Each student at Washington University of Virginia is required to comply with WMCGW’s Student Code of Conduct and the policies and procedures contained within the Student Handbook. If any member of the community should interfere with WMCGW’s policies, functions or activities, the community may find it necessary to protect itself through a disciplinary action, which includes suspending or terminating the student’s enrollment at the university.
The President of WMCGW has the discretion to immediately suspend or expel a student to protect the safety and well-being of the student, community, or university.
Any member of the WMCGW community may bring a claim that a WMCGW student has engaged in an act of disruptive behavior[1], disorderly conduct[2], trespassing[3], or other conduct which disrupts the educational environment, such as an act of harassment, intimidation, violence or physical force, dishonesty, theft, interference with University’s functions, disruption of the academic process, disruption of the campus community, or non-compliance with a University professor or staff member. These constitute some of the actions that may subject a student to a disciplinary action.
The Director of Students, in conjunction with a Disciplinary Action Committee, will handle disciplinary action matters. The student will have the opportunity to discuss the issue with the Director of Students and Committee members. Upon reflection of the allegation and the student’s response, the Director of Students, along with the Disciplinary Action Committee, will determine whether the student engaged in an action that interferes with university policies, functions, and merits a disciplinary action. They will then decide the appropriate disciplinary action to impose upon the student, which can consist of a warning, probation, suspension, or expulsion.
A student may be expelled from school after written notice of the proposed action and the reasons for the expulsion, and the right to a hearing before WMCGW’s Disciplinary Action Committee in accordance with WMCGW’s regulations. The written notice shall include notification of the length of the expulsion and shall state whether the student is eligible to return to school.
The student has the right to appeal the decision. The appeal must be in writing and presented to the Director of Students within 10 days of the decision. The Disciplinary Action Committee will notify the student of the final outcome in the matter within 15 days of receipt of the appeal.
[1]Disruptive behavior is defined in § 22.1—276.01 of the Code of Virginia as conduct that interrupts or obstructs the learning environment.
[2]Disorderly conduct is defined in §18.2-415 of the Code of Virginia as involving the intent to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk.
[3] Trespassing upon church or school property is specifically prohibited by § 18.2-128. of the Code of Virginia. The definition developed for the Virginia Department of Education’s discipline, crime, and violence report is as follows: To enter or remain on a public school campus or school board facility without authorization or invitation and with no lawful purpose for entry, including students under suspension or expulsion, and unauthorized persons who enter or remain on a campus or school board facility after being directed to leave by the chief administrator or designee of the facility, campus, or function.