Frequently Asked Questions
We've gathered frequently asked questions regarding student rights and responsibilities.
If you still have questions, please contact the Dean of Students Office.
For Students
How can I report an incident?
Any member (faculty, staff, or student) or recognized group or organization of the college community may report or file a report to an administrator, campus office, Davidson College campus police or local law authorities alleging a violation of college policy or when behavior warrants attention.
We understand that choosing to report an incident of concern can be difficult, so we have gathered these resources and forms to make it as easy as possible. Understand how to report incidents at Davidson including hate, bias, sexual assault, hazing, students you are concerned about and other types of incidents.
I was involved in an incident, or I received a letter from DOS…. What happens next?
As a student at Davidson College involved in an incident where Hall Counselors, Resident Assistants, Davidson College Police, or any other reporting party documented that you were involved, you should expect official communication from the Dean of Students Office regarding the next steps within five (5) business days.
You will likely attend a meeting with a staff member from the Dean of Students Office or Residence Life Office. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and to explain what occurred from your perspective. Students are expected to be sincere and tell the truth. Typically, an honest conversation is sufficient to resolve low-level or first-time alleged violations of the Code of Responsibility or the RLO Policies.
For students who choose to accept responsibility and sanctions for a violation, you will be given the option to resolve your case through a Mutual Resolution Agreement.
For students who do not choose to accept responsibility, do not choose to agree on sanctions for a violation, or who have been alleged of violating the Code of Responsibility in a more severe manner, you may be referred to a Code of Responsibility Council Hearing to resolve your case.
If you have specific questions regarding your situation, please contact the Dean of Students Office.
Can I just call someone to find out what’s going on, or just talk to the Dean of Students Office to explain myself?
While a DOS staff member may be able to answer general questions over the phone, confidentiality laws (FERPA) prevents staff from being able to speak about your specific case over the phone. You should attend the meeting during the time and date specified in your letter to speak with the resolution officer to resolve your case.
The incident I was involved in occurred off campus, or I am studying abroad and was involved in misconduct. Will Davidson College and the Dean of Students Office respond to this?
The Honor Code, Code of Responsibility, and other college regulations apply to the on-campus conduct of all students. They also apply to off-campus conduct of students that, in the college’s judgment, involves or affects the college or other members of the college community, such as conduct in connection with:
- Academic work or other Davidson-related educational activities and experiences, such as class projects, field trips, study abroad, or internships
- Activities sponsored, conducted, or authorized by the college or its student organizations
- Activities that cause or threaten harm to the health, safety, well-being, or property of the college or members of the college community, including the student themselves.
The Honor Code, Code of Responsibility, and other college regulations apply to all such conduct by a student while a student, even if it occurs outside of an academic term or when the student is not otherwise present at Davidson College. Moreover, the college continues to have authority to administer the Honor Code, Code of Responsibility, and other college regulations with respect to any such conduct by a student while a student even if the student subsequently withdraws, takes leave, or is otherwise absent from Davidson College, and even if the college does not learn of such conduct until after the student withdraws, takes leave, or is otherwise absent from Davidson College.
My student organization was involved in an incident. What do I need to do?
Both individual students and student organizations have expectations and can be held accountable for misconduct through the Dean of Students Office, the Code of Responsibility, the Honor Code, and/or Residence Life Office Policies. If you were present at an incident involving a student organization or are the president of a student organization, you should expect official communication from the Dean of Students Office regarding the next steps within five (5) business days.
You will likely attend a meeting with a staff member from the Dean of Students Office or Residence Life Office. This is an opportunity for you to ask any questions and to explain what occurred from your perspective. Students are expected to be sincere and tell the truth.
The Dean of Students Office will work with the appropriate campus partners to ensure all advisor(s) and staff member(s) are aware of student organization misconduct.
What is the difference between the Mutual Resolution process and a Code of Responsibility Hearing?
The Mutual Resolution process allows for the involved party(ies) to discuss the alleged violation(s) informally with a Dean (or other designee) and, when appropriate, resolve the case without referral to the Code of Responsibility Council. If the Dean determines the Mutual Resolution is an appropriate option to resolve the case, they will offer the Respondent the option during the administrative conference.
A Code of Responsibility Hearing is the college’s formal process for handling alleged violations of the Code of Responsibility. The Code of Responsibility Council for each hearing is comprised of students, staff, and faculty. This Council will make a determination of whether the Respondent is responsible or not responsible for violating the alleged policy violations based on the clear and convincing evidence standard and, if found responsible, will determine sanctions.
