Student Handbook

April 2, 2024

• Grant of Powers to the Student Government Association, Item 5
  • Eliminate: “Power to deal with cases of discipline arising from infractions of the rules of the association and such other cases as are referred to it by officers of the college. In general, all cases of discipline, except those having to do with academic matters and those coming within the jurisdiction of the Academic Honor Board, the Civil Rights Grievance Procedures or the Commonwealth, shall be so referred. The association shall have the power of imposing penalties to enforce its decisions, with the understanding that the penalty of suspension or dismissal may be imposed only after ratification by the president of the college. Offenses which, if repeated, may lead to suspension or dismissal shall be reported by the chair of the Conduct Board to the dean of the college.”
• Grant of Powers to the Student Government Association, Item 9 (now 8)
  • Add: “Responsibility, with the administration and faculty, for maintaining an academic honor system and a student conduct system.” 
• Article XVI Section 1
  • Eliminate: “There shall be  no fewer than fo () members on the conduct board. There should be an approximately equal number of juniors and seniors. Positions are also available to Ada Comstock Scholars who have completed the appropriate number of credits.”
  • Before original line 4, add: “Membership eligibility is for students in good academic and disciplinary standing, with at least 64 credits and at least one prior semester of enrollment at Smith. The conduct board shall not exceed twenty (20) students and shall minimally include seven (7) students.”
• Article XVI Section 3, Item 1
  • After “Conduct Board Hearing -”, insert: “to follow the procedures of the Conduct Board Hearing (section 9), a”
• Article XVI Section 3, Item 2
  • After line 1, add: “A student does not have to accept the offer for an Administrative Settlement if a Conduct Board Hearing is preferred.”
• Article XVI Section 3, Item 3
  • After “the Conduct Board Hearing”, insert: “(section 9)”
  • After “the dean of students”, insert: “(or their designee)”
  • After “need for expediency”, replace “or” with “,”
  • After “academic year timing”, insert: “, membership availability, or for exceptional privacy concerns”
  • Eliminate: “The dean of the college (or their designee) reserves the right to refer any case for administrative hearing when the dean has determined that doing so is in the best interests of the College or the persons involved.”
• Article XVI Section 4, Item 1
  • Change “Article VIII” to “Article XVI”
  • Eliminate: “, in review with the SGA cabinet.”
• Article XVI Section 4, Item 4
  • Eliminate: “usually the dean of students,”
  • After “dean of the college”, insert: “(or their designee)”
• Article XVI Section 4, Create Item 6
  • “Following the adjudication process, the officers of the college and the dean of the college shall have the power to enforce decisions of the College Conduct Board.”
• Article XVI Section 6, Item 1
  • After “dean of students”, add:  “(or their designee)”
• Article XVI Section 6, Item 2
  • Eliminate: “president of the college”
  • After “and only the”, add: “dean of the college (or their designee)”
• Article XVI Section 6, Item 5
  • Eliminate: “registrar and the”
• Article XVI Section 7 Title
  • After “Hearing”, add “(Respondent)”
• Article XVI Section 8 Title
  • After “Hearing”, add “(Complainant)”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, subitem 1
  • Eliminate: “The conduct board may take such actions as are necessary to enforce its decisions.”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, subitem 2
  • After “seven”, add: “business”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, subitem 3
  • Eliminate: “chosen designee, chair;”
  • After “dean of students or”, insert: “their designees shall chair the appeal board. The other two members shall be”
  • Eliminate: “member of the administration”
  • After “and one”, insert: “administration official”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, subitem 4
  • After “review the evidence”, insert: “provided by the student pursuing the appeal along with the evidence”
  • After “review the case”, insert: “fairly”
  • After “according to the”, insert: “permissible”
  • Eliminate: “as specified in Section 9, D-6”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, original subitem 5
  • Eliminate: “If the appeal board determines that the conduct board's actions or decisions should be modified, it will, before making a decision, send its recommendations for modifications to the conduct board for its reconsideration. The appeal board will make its final decision following the action on reconsideration by the board.”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, original subitem 6
  • Eliminate: “Appeals may be made only on the grounds of gross error in procedure, violation of the student's rights, new evidence, or extreme bias on the part of the conduct board. Appeals may not be filed solely based on disagreeing with the board's decision.”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, new subitem 5
  • Add: “Appeals may be made only on the grounds of (i) gross error in procedure that likely affected the outcome, (ii) violation of the student’s rights provided by [identify the College policy describing these “rights’”], (iii) new evidence which was unavailable at the time of the conduct board hearing, and/or (iv) demonstrated bias by members of the conduct board.”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, new subitem 6
  • Add: “Results of the appeal will be forwarded to the student following the review process. Appeal outcomes will be final.”
• Article XVI Section 9, Item 4, new subitem 7
  • “Following the adjudication process, the officers of the college and the dean of the college shall have the power to enforce decisions of the College Conduct Board.”
• Article XVI Section 11, Item 10
  • Eliminate: “In addition,”
  • After “permanently separate”, insert: “students”
  • Change “president” to “dean”
  • After “[dean] of the college”, insert: “(or their designee)”
  • After line 1, add: “The College Conduct Board will consult with the dean of the college (or their designee) about such recommendations prior to issuing an outcome letter to the student”