Maryland University's Student Sanction Policy: What You Need To Know

The University of Maryland has a Code of Student Conduct that outlines prohibited behaviour and the sanctions that may be imposed on students who violate the code. The code applies to student conduct on university premises, at university-sponsored activities, or off-campus if the conduct affects the safety of the university community or interferes with university operations. The Office of Student Conduct is responsible for administering the code and ensuring a fair and balanced resolution process.

The University of Maryland also has a separate Code of Academic Integrity that outlines academic misconduct and the sanctions for violations. This code is administered by the Office of Student Conduct and a Student Honor Council.

Both codes aim to ensure the safety, security, and integrity of the university community and hold students accountable for their actions. Sanctions for violating the Code of Student Conduct include disciplinary reprimand, disciplinary probation, suspension, and expulsion. Sanctions for violating the Code of Academic Integrity include a failing grade for the course, suspension, expulsion, and degree revocation.

Student conduct and sanctions

The University of Maryland has a Code of Student Conduct that applies to students, student groups, and student organizations. The code outlines the standards of behaviour expected of students and the procedures and sanctions for violations. The Office of Student Conduct is responsible for administering the code and ensuring a fair and balanced process for resolving allegations of student misconduct.

The code covers conduct that occurs on university premises, at university-sponsored activities, or off-campus if it affects the safety of the university community or the orderly operation of the university. Students are expected to uphold the values of the university and conduct themselves in accordance with university policies and procedures, both on and off-campus.

The University of Maryland defines a student as "a person enrolled in or auditing courses at the University on a full-time or part-time basis or a person who may not be enrolled but has a continuing academic relationship with the University."

Types of Misconduct

The Code of Student Conduct lists several types of misconduct, including but not limited to:

• Offenses against persons, such as causing physical harm, hazing, interfering with freedom of expression, and providing alcohol to minors
• Alcohol and drug offenses, including unauthorized distribution, use, possession, or production of controlled substances or illegal drugs
• Theft, vandalism, trespassing, and unauthorized use of facilities or resources
• Weapons possession or use
• Rioting, assault, or other serious misconduct that poses a threat to the campus community
• Disorderly or disruptive behaviour
• Providing false information to the university or law enforcement officials
• Violation of published university regulations or policies

Sanctions

The University of Maryland imposes sanctions on students found responsible for violating the Code of Student Conduct. The aims of sanctions are to protect the campus community, deter future offenses, promote individual accountability, and enhance ethical development. The sanctions may include:

• Expulsion: permanent separation from the university, with a permanent notation on the student's transcript, and possible barring from university premises
• Suspension: separation from the university for a specified period, with a permanent notation on the transcript, and possible barring from university premises and activities
• Disciplinary probation: a warning for more serious or frequent violations, with possible restrictions on extracurricular activities and representation of the university
• Disciplinary warning: written notice that further misconduct may result in more severe action
• Educational assignments: assignments intended to provide learning and growth opportunities, such as community service, research, or ethical development seminars
• Other sanctions: additional sanctions may include loss of housing privileges, restrictions on driving privileges, fines, or restitution for damages

The University of Maryland also has a separate Code of Academic Integrity that outlines expectations for academic honesty and the procedures for addressing academic misconduct. This code is administered by the Office of Student Conduct and a Student Honor Council. Students found responsible for academic misconduct may face sanctions such as a grade of "XF" for the course, suspension, expulsion, or degree revocation.

Academic integrity and sanctions

Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the University of Maryland's mission and values. The university's Code of Academic Integrity is designed to uphold the principle of academic honesty and ensure that students adhere to established goals and values. The code covers all student work submitted for assessment, including assignments, examinations, research, articles, dissertations, and theses.

The University of Maryland defines academic misconduct as any of the following acts when committed by a student:

• Cheating: fraud, deceit, or misconduct in any academic course, exercise, or research in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage and/or using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids.
• Fabrication: unauthorized falsification or invention of any data, images, information, or citation in any academic course, exercise, or research.
• Facilitating academic misconduct: knowingly helping or attempting to help another individual violate the Code of Academic Integrity.
• Plagiarism: representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic course, exercise, or research, including articles, proposals, dissertations, and theses.
• Self-plagiarism: the reuse of substantially identical or nearly identical portions of one's own work in multiple courses without prior permission from the current instructor or from each of the instructors if the work is being submitted for multiple courses in the same semester.

