Disciplinary Sanctions for Student Organizations

Disciplinary Sanctions for Student Organizations 

If the Accountability Board or the Coordinator (or Director) of Student Accountability decides that a student organization should be disciplined, the disciplinary action should be consistent with the severity of the offense. Following are sanctions recognized by Gallaudet University; the Board or the Coordinator (or Director) of Student Accountability may implement other sanctions instead of or in addition to those specified below:  

A. Organization Restorative Actions – this involves engaging in actions to restore the impact of a violation and repair the harms resulting from misconduct on other members of the community. These actions may include letters of apology, drafting and implementing a plan of resolution, engaging in restorative conversations, and developing plans for reintegration. 

B. Organization University Warning–a formal notice that the organization’s actions violated a University policy, that such actions are not acceptable in our community, and that further misconduct, or any other violation of a University policy, may result in more impactful disciplinary action. Organizations are expected to reflect upon their decisions and to be mindful of how their future choices and actions may impact members, the organization, others, and the University community. 

C. Organization Conduct Review–this indicates that an organization’s behavior is a significant violation of university policy either because the student has had one significant incident or because the organization is beginning to show a pattern of concerning behavior. Conduct Review is imposed for a specific period of time to encourage the organization to reflect upon their choices and behavior and to demonstrate the ability to abide by university policies and expectations. During this time, any policy violations committed during this period will likely result in a heightened level of response and more significant sanction(s). A conduct review does not place any formal restriction on a student’s privileges or activities. It may impact opportunities for which a organization’s disciplinary record is considered as a criterion for participation. 

D. Organization Disciplinary Probation – a status imposed for a specific period of time where organizations are asked to take active steps toward improving their decisions and behaviors and to demonstrate that they can abide by university policies and succeed as a registered student organization. Disciplinary probation frequently will be accompanied by a loss of privileges as an organization including the loss of privileges to participate in an event or activity. Examples include: 

● Denial of the right to maintain an office or other assigned space on University property: 
● Restriction on receiving or retaining funding, and fundraising activities;
● Restriction on participating in intramurals;      
● Restriction on sponsoring a social event;      
● Restriction on use of University resources;      
● Restriction on sponsoring any speaker or guest on campus;
● Restriction on participating in a social event;
● Restriction on co-sponsoring any social event or other activity;
● Prohibition from conducting rush or membership recruitment;
● Restriction on eligibility for University awards or recognition;
● Restriction on organization representation on university and student committees, organizations, or boards, or organization representation in any official capacity with Gallaudet University;
● Restriction from members or officers holding positions of leadership, including in other student organizations or paraprofessional positions;
● Conditions – Limitations on a student organization’s privileges for a period of time or an active obligation to complete a specified activity or activities.
● Restriction on entry or access to particular locations, premises, or events;
● Additional conditions or restrictions as deemed appropriate by the Student Accountability Coordinators/Accountability Board.  

The terms imply that violation of any provision in the Student Code of Conduct would be viewed not only as a violation of the regulation itself, but also as a violation of the probation and would most likely result in more significant sanction(s). 

E. Discretionary Sanctions – work assignments, essays, educational projects, attendance at sexual assault, intimate relationship violence, and/or stalking awareness, hazing, or related workshops or training, participation in online sexual assault modules, intimate relationship violence, and/or stalking awareness or related courses, service to Gallaudet University, other discretionary assignments. 

F. Financial Restitution – monetary or material reimbursement/compensation required of organizations who have taken, misused, damaged, or destroyed University, public, or private property or services. Amounts charged to organizations may include the cost to repair, replace, recover, clean, or otherwise account for the property or services affected. 

G. Fines– punitive monetary costs intended to dissuade organizations from violating the Code of Conduct. Fines collected are used by the University to fund services and programs for students.

H. Loss of Student Privileges – Limitations on organization member(s) privileges for a period of time. Principals (officers, etc.) may be prohibited from holding office in any other organization, depending on the severity of the negative leadership displayed. Students from a suspended or revoked organization may also be prohibited from reforming a similar organization under another name. 

I. Organization Suspension – Denial of rights and privileges of a registered organization. Any organization whose registration is suspended must cease all organizational activities upon receiving this sanction. Any member of a suspended organization may not hold an appointed or elected office as a representative of the suspended organization in any other organization or committee for the duration of the organization’s period of suspension. The organization may be asked to vacate office or housing space assigned by the University. Office or housing space assigned prior to suspension will not automatically be reassigned. The organization may reapply for space assignment, subject to availability. Suspended organizations will automatically be placed on disciplinary probation for a minimum of one academic year following their renewed registration and may be subject to conditions and/or restrictions during the probationary status. 

J. Organization Dissolution – Termination of an organization’s recognition by the University. This includes total restriction on the organization and its members or supporters conducting any activity on the premises of Gallaudet University or at off-campus University sponsored events that in any way promote the goals, purposes, identity, programs, membership, or activities of the organization. Space vacated due to this permanent revocation will be reassigned by the University. Once dissolved, a group or organization may only reapply for recognition once all current members have left the University community.