Duke University Disciplinary Violations

Raleigh Criminal Defense Attorneys Helping You

The policies, rules, and regulations of Duke University that define conduct for which students can be held accountable are established in the Duke Community Standard (DCS). If a student violates any university policy, he or she can be subject to disciplinary hearing and possible sanctions that dramatically affect his or her academic career.

Duke students and groups can be held accountable for any DCS policy violation whether it occurred on or off campus. The university states that “disciplinary hearings are not trials and are not constrained by rules of procedure and evidence typically used in a court of law.”

Duke Disciplinary Violations Lawyer

Accused students and groups are encouraged to seek advice and support from whomever they choose throughout the disciplinary process. While an experienced attorney cannot address any participant at a hearing, you could still benefit from their knowledge of the proceedings and preparation skills if you have been accused of any DCS violation. Clifford Law Group helps Duke students in the greater Durham area, and we work to get you the most favorable possible outcome to your case.

Our firm can review your case during a free, confidential consultation when you call (919) 441-1799 today.

Duke University Policy Violations

Not all violations for which Duke students and groups may be held accountable are included in the DCS.

However, some of the most common violations include, but are not limited to:

• Academic Dishonesty - Includes lying, cheating, or stealing to gain an unfair academic advantage.
• Academic Freedom - Abridging the academic freedom of a student.
• Advertising - Includes unapproved hanging of banners on university buildings or property, prohibited chalking on university sidewalks, archways, benches, or any other surfaces, and posters, announcements, bulletin boards, and other unapproved notices on university property.
• Alcohol - Prohibited behaviors such as underage possession/consumption, unsafe/irresponsible behavior, violation of community expectations, general provisions violations, or violation(s) of expectations for group-sponsored social functions.
• Animals on Campus - Includes unrestrained animals on campus, animals inside university facilities, animal abuse, and animals-live or dead-used in pranks or other institutional or student group functions or activities.
• Bridge Painting - Students are permitted to use the "Free Expression" bridge/tunnel but are prohibited from painting sidewalks or roadways inside or outside the tunnel as well as any other locations on the campus of Duke University.
• Classroom Disruption - Classroom behavior such as non-approved use of electronic devices, cursing or shouting at others in such a way as to be disruptive, or other violations of an instructor's expectations for classroom conduct that disrupt the educational experiences of other students.
• Computing and Electronic Communications - Includes security and privacy, acceptable and unacceptable use, and group e-mail violations.
• Disorderly Conduct - This is defined as any unreasonable or reckless conduct by an individual or group that is inherently or potentially unsafe to other persons or their real or personal property and/or any behavior by an individual or group that disrupts the peace or interferes with the normal operation of the university or university-sponsored activities.
• Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia - Manufacturing, selling, delivering, possessing, using, or being under the influence of any controlled substance covered under the North Carolina Controlled Substances Act.
• DukeCard - The transfer of this ID card to another person or the possession of another person's ID card.
• Failure to Comply - A student or group may be held accountable for failure to comply with directions, requests, or orders of any university representative or body acting in an official capacity, or impeding with the carrying out of such directives, instructions of law enforcement officials acting in an official capacity, and/or sanctions rendered during the disciplinary process (including sanctions issued by a residential staff member).
• Falsification/Fraud - Includes any intentional misrepresentation of fact (by action or concealment), including furnishing false information, to any university official, any intentional misrepresentation of fact (by action or concealment) to obtain or attempt to induce another to surrender a right, benefit or property, and/or forgery, alteration, or misuse of any official document, record, key, access code or instrument of identification, or possession of such forgery.
• Fire Safety - Violations include lighting any material on fire on campus or causing fire damage.
• Gambling - With the exception of the state lottery, it is against North Carolina state law and Duke University policy for a person or organization to gamble.
• Guests -Students are responsible for the behavior of visitors to their rooms or apartments and may be found responsible for behavior that occurs there whether or not they were present.
• Harassment - Includes any unwelcome verbal or physical conduct that, because of its severity and/or persistence, interferes significantly with an individual's work or education, or adversely affects an individual's living conditions.
• Hazing - This is defined as any action taken or situation created, whether on or off university premises, that is harmful or potentially harmful to an individual's physical, emotional, or psychological well-being, regardless of an individual's willingness to participate or its bearing on his/her membership status. There are three levels of violations for this infraction, and hazing is also prohibited under North Carolina General Statute § 14-35.
