Student Conduct - Dean of Students

Warning Probation: a sanction imposed for a specified period of time. Further violations of the Student Code will result in more severe disciplinary sanctions.        

Disciplinary Probation: a sanction imposed for a specific period of time. Further violations of the Student Code may result in suspension or expulsion. 

Special Conditions: Financial restitution, service to the University, service to the community, attendance at educational seminars, classes, or workshops, written assignments, or other activities deemed appropriate. Some seminars, classes, and workshops may require a registration fee to be paid by the student.

Parental/Guardian Notification for Alcohol and/or Other Drugs: Parental or guardian notification for serious first offenses, second offenses and any subsequent offenses for students under 21 years of age.

Loss of Privileges: Denial of specified privileges for a designated period of time.  Privileges that can be denied include, but are not limited to, contact with another person, campus registration of a vehicle, on-campus employment, access to a building or portion of a building, access to a program, access to the University network, participation in extracurricular activities, and any other privilege deemed appropriate.

Suspension: A decision of suspension terminates the student’s status as an enrolled student for a specific period of time and prohibits the student from attending classes.  A suspended student may not enter onto any part of the campus without specific authorization from the Director of Public Safety and Police Services or designee and the Dean of Students or designee.  Students who reside on campus must remove their belongings from their place of residence within 48 hours of notice of suspension.

• The terms of suspension may also include other conditions which may apply following the student’s reinstatement.
• At the discretion of the conduct board or conduct administrator who hears the case, the suspension may be held in abeyance.
• A violation of the terms of suspension or suspension in abeyance may result in an extension of the period of suspension, which may be imposed by the Dean of Students or designee.

Temporary Suspension: In certain circumstances, the Dean of Students or designee may impose a temporary suspension until the student conduct process is completed.

• Temporary suspension may be imposed only to promote the safety and well-being of members of the University community or preservation of property; to ensure the student’s own physical or emotional safety and well-being; or if the respondent poses an ongoing threat of disruption of, or interference with, the normal operations of the University.
• During the temporary suspension, a student shall be denied access to University housing, to the campus (including classes), and/or all other university activities or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible, as the Dean of Students or designee may determine appropriate.
• The temporary suspension does not replace the regular student conduct process, up to and through a conduct board hearing, if required.

Expulsion: A decision of expulsion permanently terminates the student’s status as an enrolled student.  An expelled student may not enter onto any part of the campus without specific authorization from the Director of Public Safety and Police Services or designee and the Dean of Students or designee.  Students who reside on campus must remove their belongings from their place of residence within 48 hours of notice of expulsion. 

Sanctions other than suspension held in abeyance, suspension, expulsion, or revocation or withholding of degree shall be expunged from the student’s conduct record seven years after final disposition of the case.

Upon receiving a report, the report is reviewed by the conduct staff to see if there has been an alleged violation of the Student Handbook. At that time, a meeting may be requested with the accused student. The student will be notified of the alleged violation prior to a meeting with conduct staff.  The notification is typically through NMU email but may also be by mail. During the meeting staff will:

• explain the conduct process and purpose
• allow students the opportunity review the alleged violation and discuss their involvement
• explore the impact of the behavior and how it effected the individual and community
• review expectations when a part of the University community
• allow students to affirm or negate the alleged violations
• explain the hearing process for students who negate alleged violations
• provide resources for students
• talk about possible sanctions if a student affirms responsibility

If a student negates or stands mute on an alleged violation, they may request a conduct board hearing. A conduct board hearing is not a criminal trial. The standard of proof is call the preponderance of evidence. Based on the preponderance of evidence, the conduct board decides if the student is "more likely than not" responsible or not responsible. 

A parent or legal guardian of a student who is under 21 years of age will be notified when a student has had either:

1. a serious alcohol or drug violation of the Student Code, e.g. required medical treatment or had another violation such as destruction of property or disorderly conduct in combination with the alcohol or drug offense, or
2. more than one violation of the alcohol or drug regulations of the Student Code.

Parental notification for a serious alcohol or drug violation will be at the discretion of the Dean of Students.

All student-athletes are subject to review under the Student-Athlete Code if the student-athlete is in violation of the NMU Student Code.

When a student is accused of violating the Student Code, and criminal charges are pending against the student, an attorney may be present at the student's expense.  The role of the attorney is limited and passive.  Their role is to advise the student regarding self-incrimination and to observe the proceedings. 

