Review underway for UCLA Student Conduct Code

The Dean of Students Office is currently reviewing the Student Code of Conduct, as part of a routine update that considers feedback from students and faculty.

The UCLA Student Code of Conduct outlines the behavior that is considered unacceptable, such as plagiarism and violent crime, as a UCLA student. It also explains the different forms of punishment for violating the code.

The Office of the Dean of Students reviews the conduct code every few years, said Debra Geller, executive director of community standards in the Office of the Dean of Students. The code was last updated in 2011.

The office may implement changes to ensure that the language of the code is easily understood by all students and that it is consistent with university policies and state law, Geller added.

In the past, the wording has been changed to sound more administrative and educational, and sound less like a legal document, Geller said.

For example, Geller said, the word “evidence” was replaced with the word “information” a few years ago because the word “evidence” sounded too legalistic.

The Office of the Dean of Students is accepting feedback about the code from any interested students, faculty or staff until June 14, Geller said.

The office also specifically reaches out to the Graduate Student Association, the Undergraduate Students Association Council, the Academic Senate and Staff Assembly president to collect their responses to the code, she said.

This year, the Academic Senate suggested adding a subsection to address UCLA’s new tobacco-free campus policy.

The subsection would state that the policy is educational and would not give the university the right to punish students for smoking on campus, Geller said.

Former GSA president David Zeke said that GSA is still reviewing the code.

USAC President John Joanino said he thinks the dean’s office should allow longer time to review the Student Code of Conduct before submitting the suggestions to the Office of the Dean of Students.

“There shouldn’t be a deadline, feedback is something that should be ongoing,” Joanino said, “(The code of conduct) really encompasses some big issues that some students have had in the past.”

Joanino said he emailed the rest of USAC for feedback and reached out to those who ran against him in the presidential election.

Joanino said he thinks the code should be more clear about how UCLA administrators address sexual assaults.

He added that administrators should be more transparent about handling such situations.

Many students go to UCLA Student Legal Services before meeting with the deans because they do not fully understand how the student conduct process works, said Elizabeth Kemper, director of UCLA Student Legal Services in an emailed statement.

“The Student Legal Services attorneys explain the code section(s) the student is alleged to have violated,” Kemper said. “Then we walk the student through the entire process and answer any questions that they have.”

Some students said they are surprised by some of the rules concerning the code they learn about after meeting with Student Legal Services, she said.

For example, many students do not know that the section of the code regarding plagiarism requires them to cite their past papers or projects in their work, Kemper said.

Joanino said he will be meeting with Geller next week to discuss working with the Office of the Dean of Students to establish a better feedback system when accepting suggestions for the code of conduct.

Joanino added he will also discuss some of the changes he has in mind for the code of conduct.

After gathering feedback the office reviews the code and decides what changes – if any – should be made. The office then composes a draft and after the draft is finalized and endorsed by the campus council review it is sent to the Office of the President to be reviewed, Geller added.