Middlebury Handbook

The Middlebury Institute Online strives to balance individual growth with community health and growth, through our  community expectations and general conduct standards for students, and the student discipline procedures that enforce general conduct expectations. Our discipline processes are intended to be educational, first and foremost. Where other Middlebury Institute Online policies specify separate procedures, those procedures will apply. 

Concerns about student behavior should be shared with the Associate Dean of Student Services (ADSS) as a starting point, although the ADSS may refer specific behaviors to other processes, for example the TIX Investigation & Resolutions Procedure or the Non-Discrimination Investigations & Resolutions Procedure.  The ADSS administers the disciplinary procedures for both academic conduct and general conduct.  Concerns about academic integrity as well as non-academic student behavior should first be directed to the Associate Dean of Academic Operations, unless they involve discrimination, in which case they should be directed first to the Civil Rights/Title IX Coordinator.  

Conduct matters may be resolved in several ways. Conduct issues where the relevant facts are not in dispute will ordinarily be resolved through a Disposition without Hearing and the assignment of a sanction from the ADSS. If a student is assigned a sanction of official discipline for an academic violation, they may appeal that sanction to the Dean of Middlebury Institute Online and for a non-academic violation, to the Vice-President for Student Affairs (VPSA). For conduct issues where the facts are disputed, a hearing may be held before the Conduct Judicial Board. The Board will determine the facts and make a recommendation regarding sanction to the ADSS. Procedures for Conduct Judicial Board hearings are outlined on the Student Life website. 

When possible and appropriate, restorative justice may be available for both academic and non-academic issues.