Frequently Asked Questions
The FAQs below are intended to provide general information to Babson community members regarding the Community Standards process. The FAQs are an informational resource only and do not in any way modify or expand the Community Code of Student Conduct (the “Code”) or any other policy or procedure at Babson College. The contents of the FAQs do not have any effect on any conduct process and will not be considered for purposes of any proceeding, outcome, or appeal. Please refer to the Code or contact the Office of Community Standards for additional details.
Select a question from the list below to jump down to the full response, or scroll down to browse through the answers.
Students
We are adults and everyone has to follow the law. Why do we even have a Community Code of Student Conduct at Babson?
Babson is a living and learning community, and we expect our community members when they come to Babson to bide by expectations which promote Babson’s values of integrity, collaboration, diversity, equity, and inclusion, innovation, and excellence. The expectations, policies, and procedures set out in the 2024-2025 Community Code of Student Conduct (pdf) help make Babson the positive and welcoming community we want it to be!
Every member of the Babson community must abide by certain conduct expectations specific to their role (faculty, staff, student, etc.). Conduct expectations for students and student organizations are reflected in the 2024-2025 Community Code of Student Conduct (pdf) and accepting your place at Babson means you are subject to the terms of the Code, even if you choose not to read it.
I have a question about one of the policies in the Community Code of Student Conduct. Who do I talk to?
Our staff loves when students have questions about the code because it means you are thinking critically about our conduct policies and expectations. Whether it is a question on process, on why we have a policy, or on the meaning of something in the policy, we would be more than happy to chat with you. Additionally, our staff work to refine and enhance the Code over time in partnership with other members of the campus community, so hearing questions from students helps us to understand where updates may be helpful.
If you have a question, please feel free to email communitystandards@babson.edu and one of our staff will get back to you!
I am having a conflict. I do not know if it is a Code violation or not. What do I do?
It is always advisable to seek out support and try to address potential issues sooner rather than later. There are so many people who can support you with a conflict, including our office staff! No matter who the conflict is with or where the conflict is occurring, if you are a student, our staff would be happy to have a meeting to talk about it or to chat about it over email.
Not every conflict or issue has to be addressed through a formal process. While our office is not a confidential resource, we do our best to respect student privacy consistent with Babson policy. Under most circumstances, we would not move forward with an accountability process without the reporting party's knowledge and consent, unless, for example, a situation needs to be addressed because of our mandated reporting requirements or the significance of the incident and its possible impact on others. Our goal if a student comes to talk about a conflict or issue is to provide them with support, resources, and referrals to help address the situation. We want students to feel empowered to address issues in their communities in ways that feel authentic to them.
If you want to speak to a member of our staff, feel free to email communitystandards@babson.edu. Someone in our office will get back to you!
I received an email from your office. What is it about?
Our office sends a variety of emails. We suggest you first retrieve the letter from the email and read it over. If you still have questions, reach out to us! Some common emails you may from us include the following:
- A Reminder of Community Expectations: These serve as a written warning about alleged conduct that you may have been a part of and do not require a meeting. Reminders of Community Expectations are not considered by Babson to b part of your conduct records. Reminders are intended a reminder of our policies and a note that a student has been notified of a potential conduct concern.
- A Charges Letter: This email tells students that we have received a report that involves them potentially violating our Code. The letter will explain a little bit about the incident in question, share the potential Code violation(s) (or “charges”), and share the date, time, and place for a meeting with a member of our office.
- A Sanctions Letter: This email tells students who have been found responsible for any Code violation as part of a student accountability process what the consequences (or “sanctions”) are for being found responsible. Sanctions will be described in further detail, particularly if the student needs to complete an assignment or seminar as part of their sanctions. Sanction Letters also include information about how to appeal a decision, for example the student feels there was an error in the process that affected the outcome.
- A Not Responsible Letter: Sometimes the student accountability process results in a finding that a student is not responsible for the potential Code violation(s). In those cases, we email them to let them know we found them not responsible!
- Follow Up/Outreach Email: We do more than just formal processes! Sometimes we email to follow up with a student we met with, to answer a question someone had, or to reach out to someone related to a report without it going through a formal process.
If you have any questions about what an email from us means, feel free to email communitystandards@babson.edu.
I am coming for a meeting or “Educational Conference” with your office. What should I expect?
When you come to our office in Park Manor Central (right across from the globe on Park Manor Way), you can expect to be greeted by our administrative assistant and asked who you are coming to see. You are then welcome to take a seat in our lobby, grab a snack or a coffee or tea, and wait for your staff member to come out and meet you. In your meeting (which we call an educational conference), the staff member (who is acting as a student accountability officer in our process) will ask you questions about the situation, provide you an opportunity to provide your side of the story, and prompt reflection about the situation and your role in it. Once the student accountability officer has met with everyone involved in a situation and gotten all the information they need, they will make a decision on whether you are responsible or not for the potential code violations. Decisions are made based on what was more likely than not to have happened, or in other words, based on the preponderance of evidence. You will get another emailed letter called a decision letter once the accountability officer has met with all individuals involved and made a decision.
How do I prepare for an educational conference meeting? What advice do you have?
