Guilt established beyond a
reasonable doubt
Responsibility established
when there is clear and
convincing information
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Differences Between Criminal Process and
Student Conduct Process
Criminal Process
Student Conduct Process
Crime
Violation
Laws
Rules/Regulations
Evidence
Information
Trial
Hearing
Judge
Hearing panel
Guilty
Responsible
Defendant
Accused student
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Role and Purpose of Student Conduct
• Foster the personal, educational, and social development of
students
• Intervene when there is an incident to provide intervention to
restore the person to the community or to restore the
community
• Provide a deterrence to enhance the safety and security of
the community
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Why is There a Need for a Change?
• Code of Student Conduct had not been significantly changed
since the 1990s. There have been many changes in higher
education and best practices since that time.
• Process is perceived to be too difficult, too adversarial, and
punitive.
• Assumption by community that going to the Office of Student
Conduct equaled getting suspended.
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• July 2010: committee convened to discuss the Code of
Student Conduct
• August – September 2010: Director of Student Conduct met
with stakeholders and shareholders to talk about conduct
process and issues and concerns people have with the
system. Office of Student Conduct also sent surveys to
students who went through the system and individuals who
filed complaints to solicit feedback.
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• September 2010: decision made to make small changes to
the Code of Student Conduct in Fall 2010 to fix items that
were problems. The Code would also need to be revised in
Spring 2011 to align the Code of Student Conduct with the
proposed Academic Integrity Policy. The committee also
recommended completing a total rewrite of the Code to
present to the University community in Spring 2012, with the
goal of having the new Code approved by the Board of
Governors in Summer 2012. The new Code would then go
into effect Fall, 2012.
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• November 2010: small changes were proposed to the Vice
President for Student Affairs, including changing the role of
the Hearing Officer, defining the role of support person, and
clarifying definition of some violations. Changes were
accepted by Board of Governors and changes were put in
place January 1, 2011.
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• January to April, 2011: met with the following groups to seek
feedback regarding current Code of Student Conduct:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Vice President’s Leadership Council (New Brunswick)
Student Organization Leadership Symposium (Newark)
IFC/Panhellenic (New Brunswick)
RUSA (New Brunswick)
RUSGA (Camden)
RHA (New Brunswick)
Hearing Board faculty, staff and students (New Brunswick)
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• January to April, 2011: held the following open meetings to
solicit feedback from community members on conduct
process:
–
–
–
–
–
Open forums (11:30am and 2:30pm free periods) in Newark
Residence Life Open Forum (Newark)
Residence Life Open forum (New Brunswick)
Open forum (free period) in Camden
Open forum for faculty and staff (New Brunswick)
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• May 2011: Code changes recommended to Vice President for
Student Affairs to address the following issues:
– Alignment with Academic Integrity Policy
– Compliance with Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights
– Compliance with Office of Civil Rights Dear Colleague Letter dated
August 4, 2011
• Code changes implemented beginning Fall 2011
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• April 2011: Code of Student Conduct revision committee held
one day retreat to compile feedback solicited and to talk about
changes to the Code
• May-June 2011: New draft of Code of Student Conduct
written and revised. Code was written by Director and two
student interns (one graduate and one undergraduate)
• July 2011: Draft given to the Code of Student Conduct
revision committee for feedback
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• August – September 2011: proposed draft of the Code of
Student Conduct shown to Senior Student Affairs Officers,
Chief Academic Officers, students and faculty involved in
hearing process and Chair of Senate Rules Committee for
feedback. Document was revised based on comments from
those groups.
• October 2011: proposed draft shared with students, faculty,
and staff who participate as conduct process volunteers.
Draft was revised based on comments.
• November – December 2011: proposed draft of Code of
Student sent to General Counsel to review. Revisions to the
Code were again made based on General Counsel
recommendations.
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• February 2012: create website where community members
can review Code of Student Conduct draft and send feedback
to Office of Student Conduct
• February 2012: begin meeting with student organizations and
governance groups to solicit feedback
• March 2012: continue meeting with organizations and
governance groups
• April 2012: hold open forums on all three campuses to solicit
feedback from community members
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Timeline of Code Process
• May 2012: revise Code of Student Conduct based on
feedback and send the Code of Student Conduct to the
Committee on Student Conduct for recommendation to Vice
President for Student Affairs
• Summer 2012: Vice President for Student Affairs provides
Code to Board of Governors for approval
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Committee on Student Conduct
• Group of community members charged by the Vice President
for Student Affairs to make recommendations regarding the
Code of Student Conduct and conduct process
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Committee on Student Conduct
• Voting Membership of CSC:
– Student Affairs Representatives (6)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Dean of Students Office (1)
Residence Life (1)
Vice President for Student Affairs Office (1)
Student Life (1)
Camden Representative (1)
Newark Representative (1)
– Academic Affairs Representatives (4)
•
•
•
•
Camden (1)
Newark (1)
New Brunswick Undergraduate Education (1)
New Brunswick Graduate School (1)
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Committee on Student Conduct
• Voting Membership of CSC:
– Faculty Representatives (3) – one from hearing board and two other
faculty members
– Student Representatives (3) – two representatives from hearing board
(one grad and one undergrad) and one other student
– Student Conduct Representatives (3) – one representative from New
Brunswick, one from Camden, and one from Newark
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Feedback from Spring 2011
• Students wanted the rules to be spelled out clearly
• Students and community members wanted to be able to
understand the process
• Community members wanted to know who to talk to if there
was a problem
• Students wanted to know consequences for actions
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
Feedback from Spring 2011
• Community members believed the Code of Student Conduct
should spell out rules and regulations and help maintain order
on campus
• Students believed that everyone should have the right to be
fully informed of procedures, to express their side of the story,
to have a fair hearing, and the right to some sort of advocate
in the process
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
The New Code of Student Conduct
• Uses simpler wording so while the process still follows legal
guidelines it is easier to understand what happens and what
each party can expect
• Only 18 pages long
• Contains rights section for students and those filing
complaints against students
• Academic integrity information moved to the AI Policy (under
jurisdiction of Senate)
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
The New Code of Student Conduct
• Streamlines how decisions are made to provide a more timely
process
• Adds in additional University sanctions and changes what
disciplinary probation entails
• Includes a focus on educational sanctions rather than just
punitive action
• Adds in an option for conduct charges to be deferred to allow
certain cases to be handled differently (using dispute
resolution options such as mediation, restorative justice, and
counseling)
Office of Student Conduct
Code of Student Conduct Revision
How Do I Provide Feedback?
• If you are part of student groups, ask for a meeting (or attend
one of the scheduled meetings)
• Come to an open forum
• Go to the webpage and click on the survey
• E-mail Anne Newman directly with questions at
amnewma@echo.rutgers.edu
Office of Student Conduct