Community Standards
(Updated August 20, 2021)
The points system is a sanctioning tool used by Union College administrators to measure the severity of Policy violations and as a means of responding to violations described in the Student Handbook. Developed in the 2004-2005 Academic Year, in response to the observed increase in alcohol and drug violations, the Dean of Students convened a task force of students, staff, and faculty to assist in the development of a new system to make Union’s Conduct Code process more transparent and easier to understand, particularly the Alcohol and Drug Policy.
Since it is a point system similar to that associated with motor vehicle violations, students understood that some violations are considered more serious than others and that violations are cumulative. It would also allow for more consistency regarding Policy violations and sanctions assigned. First implemented on a trial basis, initial assessments resulted in improvements as students and staff offered feedback in a variety of ways. Throughout its several iterations, the students opted to keep improving it rather than eliminating it. The Points System is now used throughout campus as one way of measuring how likely students are to violate the Conduct Code and how seriously they regard the consequences of their behavior.
Under this system, a student found responsible for a violation of College Policy, or who admits to a violation, is assigned a number of points in to the Table of Violations provided below.
Points and/or other sanctions are assigned after the conclusion of the Administrative Review or Judicial Hearing Process; please see Student Conduct Code contained in Student Handbook wherein it provides that points and sanctions are assigned at the discretion of the Director of Community Standards or the Administrative Board (hereinafter referred to as the “Administrator of Points”). Points are cumulative over the course of a student’s time at Union College, and previous violations are always considered before points and/or sanctions are assigned for new violations; however, at the time points are assessed, only those points that a student is currently assigned, if any, will be taken into consideration (see Point Forgiveness and Community Service Reduction).
Before points and/or sanctions are assigned, the student must be afforded the rights set forth in the Student Handbook including, for example, notification of the specific violations, the opportunity to elect to go before a Judicial Board, and the opportunity to submit an impact statement as part of the Administrative Review or Judicial Hearing Process.