Disciplinary Process

Disciplinary Committee

Though the Disciplinary Committee (DC) can serve a fact-finding function, it is not a court of law or a judicial mechanism. Rather, a hearing before the DC is an educational process meant to help the transgressing student to understand the seriousness of the rule, the reasons for the rule, and the necessity of consequences when individuals break the rules. The Discipline Committee is responsible for upholding the Academy’s standards.

If a student is reported in violation of a school rule that may be major in nature, a Discipline Committee is convened to hear the student’s case. This committee is composed of the following: the Dean of Students who serves as the chair of the Committee, the Class Dean who presents the case, four students–one of which will be required to keep notes, three faculty members, and the student’s advisor. All of these members will vote except the DOS (only in the case of a tie) and the advisor. The advisor may stay during the deliberations. Any student appearing before the committee has the option of selecting a student or a teacher to serve as his or her advocate during the hearing. The faculty member who reported the infraction may also be present for the hearing, but not the deliberation. The student in question has the option to identify one student member of the committee whom he or she wishes not to participate in the hearing. After the facts are determined before the committee, the student and his or her advocate leave the hearing. The committee, by means of consensus, formulates a disciplinary recommendation for the Head of School. In all major cases, the Head of School or, in her absence, the Dean of Students ultimately decides the disciplinary response. The Head of School may choose to alter this procedure and the constitution of the committee when she believes a hearing involving students would violate a student’s privacy. Furthermore, the Head of School may choose to alter this procedure and the constitution of the committee when practical considerations interfere, such as the availability of committee members.

Academic Honor Committee

When a faculty member perceives a question of academic dishonesty, regardless of degree and/or nature, the faculty member will report the situation to the chair of his or her department.Together, they will determine if Deerfield’s policy on academic dishonesty has been violated. If they feel a violation has occurred, the teacher informs the Academic Dean. The Academic Dean, at his discretion, may convene an Academic Honor Committee in order to consider the allegation of the teacher and to hear the explanation of the student in question. The Academic Honor Committee is composed of the Academic Dean, the Class Dean, the teacher of the student, the Chair of the department involved, the advisor of the student and two student committee members.

Additionally, the student may invite an advocate (either a student or a faculty member) to be present during the hearing. The advocate will not be involved in the subsequent deliberation. The Academic Honor Committee determines the innocence or guilt of the student and formulates a recommendation, which the academic dean communicates to the Head of School. In all major cases, the Head of School or, in her absence, the Dean of Students ultimately decides the disciplinary response.

Appeal Process

If a student feels that the disciplinary process was flawed or that new and salient information in the case has come to light, then he or she may ask the Head of School to initiate an appeal. If the Head of School agrees that an appeal might be valuable, then she will convene the Disciplinary Appeal Committee. The Disciplinary Appeal Committee is composed of four faculty members, four seniors, the student’s advisor and the Dean of Students (or Academic Dean). The Appeal procedure is the same as that of a Discipline Committee hearing, and the Head of School determines the school’s response based on the Disciplinary Appeal Committee’s recommendation. The Head of School may choose to alter the procedure and the constitution of the committee when practical considerations interfere, such as the availability of committee members.

Probationary Actions

Dean’s Letter of Reprimand

A Dean’s Reprimand may be issued and placed in a student’s file to indicate the gravity of a student’s misbehaviors or errors in judgment. The student may be required to appear before the Disciplinary Committee if there is a similar subsequent violation.

Disciplinary Probation

A student may be placed on Disciplinary Probation for an accumulation of minor infractions or the violation of a major rule of any kind. Students have the option of petitioning the Head of School to be removed from probation after being on probation for two calendar years. Students who violate a major rule while on probation will likely be dismissed from the Academy.

