Disciplinary Sanctions
The following are possible disciplinary measures that may be imposed upon a student or organization for a finding of responsibility for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. This list is not exhaustive and may be enlarged or modified as needed.
A. Expulsion: permanent severance of the student’s /
organization’s relationship with the University.
B. Disciplinary Suspension: a temporary severance of the
student’s / organization’s relationship with the University
for a specific period of time, as well as the loss of
campus facilities access and access to all VSU event
attendence.
C. Disciplinary Probation: notice to the student and or
organization that any further disciplinary violation
may result in harsher sanctions, e.g., suspension or
expulsion. Disciplinary probation might also include
one or more of the following: the setting of certain
restrictions, the issuing of a reprimand, referral to an
educational program, or restitution for damages.
D. Reprimand: oral reprimand (an oral disapproval issued to
the student and or organization) or a letter of reprimand
(a written statement of disapproval to the student and or
organization).
E. Restrictions: exclusion from participation in campus
organization leadership / membership, involvement in
campus social, recreational and sporting, or recruitment
activities, residence hall visitation or access, the use of
campus facilities, identification card privileges, limitation
of one’s mobility on campus, etc.
F. Restitution: reimbursement or replacement of property;
this may take the form of appropriate service or other
compensation.
G. Forced Withdrawal: from the academic course within
which the offense occurred, without credit for the course.
H. Change in Grade: for the course in which the offense
occurred.
I. Referral / Professional Assessment: The referral to the
University Counseling Center, the Office of Alcohol and
Other Drug Education, etc.
J.Community Service: Assigned service with on or off
campus agencies with prior approval from said
organizations.
K. Parental and/or Guardian Notification Policy:
T he Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (20 USCS
§ 1232g (i)(1) provides in pertinent part that institutions of
higher education are not prohibited “…from disclosing,
to a parent or legal guardian of a student, information
regarding any violation of any federal, state, or local law,
or of any rule or policy of the institution, governing the
use of possession of alcohol or a controlled substance,
regardless of whether that information is contained in the
student’s education records, if -(A) the student is under
the age of 21; and (B) the institution determines that
the student had committed a disciplinary violation with
respect to such use or possession.”
As a result of this major modification to the previous
FERPA regulations, and as a result of our concern for the
health and development of our students, the VSU Substance
Abuse Task Force recommended the following notification
policy for drug and or alcohol related conduct code
violations. “In recognition that Valdosta State University
students under the age of 21 are striving to become more
responsible young adults, it is the recommendation of the
Substance Abuse Task Force that the university adopt a
policy of notifying parents/guardians of students found
responsible for violating established alcohol/drug policies.
Notification would take place after a second or subsequent
infraction. The task Force concluded that repeated offenses
may be indicative of a greater problem, and that it is in
the student’s best interest if a joint intervention approach
is employed, including parent/guardian involvement. It is
further recommended that notification be made through the
Student Conduct Office. Married students would be exempt
from this policy.”
In keeping with this policy, the Student Conduct Officer in
the Dean of Students Office will generate a notification letter
to the parents or guardians of a student ONLY after he/she
has been found responsible for a second or subsequent
alcohol or drug code violation. The letter will be mailed or the
call made, one week after the disciplinary recommendation
is enacted, and all appeals have been finalized. This allows
the student an opportunity to discuss the incident with the
parent or guardian first. VSU’s hope is the delay will facilitate
a follow up discussion between the Student Conduct Office
and the parent/guardian(s).
Reviewed Summer 2009