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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Disciplinary Hold? If a student fails to make an appointment with our office or fails to contact us regarding a pending investigation, we will put a hold on their records. This hold will prevent the student from registering and/or making changes to their class schedule. This hold can easily be removed by our office as soon as the student resolves any pending questions. Examples of other mandates issued by the Office of Student Conduct that warrant disciplinary holds are:
Do parents/guardians have access to my records? Not without your written permission. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) govern the privacy of student records as implemented by the Buckley Amendment. Students may come into our office and sign a waiver, releasing information to a specified third party. These waivers pertain to each individual case that the student is involved in. Are there fees involved in this process? We do assign monetary fees as sanctioned for restitution involving damaged, lost or stolen property. Students who have been mandated to pursue outsource counseling will incur monetary fees at the student’s expense. How come this can’t be taken care of over the phone? Due to the serious nature of alleged violations, we require students to personally meet with a staff member to review all charges and allegations. As such students are able to discuss the details of their incident in a private area. Students are also able to sign a release regarding any further discussion regarding their rights. What does Advisement mean? Advisement means that the incident will be documented and placed in your file but no further action will be taken against you. Per SACS requirement we must take action on all reported occurrences that the office receives. What does probation mean? Probation means that a student is allowed to remain in the University on a probationary status. Probation can be set for a semester, a year, or indefinitely. While a student is on probation, any further violations may be grounds for additional sanctions up to and including suspension or permanent dismissal. Will my alcohol violation remain on my file and be reported to graduate school programs or employers after my undergraduate graduation? All occurrence reports are subject to release pending receipt of a waiver issued by the student. Files are retained for (5) five years after graduation and/or sabbatical unless approved for permanent retention by the Vice Chancellor and/or their designee. Please contact our office for further clarification. What sanctions will remain on my permanent record? Sanctions of reprimand or higher will remain on a student’s disciplinary record indefinitely. If you are applying to a graduate program or a government job, the appropriate agency will most likely request you disclose your record. As previously mentioned all files are kept for a minimum of five years following graduation. I already resolved this issue in the Weakley County court system so why am I here? UTM Standards of Conduct #13 states “violations of local, state or federal law, whether on or off campus” shall be brought forth to the Office of Student Conduct. The University of Tennessee administrative system operates independently of the local, county or state court system. Thus, violations of state law, that are also violations of University Standards of Conduct, must be resolved through the University, as well as all other vested court system(s). If you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Office of Student Conduct, (731) 881-7703. |