Student Conduct

Disciplinary Sanctions
Off-Campus Conduct
Regulations And Appeals
Voluntary Withdrawal or Removal From Campus

The Standards of the Rhodes Community

The Rhodes Community depends on personal concern for one another, and our standards serve as a guide for our daily life.  They allow the members of our diverse community to live in harmony, to interact effectively, and to learn from each other.  These standards, by which we all agree to live, protect our personal freedom by encouraging a climate of trust, concern, and respect conducive to learning and growing.

Actions and attitudes that undermine this respect and concern are unacceptable.  We strive to act in a way that promotes the pursuit of knowledge in an atmosphere of integrity, justice and truth.  In order to do so, we pledge to uphold the following standards:

We pledge to treat the members of the Rhodes Community, that is, anyone who lives, works, or learns here, as well as those who visit the community, with conscientious respect, honor, kindness and even-handedness.

We pledge to respect the property of other members of the Community, treating all such property with care equal to or greater than that accorded our own property.  Further, realizing that the property of the College, its buildings and grounds and all encompassed within, serves to benefit all members of the community, we pledge to preserve this property for others to use after us.  Understanding that adherance to these standards is necessary to promote community spirit, we pledge to report violations.

A. The following sanctions may be imposed upon any student found to have violated College policies:
1. Probation: A written notification for violation of specified regulations. Probation is for a designated period of time and includes the probability of more severe disciplinary sanctions if the student is found to violate any institutional regulation(s) during the probationary period. Students can be placed on disciplinary or housing probation.
2. Loss of Privileges: Denial of specified privileges for a designated period of time.
3. Fines: Previously established and published fines may be imposed.
4. Restitution: Compensation for loss, damage, or injury. This may take the form of appropriate service and/or monetary or material replacement.
5. Discretionary Sanctions: Work assignments, service to the college, education, referral to counseling, required behavioral assessment, or other related discretionary assignments.
6. Residence Hall Suspension: Separation of the student from the residence halls for a definite period of time, after which the student is eligible to return. Conditions for readmission may be specified. 7. Residence Hall Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the residence halls.
8. College Suspension: Separation of the student from Rhodes College for a definite period of time, after which the student is eligible to return. Conditions for readmission may be specified.
9. College Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from Rhodes College.   B. More than one of the sanctions listed above may be imposed for any single violation.   B.  More than one of the sanctions listed above may be imposed for any single violation. 

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Students may also be sanctioned for conduct which constitutes a hazard to the health, safety, or well being of members of the College community or which is detrimental to the College’s interest whether such conduct occurs on campus, off campus, or at College-sponsored events.

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All policies will be enforced by the Dean of Students or the Dean’s designee. Administrative hearing officers will use the “by a preponderance of the information” standard of proof to determine if behavior is “in violation” of a policy.

The disciplinary record, i.e. previous judicial action, of a student found “in violation” of a policy or policies will bear on the severity of a sanction.

A decision reached by an administrative hearing officer may be appealed by the Accused within two business days of the decision. Appeals should be in writing, directed to the Dean of Students, unless otherwise specified within a policy. Appeals shall specify the basis for the appeal. Administrative appeals will generally be heard by the Dean of Students or the Dean’s designee. An appeal will be considered, based on the supporting documents, unless the appeals officer decides that interviews are warranted, for one or more of the following purposes: to determine whether the hearing was conducted fairly; to determine whether the decision reached was based on a preponderance of the information; to determine whether the sanctions imposed were appropriate for the violations; to consider new and relevant information, sufficient to alter a decision, but only where such information were not known or available to the appellant at the time of the original hearing.

Students have the opportunity to apply for a variety of activities at Rhodes, during which the student represents the College and/or is placed in a leadership position. Because of the nature of these opportunities, applicants for these positions may be reviewed on the basis of their disciplinary record.

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The College occasionally faces the problem of students who pose a threat to themselves or others, who are unable to cope, or who create a pattern of extreme disruption. If such behavior constitutes a violation of College rules and regulations, the case will be referred to the Dean of Students for action.

If the student’s behavior occurs without such violation, if the student does not respond to the charges against him or her, or if the student did not know the nature or quality of the conduct in question at the time of occurrence, the Dean of Students will investigate the situation and the effect or the potential effect of the behavior on the student and the College community. The Dean may require a personal interview with the student and/or an evaluation of the student by a qualified professional. The Dean may require an interim removal of the student from campus pending resolution of the investigation.

If, as a result of this investigation, the Dean of Students determines that the student’s behavior indicates substantial risk of threat to self or others, or that the individual is otherwise unable to fulfill the expectations of a student at Rhodes, the pursuit of professional care or a withdrawal from the College may be recommended. The student will be provided with the option of voluntarily withdrawing from the College for the remainder of the term. If the student refuses to do so, the Dean will consult with other members of Student Affairs as deemed appropriate.  They will recommend to the Dean a course of action, which may include removal of the student from the College with conditions for readmission. If the student withdraws, he or she may be referred to an appropriate facility for additional assistance. The parents will be notified as soon as possible and must assume responsibility for the student′s care.

Students who leave campus under the above conditions, either voluntarily or involuntarily, may be readmitted to the College only after being cleared by the Dean and, when appropriate, the Committee on Standards and Standing. Permission for readmission will typically be based on the student’s demonstrating a period of responsible behavior outside the College and may require a statement from a physician, psychologist, or other qualified professional that the student is ready to return to and cope with college life. Follow-up assessment or services may be required as part of the readmission decision.

Removal of a student from the College will be undertaken only as a last resort. Every effort should be made to help students understand the consequences of their behavior, make responsible decisions, and develop skills that will allow them to remain and function in the Rhodes community.

Students who have voluntarily withdrawn or who have been removed from campus are not allowed to attend class, have no access to the campus or College sanctioned or sponsored events.

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