In Student Services, we aim to help you maximize the potential of your experience as a Railsplitter by adhering to this philosophy of President Lincoln. In the Office of Community Standards, we have the privilege and responsibility of helping our Railsplitters by creating and cultivating a thriving Railsplitter Community - one that fosters mutual respect for self, others, and the world around us. This will help the Railsplitters grow in their understanding of President Lincoln's aforementioned “cause and effect." Your decisions and behaviors will play a vital role in ensuring that your LMU experience is full of learning, fun new experiences, growth, and relationships that will last a lifetime.
The Railsplitter Nation is more than just a close-knit community of students, faculty, & staff—we’re a family!
In the pages of the Railsplitter Community Standards Guide, you will find helpful information that details our expectations for the Railsplitter Community in addition to all policies and procedures in place by the Office of Community Standards and the University. In order for our community to thrive, we must all own our part in fostering an atmosphere of respect: for each other, for our beautiful campus & facilities, and for our own personal health and safety. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the contents of this Community Standards Guide and let it serve as a guide to your LMU experience. View previous versions of the handbook.
Community Standards Guide
Do you wish to report an incident to the Office of Community Standards? Doing so will initiate an investigation into whether or not there was a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Please fill out the electronic incident reporting form below. By submitting the report, you are authorizing the Office of Community Standards to contact you to gather any additional statements or supporting evidence.
Incident Reporting form
Do you have sanctions due to the Office of Community Standards? Simply click the button below to complete the Sanction Submission Form!
Sanction Submission Form
Do you wish to appeal the outcome of your case? The Appeals Process is outlined in Section 7 of the Railsplitter Community Standards Guide. You are encouraged to familiarize yourself with the Appeals Process before submitting your request.
If you wish to submit an appeal, please complete the form below:
Electronic Appeals FormFamilies, we are pleased to see your interest in supporting your student through the Office of Community Standards process.
Many family members often inquire about their allowable level of involvement. The truth is, the extent of your involvement is primarily a decision to be made between you and your student! Regarding official procedures, each student is entitled to one advisor and one support person in any meeting or hearing. An advisor's role is to ensure the student asks all necessary questions, shares pertinent information, and navigates the process appropriately. While advisors may not advocate on behalf of the student in any proceeding, they can offer guidance if needed. On the other hand, a support person's role is to provide moral support. They may attend meetings but cannot speak for the student or provide advice during the proceedings.
These guidelines are designed to encourage students to advocate for themselves and confront challenging situations. Our process is intended to be educational; however, genuine education cannot occur if students do not act independently.
If you wish to discuss your student's disciplinary record with the Office of Community Standards or accompany them to any meetings, your student must complete a FERPA waiver to waive their privacy rights concerning their disciplinary record.
We urge faculty and staff not to enable disruptive behavior by ignoring it, as silence can convey a powerful message just as directly addressing the behavior does.
The Office of Community Standards assists faculty and staff by offering a procedure for handling student behavioral concerns that impact the quality of the learning environment. Referring students to our office will activate the conduct process outlined in the Code of Student Conduct.
If you've been approached by a Lincoln Memorial University student seeking support regarding a disciplinary issue, this section offers essential insights into the Code of Student Conduct and your involvement in the LMU disciplinary procedure.
It's important to understand that the University's disciplinary framework operates distinctively from the civil or criminal justice system. Unlike adversarial systems, the University's process aims to educate students and foster their personal growth and development.
Throughout the disciplinary process, students are encouraged to advocate for themselves. While some may opt to engage an attorney, their role is advisory. Advisors may attend all proceedings but typically refrain from directly addressing hearing officers or board members, making statements during hearings, or interrogating witnesses. It's crucial to note that students do not possess a constitutional entitlement to active legal representation in university disciplinary matters.
The student is required to furnish written consent for your access to information regarding the case or for discussing it with a staff member. This written consent can be acquired by completing a FERPA waiver specific to the case in question. The Office of Community Standards will communicate exclusively with the student and not through any intermediary. With the student's authorization, you may obtain copies of correspondence.