The goal of an educational conference is to resolve alleged policy violations. The meeting is intended to hear the perspectives of those involved in an alleged incident and to provide students with an opportunity to reflect, share their story, and take accountability when appropriate. Information will be reviewed with you at the meeting, and there is nothing you are required to do to prepare. Each student is free to prepare however they feel most comfortable, but it maybe helpful in advance of an educational conference to consider the following:
- Read your letter thoroughly. Ensure you can attend your meeting time and communicate if you cannot for any reason.
- Review the 2024-2025 Community Code of Student Conduct (pdf), particularly the potential Code violation(s) listed in your letter.
- Reflect on the situation and how your actions and decisions may have lead or contributed to the alleged Code violation(s)
- Try not to panic or stress. The education conference is designed to allow students to share their story before any decision is reached. While educational conference can result in sanctions when appropriate, our conversations are meant to be human and educational. The student accountability officer you meet with wants to see you be successful in our community!
- Be honest and act with integrity in your meeting.
- Ask questions when you have them!
I am really nervous about meeting with your office. What do I do?
Feeling nervous is an understandable reaction, but we hope you do not panic. The reason we want to meet with students is because we respect their right to share their side of the situation and want to provide a fair process for all students involved! The student accountability officers are committed to your success, including helping you learn from missteps. If you are feeling very anxious, please know there are resources for you! We welcome you to contact us in Community Standards to talk about your concerns. Counseling and Psychological Services is also a support available to you, and you also have access to UWill 24/7. If the idea of a meeting is concerning, please also know that you are always welcome to ask us to bring a support person to your meeting.
Where is your office on campus?
Our office is on the first floor of Park Manor Central. We have our own entrance off of Park Manor Way. The door is diagonally across from the Globe, and it has a sign next to the door.
The door is open from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday when classes are in session. You are welcome to stop in if you would like to talk to someone, but also please know that our staff may have prior commitments and meetings, so you may want to reach out in advance to schedule a meeting.
What are the possible outcomes if I am found responsible for a code violation?
There are a lot of potential sanctions possible when students are found responsible for a code violation. They are generally outlined in the Community Code of Student Conduct in the Sanctions section. When you have received a decision in your case via email, you can see the sanctions assigned outlined in the letter. Some sanctions involve completing a task or assignment by a deadline which is included in the letter. Some sanctions do not require that you complete anything, such as an administrative warning or probation which will just end provided you are not found responsible for further policy violations during the time period outlined.
Additionally, some sanctions change your student conduct status and can be reported out to other offices on campus and outside entities if you allow those outside entities to request that information. We only report conduct status on a legitimate, requested basis or an “educational need to know.” For example, if you need to be in good standing to Study Abroad or to receive an award, the staff managing the process would ask our office if the students they were considering were in good standing. We would then only report out minimal details if a student was not in good standing. In rare cases where we are concerned about the student’s safety or well-being or when the student is facing a significant sanction, we do include a parent or guardian notification as a sanction, in which case parents or guardians would be notified of the incident and their student’s responsibility via physical letter.
If questions arise, you can always reach out to the staff member you met with or email communitystandards@babson.edu.
What is a hearing board?
The Hearing Board is a group of students, staff, and/or faculty who have been trained to hear student conduct cases and appeals of educational conferences. The Board consists of a chairperson who is a non-voting member who generally manages the process and provides directions to all parties involved and voting members who ask questions, weigh evidence, and determine responsibility and sanctions. A member of the Office of Community Standards (or another designated official) serves as an advisor to the Board during the hearing process.
I was found not responsible for a Code violation. What does that mean for my student records?
If you are found not responsible, then the Office of Community Standards will record that in our system, and the incident in question is not considered by Babson to be part of your conduct record!
I missed my educational conference, but the student accountability officer still made a decision about potential Code violation(s). Can I do anything about that?
If you missed one or more scheduled meetings with your accountability officer without their approval, a decision may be issued without the benefit of your input. The fact that you missed scheduled meetings is not considered grounds for an appeal, and you will not be entitled to further process.
It is important that you notify your student accountability officer as soon as possible if you think you may be unable to attend a scheduled meeting due to an academic-related conflict or other unavoidable circumstances.
I got a decision, and I want to appeal it. How do I make an appeal?
We encourage students to utilize this right if they feel the process of their educational conference or hearing board was unfair. The information for how to file an appeal is at the bottom of the decision letter.
Students can find more information about the grounds for an appeal in the 2024-2025 Community Code of Student Conduct (pdf). The link for appeals can be found online: Report a Concern page.
Do you tell my parents about Code violations?
The details of your conduct records are not generally shared with parents except under limited circumstances which may include health or safety emergencies or where a student faces separation from the College.
When parents reach out to Community Standards by phone or email, we typically provide general information about our processes. If you would like to grant permission for us to speak with a parent or other support person, you can provide a FERPA release to the Office of Community Standards.
I need to complete an assignment for your office, but I do not remember what it was. How do I find that information?
You can find the details of your assignment in your Sanction Letter. If you no longer have that email or cannot access the letter through the link included, reach out to our office at communitystandards@babson.edu.
I was suspended from the College through your office, and I am looking to come back. What do I need to do?
If you are seeking to rejoin the Babson community following a suspension, we recommend you reach out to our office in advance of your intended return date. We can walk you through the next steps, including reviewing if there are any other sanctions you need to complete before you can register for classes.
I want to report something to Community Standards. How do I do that?
Thank you for being willing to take this important step in making Babson a community that allows all to have a positive living and learning experience. The reporting form can be found online: Report a Concern page.