Student Conduct Process FAQs

You do not have to make this determination. If you are unsure of who to contact, or what services a student might need, fill out the student concern referral form. A member of Student Conduct and Community Standards will review the information that you shared and either refer the student to the appropriate support services or notify another campus partner, and handle the transfer of information.

Student Conduct and Community Standards doesn’t only handle conduct incidents but also works from a case management model to assist students. We review information received regularly and consult with other professionals on campus to ensure that students are connected to the appropriate resources.

Student Conduct and Community Standards works closely with the Student Counseling Center, but we are not counselors, we do not offer counseling, and we are not confidential resources. If a student needs, or requests, confidential resources or counseling services, please direct them to the Student Counseling Center, or make a referral to the Student Counseling Center.

Yes, you can share information anonymously or make an anonymous referral. In fact, you may have very good reasons for wanting to share information without providing your name and contact information. However, please consider providing your name and contact information. Providing this information will allow us to contact you for clarification or to gather any additional information that may be necessary to appropriately address your concerns, support the student, and let you know that your information was received and acted upon. In our experience, students are more receptive to our assistance when they understand how and why we received information. We will always consult with you before sharing your name with a student and give you the opportunity to remain anonymous.

Appropriate information sharing between campus professionals improves student support and student success. A culture of appropriate information sharing allows us to better coordinate service and ensure that students are directed to the most relevant and useful resources.

See the University’s FERPA policy.

The University protocol directs faculty and staff to appropriately share information regarding any concern for a student that requires additional support and resources beyond that which can be provided in the classroom or by the reporting staff member and to the Threat Assessment Team for any issue requiring crisis assessment and risk evaluation. FERPA does not prohibit the disclosure of academic, social, and emotional concerns under these circumstances.

For example, if a student has informed a staff or faculty member of a concern or issue, or if a student has made threats, it should be shared with someone with an educational need to know. This situation includes sharing information with any of the above resources, such as Student Conduct and Community Standards, Title IX and Sexual Respect, Threat Assessment Team, or Public Safety.

Faculty and staff are permitted to share information with other professionals on campus with an “educational need to know” without violating FERPA concerns. This kind of information sharing is consistent with Adelphi’s mission to support student success. Anything expressed verbally by a student or observations made by faculty or staff which are not written down and are not kept as part of an educational record are not subject to FERPA restrictions. This information can also be shared with other student support services to support Adelphi’s mission of student success.

FERPA also allows the disclosure of information from the educational record, without the written consent of the student, under the following: “Persons in an emergency, if the knowledge of information, in fact, is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons.” This exception is limited to the period of the emergency and does not allow for a blanket release of student records.

For additional information on FERPA, contact the Office of the Registrar at 516.877.3300 or see the FERPA guide for AU employees.

Information reported to, or shared with faculty and staff is not privileged information and therefore is not confidential; please refrain from guaranteeing confidentiality to students as some faculty and staff may have reporting obligations under Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, and NYS Education Law – 129 B. You may also be designated as a Campus Security Authority and may be required to share information relating to crimes that occur on campus. If you are unsure of your obligations to share information, please speak with your direct supervisor, Public Safety, or the Office of Title IX and Sexual Respect. For students requiring confidentiality, please direct them to one of the following on-campus resources:

• Health Services Center
  e – healthservicescenter@adelphi.edu
  p – 516.877.6000
• Interfaith Center
  p – 516.877.3113
• Student Counseling Center
  e – scc@adelphi.edu
  p – 516.877.3646

Except in rare, extreme circumstances, nothing shared with confidential resources by a student receiving services from these resources will be shared without the student’s explicit permission.

No, you do not need to provide any “proof” to submit a referral, but you should provide us with as much detailed information and supporting documentation as you can so that we can appropriately respond to the information submitted. There is no requisite amount of information that you need to have in order to share information. If you are concerned about someone, you can share this information with us. If you decide later that you want to file a report regarding a violation of the Code of Conduct, we can discuss the “preponderance of the evidence” standard in person or you can read more about the reporting process in the Code of Conduct. However, many disputes or claims of violations of the Code of Conduct can be resolved informally through our community standards process.  

Your form will be reviewed and directed to the appropriate professional. If you provided your contact information, a staff member may reach out to you to gather more information, or to ask you any clarifying questions. If you are contacted by a staff member, they will inform you about next steps. If you did not provide your contact information, the information you provided will still be reviewed in the same manner. However, the University may be limited in its ability to respond to your concerns or to take action without more information from you. In that instance, the information received will be kept on record in case the University becomes aware of more information in the future.

Yes, of course. We are concerned about a variety of incidents that might occur off campus, including, but not limited to hazing, sexual misconduct, theft, or mental health concerns. Information regarding events that occur off campus can inform our educational outreach, interventions, and the resources provided to students.

Furthermore, while conduct occurring off of the University premises is ordinarily not subject to University response, the University may extend the reach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct to conduct that takes place off-campus if, in the University’s view, such conduct:

• Seriously affects the interests of the University or any member of the University community, or
• Occurs in close proximity to University premises and is connected with offensive conduct on University premises, or
• Occurs at University-sponsored activities off University premises.

Information received from the community becomes part of your educational record and is maintained in accordance with the University’s record-keeping policies and Family Education Records and Privacy Act. View the University’s FERPA policy. Except in rare circumstances in which there is a risk of harm to you or others, information received will not be shared with parents, guardians, or others without your permission. This information is not shared as part of your transcript and ordinarily will not be shared with those entities who might request your disciplinary history or conduct record from Adelphi University.

Only violations of the Code of Conduct, where you are found responsible, are shared as part of your conduct record. If you would like a copy of your conduct record, please fill out this form, or if you have specific questions about your conduct record, call Student Conduct and Community Standards at 516.877.3612 to make an appointment to review your file.

The possible outcomes depend on what type of referral you have made. The professional who receives the report will take the information provided and make a decision regarding appropriate action. We will ensure every report is thoroughly addressed. Most frequently, the student who is the subject of the referral is contacted and offered resources and support.

If you are reporting a potential violation of the Code of Conduct, or you are a victim/survivor of Sexual Misconduct, Harassment, Discrimination, or Retaliation, and you provide your contact information, you will be contacted by either Student Conduct and Community Standards, or Title IX & Sexual Respect in order to review resolution options and the option for other protective measures, if necessary.

By submitting a referral, you are sharing information with another professional on campus, and you are not filing a formal complaint. If this information relates to a potential violation of the Code of Conduct, or other University Policy, someone will reach out to you to offer you resolution options, or explain the relevant process further.

The answer to this question depends on the nature of the referral, and what information is included in the referral. Typically, if the referral is about a student, the staff assigned to the referral will reach out to the student to offer resources and support. The staff may reach out to the referring party before contacting the student to gather more information.