Disciplinary Procedures
Any academic or administrative official, faculty member, or student may file a complaint with the Dean of Students against any student for violations of University policies and procedures.
If a student poses a threat to any person on Strayer premises, or through Strayer online, is disruptive or uncontrollable, damages or threatens to damage any property, or some other serious behavioral issue exists, the Dean of Students may immediately suspend or expel a student and may have the student escorted from Strayer University premises, or removed from Strayer online, in accordance with the University's policy on Suspension or Expulsion for Violence or Harassment. If none of the above behaviors are involved, the following procedure will be followed. Students should expect a more severe disciplinary sanction to be administered for each consecutive Code of Student Conduct violation reported (which may culminate in dismissal from the University).
Level I (Warning) – If a Strayer University staff member observes, or is told by a Faculty member or staff member of, a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, the University staff member will notify the Campus Dean or Campus Director who will immediately investigate the matter. If the Campus Dean of Campus Director finds that the Code of Student Conduct has been violated, the Campus Dean or Campus Director will send details of the incident in writing to the Office of Student Affairs. The Office of Student Affairs will issue a written admonition and send to the Campus Dean or Director to issue to the student. Once signed by the Campus Dean or Campus Director, a copy of the letter will be also be sent to the Office of Student Affairs. The student will have the opportunity to submit his or her response to the admonition. The student must put his or her response in writing to the Campus Dean or Campus Director within five (5) days of receiving the admonition. Violations of a serious nature may proceed to Level II or Level III without a warning.
Level II – If a violation of the Code of Conduct is reported by a University staff member to the Office of Student Affairs and the Office of Student Affairs determines that the student has already received a prior Level I Warning for misconduct, or determines that the violation is of a sufficiently serious nature to warrant a Level II warning, the Office of Student Affairs will inform the Regional Vice Provost or Regional Vice President. The Regional Vice Provost or Regional Vice President will immediately investigate the matter. If the Office of Student Affairs and Regional Vice Provost or Regional Vice President determine that a Level II violation has occured, the Office of Student Affairs will issue a written admonition and send it to the Regional Vice Provost or Regional Vice President to sign and deliver to the student within ten (10) working days. The student will have the opportunity to submit his or her written response to the admonition to the Regional-Level official with a copy to the Regional Vice Provost and or Regional Vice President within five (5) business days after receiving the admonition. A copy of the letter (and student response, if provided) will also be sent to the Office of Student Affairs. Violations of a serious nature may proceed to Level III without a warning.
Level III - If additional disciplinary action is warranted, due to a violation of the Code of Student Conduct, or if the violation is considered to be of a serious nature, then the Regional Vice Provost and/or the Regional Vice President, or University staff member, will forward the case to the Dean of Students for further action. Furthermore, the Dean of Students or designee, in the consultation with the Legal Department, may immediately suspend or expel a student if the student poses a direct threat to the health and safety of any other person on University premises or through Strayer University online, or to Strayer University property. Within ten (10) business days after receiving the referral, the Dean of Students will provide written notice to the student that the matter has been referred to the Office of Student Affairs, the section of the Code of Student Conduct the student has violated, and the sanction that will be imposed. The Dean of Students, will also provide the student with the opportunity to appeal the decision within ten (10) business days after receiving notice.
Appeal to Disciplinary Committee
A student may appeal an admonition, disciplinary probation, restitution, suspension, dismissal/expulsion, revocation of degree, or a grade reduction associated with any of the forgoing Sanctions. The Disciplinary Committee shall be comprised of at least three members in addition to the University Provost or Provost designee. The University Provost will appoint the three upper-level University leaders to serve as members of the Disciplinary Committee upon receiving the student's request to appeal; provided, however, no member of the Disciplinary Committee may have any prior involvement in the matter which the student is appealing. The Committee will include an upper-level leader from JWMI if the appeal is made by a JWMI student. The only grounds for a disciplinary appeal shall be: (a) new evidence was discovered; (b) the consequences were not commensurate with the offense; and/or (c) failure to follow procedures constituted an error. Prior to granting an appeal hearing, the Disciplinary Committee will review whether or not the student's appeal letter and supporting evidence establish sufficient grounds for an appeal hearing.
- If a student requests an appeal, the request must be in writing to the Dean of Students. The request must be postmarked within ten (10) days of the Dean of Student's decision letter. The Dean of Students will forward the appeal to the Disciplinary Committee along with all other information collected in the matter.
- The Disciplinary Committee will schedule a disciplinary hearing via teleconference, giving the student reasonable time to prepare for the hearing. The student has the right to be accompanied by counsel and/or other advisers such as parents or relatives. The counsel and/or advisers will be at the student’s own expense. (No more than three (3) of the aforementioned shall be present in the hearing at any one time.) Although counsel and/or advisers may be present for the teleconference hearing, counsel and/or advisers may not speak or participate directly in the hearing. The student must speak for him or herself. A student also has the right to remain silent at disciplinary hearings; such silence will not be used as a factor in the determination or outcome of the matter.
- Witnesses may be called on the student’s behalf or on the University’s behalf and the student may confront all adverse witnesses. Witness names should be presented at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing .
- A recording of the hearing will be kept by the University. A copy of the recording will be furnished to the student upon request at the student’s own expense.
- A written decision will be issued by the University Provost or designee on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee within ten (10) days after the hearing. This decision of the Disciplinary Committee will be final.
- The Disciplinary Committee and the University are not required to hear or respond to appeals related to other forms of disciplinary action taken (including, but not limited to, Code of Student Conduct Warning letters at Levels I or II).
- The student is advised that in all circumstances, the Disciplinary Committee and the University reserve the right to sever the relationship or to terminate the enrollment of any student from the University for any appropriate reason at any time without notice, a hearing, an explanation, or any other process.
- The student is advised that every favorable inference will be given to the Disciplinary Committee and the University in the interpretation and application of the Code of Student Conduct Policy.
- Students who have been suspended or expelled will not be permitted to enroll until and if a decision is made by the Disciplinary Committee to overturn a suspension or expulsion.
- Students understand that the Code of Student Conduct Policy may at times be revised, and in all such instances students agree to remain apprised of developments and abide by the most recent version of the Code of Student Conduct Policy.