Students found responsible for academic misconduct are subject to sanctions. The aims of these sanctions are to protect the campus community, deter future offenses, promote individual accountability, and enhance ethical development and decision-making. The University of Maryland outlines the following sanctions for academic integrity violations:

Possible Sanctions:

• The grade of "XF" for the course: This grade is recorded on the student's transcript with the notation "failure due to academic misconduct." It is treated the same as an "F" for grade point average calculations, course repeatability, and academic standing.
• The grade of "F" for the course: This grade factors into the determination of the student's grade point average, eligibility for course repeatability, and academic standing.
• Letter grade reduction for the course: In addition to the "XF" or "F" grade, a student may receive a full letter grade reduction for the course or other academic exercise in which academic misconduct occurred.
• Zero on the assignment(s): A student may be given no credit for the assignment(s) in which academic misconduct occurred. This will be factored into the student's final grade in the course or other academic exercise.
• Degree revocation: Rescinding a degree previously awarded by the university. A permanent notation will appear on the student's transcript.
• Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the university. A permanent notation will appear on the student's transcript, and they may also be barred from university premises.
• Suspension: Separation of the student from the university for a specified period. A permanent notation will appear on the student's transcript, and they cannot participate in any university-sponsored activities or enter university premises during the suspension.
• Other sanctions: These may include educational or reflective experiences to prevent repeated acts of academic misconduct and promote ethical decision-making.

The University of Maryland takes academic integrity violations seriously and imposes sanctions to uphold the values of honesty and integrity. The sanctions are designed to hold students accountable for their actions and promote a culture of academic honesty within the university community.

Student rights and responsibilities

When students choose to enrol at the University of Maryland, they accept the rights and responsibilities of membership in the University community, both on and off campus.

Student Rights

The Office of Student Conduct provides a fair and balanced University process for resolving allegations of student prohibited conduct. Students will be treated fairly and with dignity and respect without regard to race, colour, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, political affiliation, physical or mental disability, religion, protected veteran status, genetic information, personal appearance, or any other legally protected status, as outlined in the University’s non-discrimination policies. The focus of the Student Conduct Review Process is to resolve allegations of student prohibited conduct. Students have the right to be notified of the allegations and specific policies they are alleged to have violated, to have access to the information underlying the allegation(s), and to have an opportunity to respond.

Student Responsibilities

Balancing students’ rights with their responsibilities as members of the University community is imperative to creating mature and engaged citizens. All students are expected to understand and follow University policies and procedures as well as to comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Due to the high expectations the University has of its community members, responsibilities set forth in University policies may exceed federal, state, or local requirements.

University email is the primary means the Office of Student Conduct uses to communicate with students. Students are responsible for reading all official communications delivered to their University email address and are advised to check their email regularly for University communications, including those from the Office of Student Conduct.

Student conduct review process

The University of Maryland's Student Conduct Review Process is administered by the Office of Student Conduct, which seeks to balance the rights and responsibilities of all individuals within the community and uphold the integrity and values of the university. The process is as follows:

Preliminary Interview

After determining reasonable cause, the Office of Student Conduct or the Office of Rights and Responsibilities will contact the accused student (the "Responding Party") to request their attendance at a preliminary interview. The purpose of this interview is to review the allegations with the Responding Party and help them understand the Student Conduct Review Process. The Responding Party may discuss the alleged incident during the interview, but they are not required to do so. Relevant information shared during the interview may become part of the case file for future proceedings.

Notice of Resolution Procedures

The Office of Student Conduct and/or the Office of Rights and Responsibilities will review referrals to determine whether the alleged prohibited conduct might result in suspension or expulsion from the university. The Responding Party will be advised of the alleged prohibited conduct and the range of sanctions that might be imposed if they are found responsible for the violation. The Responding Party will also be advised of the resolution process options based on the alleged prohibited conduct.

Resolution Process Options

Responding Parties who face potential suspension or expulsion have the right to a hearing before the appropriate Student Conduct Board. They may also waive their right to a Student Conduct Board hearing and proceed to have their case resolved in a Disciplinary Conference (or Disciplinary Conference Board, if referred thereto), or in Alternative Resolution if applicable.

Responding Parties who do not face potential suspension or expulsion do not have the right to a hearing before a Student Conduct Board. Such cases are resolved in a Disciplinary Conference (or Disciplinary Conference Board, if referred thereto) or in Alternative Resolution if applicable. In these cases, all outcomes are considered final and may not be appealed.

Disciplinary Conference and Disciplinary Conference Board

A Disciplinary Conference is a resolution meeting between the Responding Party and the designee(s) assigned by the Director of Student Conduct who is (are) resolving the matter. Responding Parties participating in Disciplinary Conferences receive certain procedural protections, including advance written notice of the alleged code violation(s) and the scheduled Disciplinary Conference, reasonable access to the case file, an opportunity to respond to the allegations and bring forward any documentation, witnesses, or information on their behalf, and the option to be assisted by an Advocate or Advisor and accompanied by a Support Person of their choosing.

The Director of Student Conduct may refer complex or contested cases to a Disciplinary Conference Board for resolution. A Disciplinary Conference Board consists of two students from the University Student Judiciary and a staff member from the Office of Student Conduct. All procedures applicable to Disciplinary Conferences will also apply to Disciplinary Conference Board proceedings.

