Judicial Affairs
Information for Parents
What to Do When Your Student
Is Involved In the Campus Conduct Process
Sending your
student to an institution of higher education is as much of a
transition for parents as it is for students. The relationship
you have with your son or daughter will undoubtedly change.
Students are expected to make decisions on their own, to learn
to resolve conflict independently, and to take responsibility
for their actions. At the same time they covet your love,
respect your opinion, and generally operate on the values you
instilled in them. So what should you do when your student
becomes involved in the campus conduct system?
The following
section provides some recommendations for parents when they
discover that their student is involved in the campus conduct
process.
1. While
Towson University recognizes that your goal is to provide
support for your student, judicial affairs staff ask that you
provide this support unconditionally, but not blindly.
Understand that there is a process in place to hear all
information regarding the incident in question and encourage
your student to prepare him or herself for the process.
2. When your
son or daughter receives paperwork regarding conduct procedures
and has questions, direct him or her to contact a staff member
in Judicial Affairs for information. Staff members are not
permitted to give specifics to parents and will most likely
recommend that the student call anyway. This also empowers the
student to solve his or her own issues and concerns.
3. The Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 precludes the college
or university from discussing your child’s academic and
disciplinary record without his/her written permission.
4. Educate
yourself on Towson University’s Code of Student Conduct process
by going to the following website:
http://www.towson.edu/studentaffairs/policies/conduct.asp
5. Practice
the “24 Hour Rule.” You may receive a phone call or email
message from your student because he or she is upset about
facing conduct charges. You may be tempted to try to immediately
fix the problem for them. This intervention invariably fails.
Try to allow 24 hours to inform, guide, teach, observe, and
chastise (if necessary). Lessons learned through participation
in a student conduct process must be experienced to have the
desired effect. After all, gaining a higher education degree is
about learning.
The staff in
Towson University’s Judicial Affairs Office takes their
responsibilities as educators very seriously and do their best
to provide a fair and unbiased system for all students. While
these professionals understand that involvement in the conduct
process may be difficult for students, they do their best to
provide them support to effectively handle the situations in
which they find themselves.
Judicial Affairs
Administration Building, Room 236
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Phone: 410-704-2057
Fax: 410-704-3441
E-mail: judicialaffairs@towson.edu
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