What are possible outcomes (sanctions)?
Sanctions are developmental tools that enable conduct officers to respond to student’s documented misconduct in appropriate ways. Sanctions also provide the official institutional response to violations of college policy that either undermine the integrity of the college community (as outlined in the Honor Code, Code of Responsibility, and Residence Life Policies) or the health, safety, or well-being of college community members. Sanctions should therefore be tailored to the conduct for which the student has been found responsible as well as the perceived educational, restorative, and accountability needs for students going through the conduct process. While points of reference have been established to provide for consistency between various conduct officers and incident types, all conduct officers are encouraged to utilize their discretion in determining which sanctions best reflect the incident and involved student’s needs. Ultimately, conduct officers should be able to articulate a clear rationale for why they assigned the sanctions they did. The role of discretion in sanctions should not be overlooked, as conduct officers play an essential role in providing individualized support and building a community of trust. Discretion within the sanctioning process also mitigates the notion of “mandatory sentencing” as found in criminal processes, which the college accountability processes are not akin to. In this spirit, the following sanctioning objectives are fundamental to our sanctioning process:
- Accountability: meant to address the cause of the incident and provide accountability to a student for a violation of college policy. Accountability may be taken at the start of the conduct process or accepted through the facilitation of a conduct meeting.
- Educational: designed to influence responsible judgment and increase knowledge of why certain policies are in place or a specific topic or issue.
- Reflective: encourage students to reflect on their personal choices and gain the perspectives of others.
- Restorative: provide an opportunity to repair harm their actions may have caused others resulting from the incident.
- Impact on Personal Wellbeing and Future: require students to focus on their wellbeing. Students are encouraged to explore campus resources that will support their success as members of the college community and beyond.
Do I have the right to appeal the decision made?
If your case is resolved through the Mutual Agreement process, you will waive your right to appeal the decision. This is because you and the Resolution Officer should be working together to come up with an agreed upon outcome.
You may appeal the Code of Responsibility Council or the Honor Council’s decision for one or more of the following reasons only:
- A claim the information upon which you were found responsible was not clear and convincing,
- A claim a substantial deviation from published procedures unfairly and materially affected the outcome of the case, or
- A claim the sanction(s) imposed was (were) inappropriate or overly severe.
The appeal request must contain, at a minimum, a statement of grounds for appeal and a summary statement of the information supporting such grounds. Requests will not be processed if they fail to cite one or more of the above-stated grounds and a sufficient factual basis supporting each cited ground. Any sanctions imposed will not go into effect until the final outcome of the appeal, if processed.
Will my parents) or legal guardian(s) find out that I’ve been involved in an incident?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) permits colleges and universities to inform the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of students under the age of twenty-one when their student has been found in violation of College alcohol or drug policies. In an effort to foster a partnership regarding student learning and accountability, Davidson College may inform parent(s) or legal guardian(s) which policy(ies) were violated and the outcomes/sanctions assigned to their student. Davidson College may not inform parent(s) or legal guardian(s) regarding details of the violation or the incident that occurred.
Who can access my disciplinary record?
All disciplinary records will be accessible only to the Respondent (both during and after their enrollment), the Dean of Students or their designee, and the President of the College.
Except under order of court, or when authorized in writing by the student affected, no officer, faculty member, employee, or student may divulge to any other person than to those with access to the contents of any student disciplinary record.
When authorized by the student, the Dean may divulge abstracts of disciplinary proceedings then held in their files showing dates, charges, and outcomes. Previous disciplinary records for the Respondent are made available to the Honor Council, the Code of Responsibility Council, the Sexual Misconduct Hearing Officer during a hearing after a finding of responsibility but before the application of sanctions. Previous disciplinary records are made available at the beginning of the Mutual Resolution process. This practice allows for board members and hearing officers to fairly fit the sanction to the violation seen in the total context of the student’s behavior at Davidson College.
I submitted an incident report… What should I expect next?
If you submitted an incident report as a concerned neighbor, community member, friend, or classmate, you may receive outreach from the Dean of Students Office to confirm receipt of the report. If deemed necessary by the Dean of Students Office, you may be asked to provide additional information about the situation or student you are documenting.
If you have submitted an incident report and more than five (5) business days have gone by without outreach, please contact the Dean of Students Office.
Are there campus resources that can support me through this process?
If these circumstances create stress for you, please let your resolution officer know so they can try to coordinate resources or support.
Some potential resources and supports for you to consider include:
Center for Student Health & Well-Being
For Parents & Guardians
My student is involved in the student conduct process. What should they do?
