Article VII: Sanctions

Article VII: Sanctions 

Sanctions may be imposed on any student, club, or organization found to have violated the Student Code. Sanctioning shall reasonably and proportionately respond to the severity, damages, and circumstances of a policy violation. Sanctions aim to counter community impact of a code violation, educate respondents, and minimize the possibility that a student commits a similar policy violation in the future. 

A. Individual Sanctions 

In accordance with the Code’s philosophy of education and community accountability, the following educational and restorative sanctions may be imposed: 

1. Service to the College or the community. Particular forms of community work on and off campus and a number of hours to be worked can be established.  

2. Educational assignments: Research papers that educate the respondent about the consequences of their misconduct, apology letters, and other discretionary assignments may be imposed. 

3. Attendance at drug, alcohol, anger management workshops, or other similar alternatives suitable to the nature of the infraction. 

4. Restitution or compensation for loss, damage, or injury. This may take the form of appropriate service and/or monetary or material replacement. The College will work with students for whom restitution or compensation poses a financial concern. 

Educational and restorative sanctions may not always mitigate harm to the College community. Other sanctions that may be imposed include: 

1. A notice in writing to the student that the student is responsible for violating College regulations. 

2. Conduct Probation. Probation is assigned for a designated period of time and includes the probability of more severe disciplinary sanctions if the student is found to be violating any institutional regulations during the probationary period.  Conduct probation status may limit campus leadership opportunities. Students currently on conduct probation are not eligible to apply to Study Abroad programs as dictated by Office of Study Abroad policy.  

3. Fines previously established and published. 

4. Limitations on Participation: A student may be barred from participating in college activities, including room draw, for a designated period of time. The limits on participation are not all-encompassing, as some offices may choose to limit participation by students based on other conduct and their own policies. 

5. Residence Hall Reassignment. 

6. College Suspension: Separation of the student from the College for a designated period of time after which the student is eligible to return. Conditions for re-admission may be specified by the hearing panel or the Dean of Students. 

7. Withholding participation in graduation: Seniors may be denied the privilege of participation in Class Day and Commencement exercises. 

8. College expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the College. 

B. Collections of Individuals 

Any sanction from Article VII, Section A may be imposed on students charged as collections of individuals. Different sanctions may be assigned to different individuals in the collection. 

C. Clubs and Organizations 

The Judicial Council may not assign different sanctions to different individuals within the club or organization. The group itself may, however, allow individual members to take a greater share of the sanction (e.g., pay more in fines or contribute more community service hours). 

The following sanctions, as previously defined, may be imposed on clubs or organizations: 

• Letter of warning. 

• Conduct probation and/or limitation on privileges. 

• Fines. 

• Restitution. 

• Suspension or revocation of privileges. This shall be limited to the loss of any or all privileges afforded to the group by the College. 

• Community Service. 

• Suspension or revocation of charter or registration of the organization. Suspension shall result in a loss of all privileges associated with recognition as a Pomona College organization for a designated period of time. Revocation shall result in permanent loss of privileges associated with recognition as a Pomona College organization. The Judicial Council may establish conditions and time tables that govern when any organization whose charter has been revoked or registration withdrawn can apply for a new charter. They may also revoke an organization’s charter or registration in perpetuity. 

Club or organization sanctions do not preclude an individual from being held responsible for code violations associated with or related to the organization’s policy violations. 
 
If an organization’s charter or registration is suspended or revoked, individuals may be sanctioned, after a hearing before the Judicial Council, for acting on behalf of the group or organization while the sanction is in effect. Examples of prohibited conduct associated with such organizations include: participation in recruiting or initiating new members to the group or organization, organizing events for the organization, using college facilities for activities of the organization, and representing one’s self as a member of the organization while on Pomona property or at Pomona sponsored events. 
 
While an organization sanction of expulsion, charter revocation, or removal of registration is in effect, the College may in its discretion deny permission to use College facilities to individuals who are members of that organization or were at the time of the events on which the sanctions were based. 

D. Interim Suspension 

In certain circumstances the President may impose a College suspension prior to the hearing before a judicial body. Further, the Dean of Campus Life may, in certain circumstances, impose a residence hall suspension prior to the hearing before a judicial body. 