The standard of review used to determine responsibility is a “preponderance” standard. This determination is based on the greater weight of the information and does not require a standard beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Student Conduct Code allows attorneys to attend all disciplinary meetings and hearings as advisors. Advisors typically refrain from directly addressing hearing officers or board members, speaking during hearings, or questioning witnesses. You may offer guidance to your client as long as your involvement does not disrupt the proceedings.
There isn't a formal discovery process outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Both parties have fair access to the case file. If you and your client wish to examine the case file, please have the student email conduct@dos5.net to schedule an appointment.
Depositions are not permitted according to the Code of Student Conduct. Prior to the hearing, neither party (nor their representatives) should make contact with the other party's witnesses. All inquiries to witnesses by the hearing officers occur during the proceedings.
The respondant can seek to delay the hearing for valid reasons. A written request for postponement, along with the supporting explanation, must be submitted to the Office of Community Standards (conduct@dos5.net) at least three University business days before the scheduled hearing. Acceptable grounds for postponement comprise instances such as a family bereavement, severe illness, academic obligations, or any other circumstances deemed suitable by the Office of Community Standards.
The student has the option to ask for a delay, but typically, ongoing criminal proceedings will not be considered a reason to delay a student disciplinary hearing. The university's procedure aims to ascertain whether a student has breached the Code of Student Conduct, not to establish whether they have broken the law.
The hearing requires the respondent's attendance. Should the respondent not attend without an excusable reason, the hearing may proceed without them. Alternatively, the Office of Community Standards may opt to charge the student under Section 8.11: Noncompliance of the Railsplitter Community Standards Guide.
An audio recording is made of each University hearing. The student can request a copy of the recording, but the Office of Community Standards does not provide transcripts and ratains the authoriity to deny a request for a hearing recording.
The student can appeal the finding and/or the sanction. Appeals are decided on the basis of the record and written submissions. Appeals under the Code of Student Conduct may be submitted on the following grounds:
A procedural error in the hearing of the case occurred that is found to be substantial enough to have changed the outcome of the hearing, including failure to objectively evaluate all relevant evidence or error(s) related to determination of relevance.
New information exists that was not reasonably available at the time the determination was made that is determined to be substantial enough to have changed the outcome of the hearing.
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Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) is committed to the personal and academic excellence of each student. Students are individually and collectively responsible for their behavior and fully accountable for their actions. The Office of Community Standards has a responsibility to each of the students at LMU to ensure the Code of Conduct via the Railsplitter Community Standards Guide is upheld. The Conduct Process is designed to help students better understand and reinforce the policies that have been designed to promote personal and academic success. The primary goal of the conduct process is to be an educational opportunity for students to reflect on their decisions to redirect future decision-making. The following staff members are integral in mainting the LMU Conduct Process and facilitating a learing expereinces for our students that is both restorative and developmental:
The Assistant Dean of Students serves as the Chief Conduct Officer and is responsible for properly implementing fair conduct procedures and overseeing the administration of the student conduct process. This includes the identification of potential violations of the Code of Conduct, the investigation and presentation of cases on behalf of the University during hearings, and the investigation and resolution. The Assistant Dean of Students may designate any other appropriate administrator to perform these duties.
Hearing Officers are professional faculty/staff designated and trained by the Assistant Dean of Students or their designee to resolve incidents via the student conduct process. A Hearing Officer may find a student responsible for violations of the Railsplitter Community Standards Guide and/or other university policies and assign appropriate sanctions.
Student Representatives are students designated and trained by the Assistant Dean of Students or their designee to serve on Community Standards Boards and the Community Standards Appeals Committee. A Student Representative may provide insight during a hearing and is given the authority to vote on the outcome of a Community Standards Board Hearing or Appeals Committee review and provide recommendations on appropriate sanctions, as necessary.
All questions or inquires for the Office of Community Standards should be directed to the email below:
conduct@LMUnet.edu