Head of School’s Warning Status

Head of School’s Warning is seen as a probationary status given to those students who have failed, in many ways, to live up to Deerfield’s expectations. This status is one step shy of dismissal. A student placed on Head of School’s Warning is asked not only to change the negative behaviors and attitudes that caused concern, but also to make positive contributions to the school community. Failure to respond to this warning could result in the student’s dismissal. In addition, a student who violates a major school rule while on Head of School’s Warning will likely be dismissed. A student may be placed on Head of School’s Warning at any point in the term and at the discretion of the Head of School. Additionally, if at a full faculty discussion there seems to be a significant inclination to place a student on Head of School’s Warning, then the Head of School can appoint an Ad Hoc Committee of faculty members close to the student in question to meet on their own, to consider the student’s circumstances in detail, and then to make a recommendation to the Head of School about whether or not the committee feels Head of School’s Warning is warranted. The Head of School will consider the recommendation of the committee and the concerns of the faculty and decide accordingly. The specific nature of the concerns about the student will determine the exact composition of the committee, but typically the committee will be made up of some or all of the following: the student’s teachers, advisor, faculty resident (if a boarder), co-curricular leader, the Academic Dean, and the Class Dean.

Additionally, students may be placed on Head of School’s Warning at the end of the school year, after a discussion of the full faculty. The student will be reviewed at the end of each subsequent term but will remain on Head of School’s Warning for at least two terms. At the end of two complete terms, the faculty will discuss the student’s progress and make a recommendation for further action.

Participation in Graduation (“Sixteen Day Rule”)

A senior forfeits the privilege of being on campus during graduation weekend if he/she:

• has been found to violate a major school rule during the last 16 days before graduation, or
• has not fulfilled the academic requirements for graduation by the deadline for submission of senior spring term grades. In the case that a borderline failure has occurred that might be remedied by a make-up exam or exercise, the student will return to campus for the underclass exam period to do the make-up work.

Alcohol/Drug Assessment

An alcohol/drug assessment and participation in a random alcohol/drug testing program (for the remainder of the academic year for seniors and for one calendar year for underclassmen) are required as part of the response to all drug and alcohol violations. The Academy has arranged for a professional alcohol/drug counselor to come to campus to meet with students to complete such assessments. A member of the counseling staff receives the assessment report and gives it to the student’s advisor who goes over it with the student. The student is given a copy of the report to give to his/her parents, and a copy is kept in the student’s confidential medical file. One or more follow-up meetings with a member of the counseling staff is required to discuss and/or implement the recommendations of the assessment. Compliance with the random testing program and all of the recommendations resulting from the assessment is mandatory. The cost of both will be the financial responsibility of the parents and will be billed to the student’s account.

From time to time the counseling staff or a Dean may have concern about a student and request an alcohol/drug assessment even if a violation of a school rule concerning alcohol or drugs has not been documented. When such an assessment is requested through this non-disciplinary mechanism, compliance with the recommendations of the assessment, including possible drug and alcohol testing, are mandatory.

College Notification

The Academy maintains and benefits from a relationship with colleges and universities based on openness and trust. When a college or university asks on the admission application whether a student has been suspended and/or placed on probation at any time during his/her high school career, the student must answer the question honestly in a written statement to the Admission Office and provide the College Advising Office with his or her letter of explanation. This letter must be sent by the student with the appropriate applications; a copy of the letter must be provided to the College Advising Office by the time of application.

If the infraction occurs after the application has been submitted, the same expectation for notification applies: a student is required to send a letter explaining his/her particular situation. The student’s college advisor may report, briefly and factually, the infraction and the Academy’s response to the student.

Regardless of the application requirement, the Academy will report to colleges any infraction involving dishonesty (academic or otherwise), theft and harassment, or any infraction that results in a separation from the Academy of more than five days, including those that require a mandatory withdrawal from school. If a senior is required to withdraw for academic reasons during the year, or does not graduate on schedule, the student’s college advisor will notify the colleges or other programs to which the student applied.

Observance of the college notification policy is a matter of academic honesty.