Accept responsibility

A student who has been charged with a violation and admits that they are responsible for the violation, has accepted responsibility or entered a plea of "Accepts Responsibility" and can expect the case to be adjudicated accordingly.

Administrative hearing

An administrative hearing is the method of adjudication for a majority of violations. Hearing officers conduct and convene these hearings (meetings) with the involved party or parties and the final outcome may only be appealed to the Dean of Students or designee. See also the Student Conduct Procedures of the Student Handbook.

Appeal

In student conduct, this is a written request submitted to the Dean of Students by a reporting or responding student to dispute the outcome (finding of responsibility and/or sanctions) of a hearing.  See also the Student Conduct Appeals Process of the Student Handbook.

Conduct process advisor

The conduct process advisor serves as a support person and resource to an involved student throughout the conduct process. This may be an individual of the student's choosing or the College may appoint one at the student's request from a pool of trained faculty and staff. See more information on the role and limitations of the conduct process advisor in the "Student Support in Conduct Processes" section of the Student Conduct Procedures section of the Student Handbook. Guilford College reserves the right to proceed with any investigative processes or hearings regardless of the availability of an advisor.

Deny responsibility

A student who has been charged with a violation and denies that they are responsible for the violation, has denied responsibility or entered a plea of "Denies Responsibility."  A final plea outcome may still result in a finding of responsibility based on a preponderance of evidence, even if the student does not accept responsibility.

Disciplinary dismissal

The resulting outcome from one serious violation or a series of collected violations for which a student is removed from Guilford College permanently. Any student dismissed for disciplinary reasons does not have the option to apply for readmission and is banned from the campus and campus events indefinitely. See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Disciplinary suspension

The resulting outcome from one serious violation or a series of collected violations for which a student is removed from Guilford College for a specified length of time. At the end of the suspension period, the student has the option to apply for readmission (admission and/or merit aid is not assumed nor guaranteed).

When a student is suspended, they are given 24 hours to remove themselves and their belongings from campus housing and take care of financial and academic matters. Any student suspended is banned from the campus and campus events until the term that they have been readmitted and reenroll.

See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Educational sanction

A sanction designed to provide an educational or reflective opportunity for a student who has been found responsible for violating the Student Conduct Code. See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Guest

The College considers any friends, family members, or acquaintances of a student visiting the campus at the invitation or request of that student to be guests. This may include student guests visiting another student in the latter's assigned living space. This may include unknown individuals who are present on campus due to an open, unspecified, or understood invitation. The Guilford student "host" will be held responsible for any violations of the Student Code of Conduct by their guests.

Hearing officer

A Guilford College employee, typically within the Student Affairs division, who is trained and given the responsibility to adjudicate student conduct cases by following the Student Conduct Procedures as outlined in the Student Handbook. This is not a full-time role and various staff members may be trained and act as student conduct hearing officers.

In absentia

When a student chooses not to or fails to participate in a mandatory student conduct meeting/hearing, the conduct process may continue (case heard and adjudicated) in absentia.  This means that the student foregoes the opportunity to review the documentation details and respond to charges, decisions of whether the student is found responsible for the charges and subsequent sanctions will be made based on the documentation based on a preponderance of evidence and without the student's input, and the student will not have the option to appeal the outcome. See also the Student Conduct Procedures section of the Student Handbook.

Interim suspension

In certain circumstances where there is an alleged or perceived direct threat to self or others, the Dean of Students or designee may impose a College or on-campus housing suspension prior to any formal student conduct proceedings.

• Interim suspension may be imposed only:
  • To ensure the safety and well-being of the College College community and its members; 
  • If the student poses a direct threat of disruption of or interference with the normal operations of the College.
• During interim suspension, the student shall be denied access to campus spaces, activities, classes, and/or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible, as deemed appropriate by the Dean of Students or their designee.

See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Judicial hold

A judicial hold may be placed on a student's account in instances with noncompliance with student conduct proceedings or incomplete/overdue sanctions. A judicial hold will interfere with actions such as course registration, housing check-in, graduation, and obtaining transcripts.

Monetary damages

A student may be required to pay for items/property damaged, stolen and/or destroyed as a result of Student Conduct Code violations.

No contact order

In situations where students need to be separated for their well being, and/or the well being of the College community, or to allow time and space for an investigation or student conduct process to occur, a No Contact Order may be put into effect. Students will be notified by the Director of Public Safety, Dean of Students, or designee. Students with a No Contact Order are required to refrain from contacting one another by any means, including third party and electronic communication. A student may be asked to move to a temporary living space or may be temporarily removed from a shared classroom as a means to creating space for the situation to be resolved.

No plea / no contest

A student who has been charged with a violation and does not declare a plea or does not contest that they are responsible for the violation, has entered a plea of "No Plea / No Contest."  A final plea outcome may still result in a finding of responsibility based on a preponderance of evidence, even if the student does not accept responsibility.

Notification of student conduct charges

The Office of Academic and Student Affairs may notify other Guilford College offices, such as athletic coaches, Bonner Scholar, Admissions, QLSP, or OSLE staff when students are involved in disciplinary actions. See also the the Student Conduct Procedures section of the Student Handbook.

Parent/guardian notification

Parents or guardians are routinely notified if the student is found responsible for a violation of the student conduct policies at Guilford College. See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Plea

A plea by a student is a declaration of their acceptance of responsibility for a charge/violation and may be entered as Accepts Responsibility, Denies Responsibility, or No Plea / No Contest.  The plea outcome is the finding of responsibility as determined by the hearing officer(s) and based on a preponderance of evidence.  Even if a student does not accept responsibility, the final plea outcome may still result in a finding of responsibility.

Preponderance of evidence

Preponderance of evidence is the standard of proof in all student conduct hearings, including sexual misconduct charges, to determine the finding of responsibility.  For each charge, a preponderance of evidence would demonstrate that it is "more likely than not" that a violation occurred. 

Sanction

When a student is found responsible for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, they may be assigned sanctions which are consequential requirements meant to address the violation, incident, and impact. Sanctions sometimes require action on the student's part and sometimes do not.  Students are responsible for the full and timely completion of any assigned sanctions which require action on their part. Incomplete/overdue sanctions may result in a "judicial hold" being placed on the student's account, which will interfere with actions such as course registration, housing check-in, graduation, and obtaining transcripts. See also the Point System & Sanctions section of the Student Handbook.

Student

The term 'student' means any person taking or auditing any courses at the College. Persons who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with the College are considered “students.” Examples include, but are not limited to, students who are enrolled but not talking classes due to an academic break, medical leave, suspension, or other personal leave; persons who demonstrate an intent to enroll by registering for courses; and students participating in study abroad programs. Additionally, Guilford College, in connection with the College’s Student Conduct Code also applies its standards of conduct to the following:

• Applicants who become students, for offenses committed as part of the application process;
• Applicants who become students, for offenses committed on campus and/or while participating in College-related events or activities that take place following a student's submittal of the application through their official enrollment; and
• Former students for offenses committed while a student.

Witness

Any individual who has witnessed an incident or has knowledge of an incident in which the Student Conduct Code was violated may be called upon to provide a statement during the investigation and/or adjudication of the alleged violation.