• Noise - Includes noise levels at a level that disrupt students who wish to study or sleep.
• Physical Abuse, Fighting, and Endangerment - Includes, but is not limited to physical violence (initiating or responding to) or attempted physical violence against another person or group (includes fighting), threats of physical violence against another person or group, any actions that endanger the health, safety or welfare of a person or group, or attempting to or actually harming oneself.
• Pickets, Protests, and Demonstrations - Duke University recognizes the right to voluntary assembly, but disruptive picketing, protesting, or demonstrating on university property or at any place in use for an authorized university purpose is prohibited.
• Property, Facilities, and Services - Failure to respect the property of others (including the university), such as theft of the property and/or services of another, damage, destruction, or defacement of the property of another, including littering or chalking of university property, wrongful appropriation of the property and/or services of another, unauthorized possession and/or use of the property of another, including knowingly being in possession of stolen goods (this includes unauthorized use of vehicles, equipment, services, the Duke University name and logo), unauthorized access, entry, and/or use of university or non-university facilities or property, including but not limited to buildings, classrooms, residential rooms, athletic areas, Central Campus pool, parking areas, roofs, ledges, and tunnels, and/or violation of any policy or guidelines pertaining to specific usage of a university facility.
• Sexual Misconduct - Prohibited conduct includes sex/gender-based harassment, sexual violence, sexual exploitation, relationship violence, and sex/gender-based stalking.
• Smoking - Smoking any substance is not permitted in any university building, including residence halls and apartments, and is also prohibited within 10 feet of residential buildings and dining facilities, nor anywhere on the campus of the medical center.
• Stalking - Defined as a course of conduct (including cyberstalking) directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to fear for her, his, or others' safety, or to offer substantial emotional distress.
• Solicitation - This is prohibited within a 200-foot radius of the West and East Campus bus stops, and commercial or outside solicitors (including student employees of outside vendors) are prohibited without permission of the appropriate space manager.
• Unauthorized Surveillance/Photography - Includes capturing or recording audio, video, or photographic images of an individual in a location or under circumstances in which that person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, including, but not limited to, shower/locker rooms, residence hall rooms, and restrooms. The university also prohibits the storing, sharing, and/or other distribution of such unauthorized surveillance/photography (no matter whether directly or indirectly obtained) by any means, electronic or non-electronic.
• Weapons, Firearms, and Explosives - Possession and/or use of a gun, rifle, pistol, or other firearm of any kind, or any powerful explosive on university property is against North Carolina state law and university policy. Students are also prohibited from possessing and/or using on campus any weapon, including but not limited to mace, BB gun, stun gun, paintball gun, potato gun, realistic-looking toy gun, air rifle, air pistol, sword, bowie knife, dagger, slingshot, switchblade knife, blackjack, and metallic knuckles.
• Withdrawal, Involuntary Administrative - Students who exhibit harmful, potentially harmful, or disruptive behavior toward themselves or others, including, but is not limited to, behavior that poses a significant threat of danger and/or harm to self and/or other members of the university community, and/or interferes with the lawful activities or basic rights of other students, university employees, or visitors, may be subject to involuntary administrative withdrawal from the university if their behavior renders them unable to effectively function in the university community.

Duke University Sanctions

The result of any Duke disciplinary hearing may include penalties-singly or in combination-that include, but are not limited to the following:

• Expulsion
• Degree Revocation
• Suspension
• Dissolution (Group)
• Suspension of Activity (Group)
• Disciplinary Probation
• Disciplinary Probation (Group)
• Formal Warning
• Admonition
• Withdrawal of Privileges
• Housing License Restrictions/Revocation
• Exclusion
• No Contact Order
• Restitution
• Fine
• Community Service
• Mental Health/Medical Assessment and/or Treatment
• Educational Projects/Initiatives

Find a Duke University Disciplinary Violations Lawyer in Durham

If you have been accused of any violation of the DCS, you should seek the knowledgeable advice of skilled legal counsel. Clifford Law Group assists Duke University with all sorts of academic violations and other misconduct. We can help you prepare statements, compile witness lists, and develop questions for those witnesses as part of a plan to minimize or eliminate any sanctions you would face.

Call (919) 441-1799 right now to set up a free consultation that will let our Raleigh criminal defense lawyers provide a complete evaluation of your case.