Student Conduct Boards

In Student Conduct Board hearings, a designated panel of board members hears a case, determines facts, renders a decision, and recommends sanctions to the Office of Student Conduct. Student Conduct Boards have an integral role in the Student Conduct Review Process. The University Student Judiciary is a diverse group of students specifically trained in the Code and matters related to the University’s Student Conduct Board process.

Student Conduct Board Hearing Procedures

Responding Parties shall receive written notice of the specific alleged policy violation(s) and a hearing date at least five days in advance of the hearing. Responding Parties will have reasonable access to their case file maintained in the Office of Student Conduct prior to the hearing. Responding Parties who fail to appear at a hearing after proper notice will have a response of "no contest" to the allegations against them entered into the record on their behalf, and an outcome determination may be made without their participation or presence. All hearings are closed to the public and may be recorded or transcribed by the Office of Student Conduct.

Prior to the start of a hearing, any party may challenge a Student Conduct Board member’s participation based on a potential conflict of interest. Board members may be disqualified due to a conflict of interest upon a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board or by decision of the Director of Student Conduct.

Formal rules of evidence are not applicable to Student Conduct Board hearings. The Presiding Officer of each Student Conduct Board shall admit all evidence, meaning documents, other information, and witnesses, into consideration which reasonable persons would accept as relevant, significant, and important to the issues being decided in the case. Unnecessarily repetitious, irrelevant, or prejudicial information or witnesses may be excluded at the discretion of the Presiding Officer.

Responding Parties may be assisted by an Advisor and an Advocate and accompanied by a Support Person. Both parties will be provided an opportunity to question witnesses who provide information at hearings.

Student Conduct Board Deliberations

Student Conduct Board deliberations are private, and the parties are excluded. The Student Conduct Board shall find the Responding Party not responsible for Prohibited Conduct if, by a majority vote of the Board members, the Board determines that there is not a preponderance of the evidence to support a conclusion that the Prohibited Conduct occurred. The Board will make an outcome determination that the Responding Party was found not responsible, and the matter is concluded.

The Student Conduct Board shall find the Responding Party responsible for Prohibited Conduct if, by a majority vote of the Board members, the Board determines that the preponderance of the evidence supports a conclusion that the Prohibited Conduct occurred. If there is a finding of responsibility, the parties will be given an opportunity to submit documentation or make statements concerning appropriate sanctions. The Student Conduct Board shall hold a separate session to consider sanction recommendations, during which it may consider Aggravating Factors and Mitigating Factors and documentation or statements provided by the parties.

Final Outcome Notification

Based on the Student Conduct Board's determination of responsibility and consideration of the Board's sanction recommendation, the Director of Student Conduct will impose an appropriate sanction. The Office of Student Conduct will notify the Responding Party in writing of the final outcome, including the imposed sanction and a copy of the written report of the Student Conduct Board. A Responding Party who is found responsible by a Student Conduct Board may appeal the responsibility determination and imposed sanction.

Student conduct boards

There are three types of student conduct boards:

• Resident Board: This board hears cases involving alleged violations of the Code when the incident occurs in or around the residence halls and/or on-campus University-affiliated housing owned by, leased from, operated in cooperation with, or supervised by the University. The board consists of three students from the University Student Judiciary and a non-voting Presiding Officer.
• Central Board: This board hears cases involving violations of the Code that are not referred to the Resident Board or resolved in a Disciplinary Conference or by a Disciplinary Conference Board. The board is made up of three students from the University Student Judiciary and a non-voting Presiding Officer.
• Ad-Hoc Board: This board is appointed at the discretion of the Director of Student Conduct when a Resident Board or the Central Board is unable to convene in a timely manner. The board is comprised of three members, one of whom may be the Presiding Officer who serves as a voting member, and includes at least one student.

All student conduct board hearings are facilitated by a Presiding Officer, who may be a trained member of the University Student Judiciary or a staff designee selected by the Director of Student Conduct. The Presiding Officer's role is to exercise control over the proceedings for the purpose of time management and an orderly completion of the hearing.

University staff members may advise student conduct boards. A Board Advisor is a non-voting member of the board and has all the privileges of board members, including the ability to comment on questions of procedure and the relevance of evidence.

University Student Judiciary members who are alleged to have violated the Code of Student Conduct, a University policy, or a criminal offense may be suspended from their University Student Judiciary positions by the Director of Student Conduct while allegations are pending. Students found responsible for Code violations or convicted of criminal offenses may be removed from further participation in the University Student Judiciary by the Director of Student Conduct.

During the hearing, responding parties may be assisted by an Advisor and an Advocate, and accompanied by a Support Person. Both parties are provided with an opportunity to question witnesses who provide information. After the hearing, the board deliberates in private and makes a determination of responsibility. If the student is found responsible, the board considers sanction recommendations and may impose sanctions such as disciplinary probation, disciplinary warning, or educational assignments.

Frequently asked questions