Parent FAQs

The Office of Student Conduct receives complaints, copies of UGA and ACC police reports, and referrals from individuals and University departments.

Any student who is contacted by the Office of Student Conduct is expected to schedule an appointment with their specified administrative officer by the deadline date given in the initial contact letter. During the meeting, the administrative officer will review the Code of Conduct and the conduct process with the student. The student will have the opportunity to review the information in the conduct file and share any additional information with the administrative officer. If the administrative officer finds there is enough information to move forward with the case, the student has the option of resolving through the informal or formal resolution process. Detailed information about the conduct process can be found in the Code of Conduct. 

Encourage your student to review the Code of Conduct and schedule a meeting with his/her assigned administrative officer as soon as possible, remind your student to be respectful of the conduct process, and support your student throughout the process.  

The Office of Student Conduct sends all correspondence via email to the student’s UGA email account, and in some circumstances to the preferred address designated in the Athena registration and data system. Parents or guardians are only notified when a student is found to have violated Code of Conduct regulations related to alcohol or other drugs when he/she is under the age of 21.  

Unfortunately, we cannot talk to you about your student’s case unless we receive written permission from the student based on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Once we have written permission, we welcome any questions and/or concerns parents or guardians have regarding their student’s case. 

In order to attend, we must receive permission from your student.  If your student would like for you to attend, you are more than welcome.

In order to attend, we must receive permission from your student.  If your student would like for a lawyer to attend, the lawyer is more than welcome.

An informal resolution occurs when the student or student organization takes responsibility for the alleged violations and agrees to the sanctions proposed by the administrative officer.  A formal resolution (investigation and possible hearing) occurs when the student or student organization disputes the alleged violations and/or proposed sanctions and wants to have the alleged violations decided by a hearing panel.

It means that your student was found to have violated Code of Conduct regulations related to alcohol or other drugs while under the age of 21.

Sanctions are assigned at the discretion of the hearing panel or administrative officer. Examples of sanctions outlined in the Code of Conduct include probation, restitution, community service, housing restrictions, educational sanctions, alcohol/drug education, suspension and expulsion. This list is not exhaustive, and sanctions are assigned to meet the specific circumstances of a given situation. For any violations of Regulation 4 (alcohol or drug related misconduct), minimum sanctions will apply. Minimum sanctions for these cases can be found on page 16 of the Code of Conduct.

Sanctions proposed by Office of Student Conduct staff are intended to be educational and to help your student learn from the incident.

This means that your student is no longer a member of the University community for a specified period of time and will not be able to participate in or attend classes.  Other restrictions may apply during a suspension period. For more information about other offices that your student may need to contact, please visit the “Suspension Information” link located here.

Your student needs to contact the Office of Student Conduct to schedule a meeting with a designated administrative officer to discuss returning as well as the completion of any required sanctions.

Any violation of the Code of Conduct is noted on the student’s conduct record. The conduct record is a separate record from the academic record; violations are not noted on a student’s transcript or diploma. However, many graduate or professional schools and some employers may request a copy of the conduct record. In the case of expulsion, a notation may be made on the student’s transcript at the request of the Office of Student Conduct.

No. The University’s conduct process is educational, remedial, and administrative in nature and is separate from the court system.