1. Interim suspension may be imposed only:  

1. to ensure the safety and well-being of members of the college community or preservation of college property; 

2. to ensure the student’s own physical or emotional safety and well being, or; 

3. if the student poses a credible threat of disruption or interference with the normal operation of the College. 

2. During an interim suspension from the College imposed by the President, the student shall be denied access to the campus (including classes) and all other college activities or privileges for which the student might otherwise be eligible as the President may determine to be appropriate. 

3. During interim suspension from the residence halls imposed by the Dean of Campus Life, the student shall be denied access to the residence halls and other college activities for which the student might otherwise be eligible as the Dean of Campus Life may deem appropriate. 

4. Interim suspension from campus or the residence halls will be followed with speedy access to a hearing for the suspended student(s). 

E. Sanctions for Alcohol and Drug Policy Violations 

The Pomona College Code of Conduct is an educational process that allows for students in violation of the Student Code to think about their actions, the impact of those actions on the community, and prevention of future code violations. The process outlined below is a framework outlining various violations of the alcohol and drug policies and recommended sanctions. (Policies not covered below will be handled on a case-by-case basis and could be handled by Student Code Administrators, Deans, or the Judicial Council depending on the incident.) 

Please note: If you are found or plead responsible for a policy violation that will be kept as a record of your conduct throughout your time at Pomona. This is common in college and university conduct systems throughout the United States. There was confusion about this previously since while points could expire, the cases remained on a student’s record. If you have questions about the impact of an incident on your record you can speak with the Judicial Council Advisors, your Class Dean, or the Career Development Office. 

• Possession of beer/wine (under 21); possession of hard alcohol on South Campus (any age); providing beer/wine to students under 21; misusing prescription drugs (not including distribution or intent to distribute): 

First offense – Warning letter and meeting with Student Code Administrator 

Second offense – Second warning letter and meeting with Student Code Administrator and AOD counselor 

Third offense – Meeting with Dean, meeting with AOD counselor, and AOD education 

Fourth offense (or more) – Judicial Council 

All student conduct administrators and Deans may include additional educational sanctions (ex. Apology letter, community service) and will be discussed with the respondent during the meeting. 

• Possession of liquor (under 21); providing liquor to students under 21; hosting an unregistered party OR possessing keg/party ball/common container/multiple cases or bottles; using or possessing marijuana (not including distribution or intent to distribute):  

First offense – Warning letter and meeting with Student Code Administrator 

Second offense – Warning and meeting with Dean and the AOD counselor 

Third offense – Probation for one semester, meeting with Dean, meeting with AOD counselor, AOD education 

Fourth offense (or more) – Judicial Council  

All student conduct administrators and Deans may include additional educational sanctions (ex. Apology letter, community service) and will be discussed with the respondent during the meeting.  

• Using false identification (any kind); attending an unregistered party; failure to comply/refusal to cooperate with a reasonable request of a Pomona College official (incl but not limited to RAs, RLCs, Campus Safety, Student Code Administrators)  

First offense – Warning letter and meeting with Student Code Administrator 

Second offense – Second warning letter and meeting with Student Code Administrator 

Third offense – Probation for one semester, meeting with Dean, educational sanction 

Fourth offense (or more) – Judicial Council  

All student conduct administrators and Deans may include additional educational sanctions (ex. Apology letter, community service) and will be discussed with the respondent during the meeting.  

• Using or possessing cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, LSD or other hallucinogens, designer drugs or other illegal drugs  

First offense - Judicial Council, likely sanctions: probation, scheduled meetings with the Pomona College AOD counselor; parental notification  

Second offense - Judicial Council, likely sanctions: suspension from the College, off-campus treatment, additional educational sanctions  

• Manufacturing, selling, distributing, or intent to distribute any illegal or prescription drug  

First offense - Judicial Council, likely sanctions: interim suspension from the College until a hearing is held, suspension from the College, off-campus treatment, additional educational sanctions  

Second offense - Judicial Council, likely sanctions: interim suspension until the hearing has occurred, expulsion from the College 

F. Fines 

Misuse of Residence Halls 

Unauthorized Pets on Campus 

Possession of an Unauthorized or Duplicate Key