If your student enrolled at Davidson College was involved in an incident where Hall Counselors, Resident Assistants, Davidson College Police, or any other reporting party documented that they were involved, your student should expect official communication from the Dean of Students Office regarding the next steps within five (5) business days.
They will likely attend a meeting with a staff member from the Dean of Students Office or Residence Life Office. This is an opportunity for your student to ask any questions and to explain what occurred from their perspective. Students are expected to be sincere and tell the truth. Typically, an honest conversation is sufficient to resolve low-level or first-time alleged violations of the Code of Responsibility or the RLO Policies.
Why can’t you speak to me about my student’s record(s)?
FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) protects students’ educational records, including their disciplinary records. If your student would like us to speak with you about their disciplinary record in its entirety or one specific incident, please have him/her complete the Student Records Release Form.
What happens if my student refuses to participate?
Students have a right not to participate in the student conduct process. However, the process will proceed based on the information at hand and an outcome will be determined without their participation. A student’s decision not to participate in the process is not held against them, as decisions are made based on the presented information and the policy(ies) in question. However, a student who does not participate in the student conduct process waives their right to participate in the appeals process and may be required to complete sanctions/outcomes as a result of the decision made.
Should my student hire a lawyer?
Your student has the right to obtain legal counsel and has the right to have an advisor of their choice present at any meetings related to their student conduct case. However, the student conduct process is not a legal process. The role of an advisor in the student conduct process is to provide support to the student involved. The advisor, whether that be a parent, a trusted staff or faculty member, a friend, or a lawyer, may not speak on behalf of the student or represent the student in any way.
Can I attend any scheduled meetings with my student?
With the permission of your student, you may attend a scheduled meeting with your student in the role of their advisor. The role of an advisor in the student conduct process is to provide support to the student involved. The advisor, whether that be a parent, a trusted staff or faculty member, a friend, or a lawyer, may not speak on behalf of the student or represent the student in any way. Parents and guardians are encouraged to offer moral support and assist their student in understanding the process and expectations of Davidson College.
I received a letter from your office stating my student was found in violation of the alcohol and/or drug policy. What should I do next?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) permits colleges and universities to inform the parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of students under the age of twenty-one when their student has been found in violation of College alcohol or drug policies. In an effort to foster a partnership regarding student learning and accountability, Davidson College may inform parent(s) or legal guardian(s) which policy(ies) were violated and the outcomes/sanctions assigned to their student. Davidson College may not inform parent(s) or legal guardian(s) regarding details of the violation or the incident that occurred.
We encourage you to speak directly to your student to provide moral support and learn more information about the student’s involvement in the incident. If you would like to speak with someone from the Dean of Students Office regarding your student’s involvement, your student will have to sign a Student Records Release Form.
What are some campus resources I can refer my students to if they need support?
For Faculty & Staff
How can I file a report?
Any member (faculty, staff, or student) or recognized group or organization of the college community may report or file a report to an administrator, campus office, Davidson College campus police or local law authorities alleging a violation of college policy or when behavior warrants attention.
We understand that choosing to report an incident of concern can be difficult, so we have gathered these resources and forms to make it as easy as possible. Understand how to report incidents at Davidson including hate, bias, sexual assault, hazing, students you are concerned about and other types of incidents.
I am concerned about a student, how do I inform the Dean of Students Office?
As a Davidson faculty or staff member, you may be able to be a resource in times of emotional distress. Your expression of interest and concern may be a critical factor in helping the student re-establish emotional equilibrium. You should also alert the Dean of Students Office so that an appropriate intervention can be made.
If you are concerned for a student’s general well-being, you are encouraged to fill out the Student of Concern/Care Referral Form.
If you are concerned about a student’s academic performance, you are encouraged to fill out the Academic Warning Form.
How do I respond to disruptive or distressing behavior from a student?
Behavior that interferes with other students, faculty or staff and their access to an appropriate educational or work environment is considered disruptive. The Dean of Students Office developed the Distressed or Disruptive Information Guide (PDF) to aid faculty and staff in assisting students experiencing distress.
Once I make a referral to the Office of Student Conduct, what is my role in the process?
Once the Dean of Students Office has received your report, expect communication within five (5) business days to confirm receipt of the report as well as to provide any additional information, if appropriate.
If you are documenting a student for a potential Honor Code violation, you will be expected to participate in the Honor Council investigatory and hearing processes. The Dean of Students Office will work with you to ensure you understand the expectations and next steps in the process.