Like any community, Dartmouth has a set of standards of behavior. Occasionally students and others do not abide by these standards. The standards of conduct that students agree to when they matriculate are those that enhance life at the College for individuals and for the entire community. When there is an alleged violation, it is the job of the members of the Committee on Standards (COS) to determine what has happened and what, if any, consequences should follow.
The number of students who violate Dartmouth's standards is low. While there were 427 total individual disciplinary cases in 2005-06, the vast majority were minor. Only 59 were suspension-level cases, of which a smaller subset actually had COS hearings. Twenty-eight involved the violation of the Academic Honor Principle. The COS found 5 students not responsible. Of the remaining students who violated the Academic Honor Principle, 6 received College Discipline (e.g. probation), 15 were suspended, and 2 received reprimands.
There were 31 cases of serious non-academic conduct. Of these, 21 students admitted responsibility and chose to have an individual hearing with a dean. Serious conduct cases included dangerous fire safety violations (19%), violence or threatening behavior (19%), repeated intoxication (26%), driving under the influence (13%), sexual abuse (13%), and intoxication and disorderly conduct (10%).
The number of serious conduct violations was lower than the previous year and than the number reported in 2000-01 (62 cases).
To read more about the COS, read Structure and Operation of the Undergraduate Disciplinary System.
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