The Dean of Students, or designee, shall decide whether the Student Code shall be applied to conduct occurring off campus, on a case-by-case basis, in their sole discretion.

Students living on campus who own guns for hunting and other purposes must register and store them at NMU Public Safety and Police Services.

You are not allowed to use, carry, transport, store or possess lethal or dangerous weapons or explosives anywhere on the NMU campus. The only exception is that public officials licensed by their profession to carry guns can do so as required by their professional duties.

NMU Public Safety and Police Services is located in the Services Building on Sugarloaf Avenue, between Wright and Hawley Streets (See Campus Map).  Phone: 906-227-2151

Federal law prohibits the possession and/or use of marijuana on campus premises, regardless of the possession of a medical marijuana card through the State.  For questions or concerns contact the Dean of Students Office (906)227-1700.

Students shall not intentionally or negligently participate in academic dishonesty in any course offered by or at NMU. If a student is uncertain about an issue of academic honesty, the student should consult the faculty member to resolve questions in any situation prior to the submission of any academic work. This regulation does not preclude an academic penalty imposed by a faculty member as provided for in Student Rights and Responsibilities, Section 1.2.3.

• Cheating
  • Students shall not, during the course of a quiz or examination, (1) offer information of any kind to another student; (2) take and/or receive information of any kind from another student, or from the quiz or examination responses made by another student; or (3) have in their possession any tool, written material, or other device which may be of assistance to them in taking the quiz or examination, and which has not been authorized by the person proctoring the quiz or examination.
  • Students shall not take, steal, share, or otherwise procure in an unauthorized manner any piece or pieces of writing or information which contain the questions, answers or access codes to an examination scheduled to be given to any individual or group enrolled in any course of study offered by the University.
  • Students shall not complete or attempt to complete any academic exercise for or with another individual without proper authorization.  Students shall not allow another person to complete or attempt to complete any academic exercise on their behalf.
• Complicity
  • Students shall not knowingly participate in, or otherwise facilitate, the academic dishonesty of another student.
• Falsification
  • Students shall not submit as their own any work or assignment which contains content falsified by the student or content the student knows to be false.
  • Students shall not provide false or misleading information to influence academic requirements, including but not limited to grades, attendance, academic assignments, exercises or deadlines.
• Plagiarism
  • Students shall not submit as their own to a faculty member any work which contains ideas or materials taken from another without full acknowledgement of the author and the source.
• Possession
  • The unauthorized possession of any of the pieces of writing or information described above shall be considered evidence of a violation of the provision of this regulation.
• Multiple Submission
  • An academic exercise may not be submitted by a student for course credit in more than one course without the permission of the affected faculty member(s).

In instances where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a student of academic dishonesty as defined in the Student Code in Section 2.3.1, the faculty member must inform the student of the nature of the alleged violation within fourteen (14) calendar days of  becoming aware of the alleged violation, exclusive of dates when the University is not in session.

After affording the student an opportunity to respond, the faculty member will decide whether or not the student is responsible for dishonest academic practices.  If the faculty member concludes that dishonest academic practices have occurred, the faculty member will take appropriate corrective action.  Such action may include, but is not limited to, a repetition of the assignment or a lowering of the grade for the assignment or course.  The most severe penalty which may be imposed directly by the faculty member for academic dishonesty is a grade of “F” for the course to which the violation applies.  The decision of the faculty member shall be subject to appeal following the rules of procedure outlined in Section 1.2.1.

The faculty member should keep a complete record of matters pertinent to such incidents and forward a summary of the incident to the department head and other appropriate administrators.  The faculty member has the option to request the Dean of Students Office to keep the academic dishonesty on file informally or to formally charge the student with a violation of the Student Code and assign a disciplinary penalty in accordance with the Student Code.  Students who are given a grade of “F” as a result of a finding of academic dishonesty may not withdraw from the course if found responsible through disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code.  The student conduct process will automatically honor decisions made through the grade appeal process regarding academic dishonesty.

In those instances in which a student calls the NMU Police Department, other NMU staff, or another health and safety entity for assistance with an alcohol or other drug related emergency, neither the individual calling nor the student in need of assistance will face formal conduct action by the Dean of Students Office regarding violations of alcohol and other drug policies.  Amnesty applies only to alcohol and other drug violations.  In order to qualify for medical amnesty, medical attention must be received at the time of the incident.

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