Disciplinary Sanctions
The following are possible disciplinary measures that may be imposed upon a student and 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.
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. Parental and/or Guardian Notification Policy
The 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 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).
Last revision Spring 2007