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Disciplinary Files and Records
A student who is charged with a violation of the "Code of Student Conduct" has a disciplinary file created and maintained by the Office of Student Judicial Services. The student is afforded the opportunity to have the charge(s) heard before the University Hearing Board or at a Disciplinary Conference depending upon the severity of the alleged violation. The charge letter sent by a member of the SJS staff or designee contains detailed information regarding each student's particular case and his or her hearing or conference.
If a student is found in violation of the charge(s), his or her disciplinary file is converted to a disciplinary record and is retained until his or her graduation from the University. If a student is found not in violation, the student's disciplinary file is voided. The information in the file may be retained for a period of time in an administrative file for statistical or record keeping purposes.
Confidentiality of Disciplinary Records
The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) protects a student's educational records - including disciplinary records - from unauthorized disclosure to third parties. A student must sign a waiver to grant access to his or her disciplinary record before SJS will disclose the information contained in the student's records. These confidentiality requirements apply to students' parents except when a disciplinary case involves alcohol or drugs. Federal law makes an exception in these cases and does allow the University to share disciplinary information.
Inspection of Disciplinary Records
Students may request to inspect or view their disciplinary records in accordance with FERPA and University policy. To do so, a student should make an appointment with an SJS staff member. Disciplinary records are not immediately available to students because the records must be redacted, which means information relating to other students, administrative file notes, and any other confidential information must be removed. Upon request, SJS will provide students with copies of redacted incident reports, judicial letters, and any forms or receipts in the student's file.
Background Checks
Students who apply to graduate schools, for employment, or for certain leadership opportunities at GW may have a background check performed on their disciplinary records. Information regarding a student's disciplinary history is retained until graduation or until expunged by the Senior Assistant Dean of Students or designee, and this information is not released without the student's consent. Often as part of an application process, a student must give permission for the school, employer, or University official to examine his or her educational records, which include disciplinary records.
SJS responds honestly to the questions posed on background checks and will provide information regarding current disciplinary records. Information in expunged disciplinary files or administrative files is not released through background checks. However, information from a student's file (e.g. UPD Incident Reports, MPD Arrest Reports, or copies of charge or sanction letters) may be retained by other GW departments and are not subject to expungement.
Administrative Files
Some student information is retained by SJS even if a student is not charged with a disciplinary violation. Information in an administrative file may become part of a student's disciplinary record if he or she is later found in violation of a judicial charge.
Disciplinary Record Administrative Expungement
Disciplinary records may be administratively expunged in accordance with the "Code of Student Conduct." When a disciplinary record is administratively expunged, the information it contains is no longer part of an active disciplinary record. SJS is required by law and University policy to retain for statistical purposes information regarding certain types of disciplinary violations. Statistical information from expunged files may be retained with the student's name and student ID number removed. Disciplinary record administrative expungements only affect information maintained by SJS. Copies of letters distributed to other University departments, UPD Incident Reports, MPD Arrest Reports, and the results of previous background checks reported outside SJS are not affected by a disciplinary file administrative expungement.
The Senior Assistant Dean of Students has the discretion to administratively expunge a student's disciplinary record, but this authority is typically designated to SJS staff members. Requests for an administrative expungement may be made after one year from the date of the student's last Disciplinary Conference or University Hearing Board. Expungement is only granted for the entire disciplinary record - not for individual incidents - and can be requested one year after a student's most recent disciplinary case has been completed. Students interested in requesting a disciplinary record administrative expungement should use the SJS Online Expungement Request System.
Disciplinary records are automatically expunged upon graduation from the University (unless disciplinary action resulted in Suspension or Expulsion).
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