School has been officially in session for the past couple of weeks and as such, the Office of Student Conduct has been busy working with students to address behaviors which might be a violation of our Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students who live in the residence halls not only received a copy of the Residence Life Guide to Living which contained information pertaining to our Code of Conduct but also attended a meeting in their residence hall where hall staff reviewed all of our policies and their responsibilities. Parents and families who attended SOAR received a presentation directly from the Office of Student Conduct however, we know you may still have questions.
What happens if my student has an alcohol policy violation?
You may or may not know if your student has an alcohol policy violation. The Office of Student Conduct does not notify parents and/or families of first alcohol policy violations. You may notice if you see a $90.00 charge on your students’ bursar bill from the Office of Student Conduct. If you happen to see this charge, ask your student about it – don’t just pay for it. This is a good way to start a discussion about alcohol and the expectations you have on behavior while your student is away at college.
The Office of Student Conduct will notify parents and/or families of alcohol policy violations if a student has been transported to the local hospital. The Dean of Students, Dr. Thomas Lane, will call the emergency contact number if there is one on file. Additionally, the Office of Student Conduct will notify parents and/or families on second, and third alcohol policy violations.
What happens if my student has a drug violation?
Parents and/or families will be notified once a student has accepted responsibility for a drug violation and a $100.00 charge will be placed on your students’ bursar bill from the Office of Student Conduct. Once again, if you happen to see this charge or read the letter that was sent to you, ask your student about it.
What can I know about my students’ conduct information?
If you are interested in knowing more about your students’ conduct record, speak with them about signing a FERPA release. If there is not a FERPA release on file, the Office of Student Conduct is happy to answer general questions about the student conduct process or you can read about our policies and procedures here: http://www.missouristate.edu/StudentConduct/12331.htm
Can I participate in my students’ conduct meeting?
If your student would like you to participate, you may. The student will need to sign a FERPA release for you to participate. You can participate in person or over the phone. Your role in the conduct meeting is to be a support person to your student. You will not be able to participate by answering questions or providing information for your student. If you would like to speak, you may do so with your student. The conduct meeting is for the student and part of the process is their ability to speak for themselves.
The Office of Student Conduct is ready and willing to help students and their families with questions they might have regarding the student conduct process – just ask!
(submitted by Dr. Andrea Weber, Director, Office of Student Conduct)