Student FAQs

Why do I have a tag?

A tag is placed on a student’s record by OSSR or Campus Living at the time a complaint is filed.   The tag will remain on the record until the student meets with a conduct administrator and the complaint is resolved. Students with a tag may not register for classes, drop or add classes or take many academic actions without the permission of OSRR or Campus Living. Tags may be temporarily lifted if a student is actively participating in the conduct process or is complying with all sanctions.  If a student withdraws from ECU before resolving a pending complaint, a tag will be placed on the record and the student may not re-enroll without resolving the pending complaint.

If a student has a JUD tag on their account they should contact Campus Living at 252-328-4917 with any questions or requests to temporarily lift the tag.  If a student has a SC tag on their account they should contact OSSR at 252-328-6824.

How should I prepare for my student conduct meeting?

There are different types of student conduct processes, but the preparation is similar. Students are expected to be sincere and tell the truth. An organized and sequential telling of the story and presenting of evidence or information is most helpful. Formal presentations are not necessary, as a focused and honest conversation is usually sufficient to resolve most incidents. You represent yourself at a conduct meeting and are expected to present yourself respectfully and coherently to the conduct administrator.

Who has access to my conduct record?  Will my parents or professors find out about this?

Student records are protected under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, commonly known as FERPA.  Typically, OSRR does not disclose student conduct records without prior permission of the student to anyone including parents and faculty.  If a student is less than 21 years of age, and found responsible for violating the drug and/or alcohol policies parents are notified of that case.  Students may give parents access to their student record on OneStop (Buckley Form under “Academic Planning” module) or by signing a FERPA Release Form in our office.

I received a citation for county court; why have I been charged with a Code violation as well?

OSRR receives reports from a variety sources including ECU and Greenville Police, and Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE).  Some behaviors are a violation of law as well as a violation of the Code.  Proceedings under the Code may be carried out prior to, simultaneously with, or following civil/criminal proceedings. 

My charges were dismissed or I received a ‘prayer for judgment’ in court, why do I have to meet with a conduct administrator?

Having criminal charges dismissed or receiving a prayer for judgment does not mean you did not engage in the behavior.  OSRR still has the right to review the behavior in the incident to determine if there was a possible violation of the Code.   

What is a Student Advisor?

A Student Advisor is a trained student-member of the Conduct Board who can assist you as you go through the appeals process for a non-academic violation of the Student Code of Conduct.  They can answer questions about the process, offer feedback about your appeal letter, and guide you through a Conduct Board Hearing, if granted.  You will be provided the contact information of a student advisor in your meeting with the conduct administrator.

Parents FAQs

Q:  My student has a hold tag from this office; can you tell me what it is?

A:  A hold tag is placed on a student’s account when they need to meet with a conduct administrator or have not completed a sanction assigned as a result of violating the Student Code of Conduct (Code).  Your student should call if they have specific questions.

Q:  How can I help my student?

A:  You can help your student by being supportive while holding him or her accountable to your expectations and the university's. You can also be helpful by allowing and expecting your student to set up their own appointments, attend meetings and complete sanctions.  It is usually not helpful to the educational development of the student for parents to take over the process for their students. This is a great opportunity for your student to learn how to self-advocate and resolve issues on their own.

Q:  Will I be informed if my student violates the Code?

A:  Student conduct records are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) which means OSRR does not typically disclose the information within a student's conduct record to anyone including parents.  In most instances, students must authorize a parent to have access to their conduct record on OneStop or by signing a FERPA Release Form in our office. 

Parents of students who are less than 21 years of age and found responsible for violating the alcohol or drug policies may be notified in writing of the incident. It is recommended that students inform their parents of all incidents that result in sanctions.  Please see the U.S. Department of Education website or the ECU Office of the Registrar for further information regarding FERPA.

Q:  Does my student need an attorney?

A:   The ECU conduct process functions independent of the criminal justice system. Attorneys are not permitted to participate in the conduct process unless the respondent is facing concurrent criminal charges stemming from the incident in question. In such situations, the attorney may only advise her/his client. During a hearing, the attorney is not permitted to ask questions or present information. The student will assume all responsibility for attorney fees.

Q:  Can I be present at the meeting and/or hearing?

A:  During a conduct meeting, students may elect to have a parent present as non-participating support person.  The student will need to complete a FERPA release form at the beginning of the meeting.  During hearings, the support person is not permitted to actively participate in the process, but is simply to provide comfort to the respondent. If the respondent chooses to have an attorney present, if permitted, the attorney will be identified as the support person. In such a situation, the respondent will not be permitted to have an additional non-participating support person present.

Q: My son/daughter is also in trouble with the courts. Can the campus proceedings be delayed until the conclusion of the criminal process?

A:  OSSR is obliged to move forward with all disciplinary matters as soon as it has collected sufficient information to do so. ECU is not required to defer to the timeline of the criminal courts and will not typically grant requests made on this basis. Please remember that ECU is not attempting to determine if a student committed a crime.  Our goal is to determine whether or not the student has violated the Student Code of Conduct.

Q:  My student has been the victim of an offense by another student. What should they do?

A:  Any member of the ECU community may file an incident report by contacting OSSR, ECU police, or their RA/Residence Life Coordinator (if a resident student).  We do offer an online incident report form on our website.

Q: Where are the rules?

The Student Code of Conduct and other University policies can be found here.

Staff and Faculty FAQs

Q:  I think there's been an Academic Integrity (AI) violation, what do I do?

A:  Please see the faculty manual for procedures on how potential AI policy violations should be handled.  Generally speaking, if the student is in your class and the potential AI violation is related to a class requirement or activity, the faculty member has original jurisdiction.  In cases of an academic integrity violation is not related to a class requirement or activity, the Academic Integrity Board has original jurisdiction.  If you have questions about the AI policy or procedures   please call OSRR at 252-328-6824   

Q: How do I become involved with the Conduct Board or Academic Integrity Board?

A:  Staff and faculty members interested in serving on the Conduct Board should contact the OSRR for more information on the selection process and requirements.  Faculty members of the Academic Integrity Board are appointed by the Faculty Senate and must be current ECU faculty.

Q: I am concerned about a student's well-being, what should I do?

A:  You may encounter several varieties of concerning student behavior.

• If the behavior is an imminent threat to you or others, call ECU police by calling 911 or 328-6787.
• If you are concern about a student struggling with a lost of a loved one or adjustment to college or similar issue contact the Center for Counseling and Student Development at 328-6661.
• If you observed a dramatic decline in academic performance or significant change in demeanor contact the Dean of Students Office at 328-9297
• If a student is harassing or threatening you or others, or appears to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, please contact OSRR at 328-6824.  You may also file a report on a webpage.

Q: Is it possible to make an anonymous report about a student's behavior?

A:  We do currently accept anonymous reports.  However, anonymous reports do not afford OSRR the opportunity to assess the veracity of the report or gain additional information about the incident.  Typically anonymous reports do not provide the type of information OSRR needs when hearing an alleged Code violation.  If you elect to submit a report anonymously, please provide as much detail as possible about what occurred.

Q: I advise a student group that may have violated the Code, what should I do?

A:  You can submit a report using our online incident reporting form.  Be sure to include name of organization, and names of student involved and complete the form with as much detail as available.  If you would like to discuss the incident before reporting please contact OSRR.