Community Expectations and Restorative Practices

About CERP

Interpersonal conflict is a natural part of university life, often arising from miscommunication, differing values, or incompatible lifestyles. It can also result from misconduct that disrupts others. The Community Expectations and Restorative Practices (CERP) office helps students manage conflicts through dispute resolution, promoting individual well-being and a healthy campus environment.

Beyond overseeing the student disciplinary process, CERP offers support through conflict coaching, facilitated dialogue, and restorative practices like apology and guided conversations. When conflicts cannot be resolved, CERP assists in finding alternative solutions.

 

Appeal Procedures

Information on the appeals process and to file an appeal form.
Learn More
CERP Mission

In support of the University’s mission, the mission of the Community Expectations and Restorative Practices (CERP) office is to educate students on the expectations, including their rights and responsibilities, as members of the University of Lynchburg community. Through a restorative framework, CERP upholds academic and community standards; encourages personal accountability and responsible decision making; promotes student learning; advocates for inclusivity and initiatives around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; and strives to reduce and prevent behavior that undermines the success and safety of the institution.

CERP Values
Honesty

Serving as a foundation for all the other values, honesty is the heart of personal growth, moral development, and conflict resolution. Students are expected to be honest with themselves and with all others through their choices and actions.
See UL Value of Active Learning – “students take responsibility for developing themselves into lifelong learners.”
See UL Value of Integrity – “our policies and procedures, our treatment of one another, and our own behaviors demonstrate a commitment to fairness, honesty, and principle.”

Accountability

Students are expected to hold themselves accountable to the expectations of the university and accountable to creating a culture of care at the university. When these expectations are not met, students will be held accountable for their actions and will be expected to recognize how their actions impact others.
See UL Value of Community – “we work to strengthen a sense of community on campus.”

Fairness

Providing a fair and impartial disciplinary process is critical to maximizing the educational opportunity that going through the process affords. Fairness indicates that individuals will be heard, be given the chance to share their perspective, experience a consistent yet adaptable process, and receive a resolution in a timely and competent manner without prejudice.
See UL Value of Diversity – “our community benefits from the contributions of individuals from a variety of intersecting identities.”
See UL Value of Integrity – “our policies and procedures, our treatment of one another, and our own behaviors demonstrate a commitment to fairness, honesty, and principle.”

Integrity

Providing the legitimacy of our process, CERP holds itself to the highest standards and following best practices as identified by the Association for Student Conduct Administrators and the Council for Advancement of Standards. CERP holds itself accountable to the policies and procedures expected of the community and that supports the mission, vision, and values of the University of Lynchburg.
See UL Value of Integrity – “our policies and procedures, our treatment of one another, and our own behaviors demonstrate a commitment to fairness, honesty, and principle.”

Respect

Members of the university community should have respect for each other and CERP seeks to promote the respect for individuals’ rights, property, and perspectives. Respect also expects members of the community to treat each other with dignity. Through reflective and restorative practices, CERP values the differences in opinion that are abundant on a college campus.
See UL Value of Diversity – “our community benefits from the contributions of individuals from a variety of intersecting identities.”
See UL Value of Community – “we work to strengthen a sense of community on campus.”

Inclusivity

CERP expects itself to apply the policies and procedures of the university equally and equitably to all students. Through the work of CERP, we strive to create a campus community where all students can maximize their experience through equal access to opportunities and resources.
See UL Value of Diversity – “our community benefits from the contributions of individuals from a variety of intersecting identities.”

Empowerment

CERP desires to have students engaged in the disciplinary process. Through training, supporting the Student Judicial Board, and encouraging students to attend meetings with CERP, we want students to be active participants with our office. We also seek to have students take ownership for their individual actions and to feel empowered to address others who are acting in a manner that is inconsistent with university expectations.
See UL Value of Active Learning – “students take responsibility for developing themselves into lifelong learners.”
See UL Value of Community – “we work to strengthen a sense of community on campus.”

Growth

At its core, the disciplinary process is meant to be educational. Through reflective and restorative practices and assigning of educational outcomes as a result of a student participating in the disciplinary process, CERP seeks to help students better understand themselves, be better engaged with their community, and advocate for and take control for their personal well-being.
See UL Value of Wellness – “we strive to foster the well-being, in its many forms, of the members of the University community.”
See UL Value of Active Learning – “students take responsibility for developing themselves into lifelong learners.”

Collaboration

CERP seeks to work with colleagues across the institution to better the experience for our students and meet the needs of the institutional community and greater Lynchburg community.
See UL Value of Community – “we work to strengthen a sense of community on campus, to foster active engagement with the larger Lynchburg community.”

Learning Outcomes

Students who participate in the disciplinary process and with CERP will:

  1. Be able to explain how their behavior impacted themselves and their overall student experience.
  2. Be able to explain how their behavior impacted others.
  3. Be able to explain expectations for future behavior and being a member of the University of Lynchburg community.
  4. Be able to explain how/if their behavior does/does not align with their values and goals.
  5. Understand the educational value of the disciplinary process.reflect upon and develop strategies for making future decisions that align with their values.
  6. Gain an understanding of how to make different decisions in the future that will promote personal and professional success.
  7. Gain skills that will help them resolve disputes in an effective and fair manner.
  8. Identify and engage with resources and tasks that support their educational and professional goals, interpersonal relationships, and personal wellbeing.
Honor and Student Conduct Code

To access sections of the Honor and Student Conduct Code please refer to the links below:
University of Lynchburg Honor and Student Conduct Code Overview
Honor Code
Student Conduct Code
Friendly Referral Practice
Outcomes
Other Policy-Related Information

Disciplinary Procedures and Information:

Investigation Route
  1. Incident Report Submitted & Reviewed by CERP:
    Once an incident occurs, the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices receives a report detailing the incident. Our job as CERP is to look at the incident to see if there are any possible policy violations that took place. From there we make decisions on how to move forward and investigate the incident.
  2. Investigation Meeting:
    Investigation meetings take place when it is deemed appropriate to do so by CERP. Investigations include the collection of information pertinent to the alleged misconduct from the student(s) reportedly involved in the incident, other witness(es) with relevant first-hand knowledge of the incident, and/or other sources. However, such review is not an exhaustive search for every detail directly or indirectly related to the incident. Students who provide information about an incident are expected to provide honest, accurate, and complete information.Providing information that is false, incomplete, or misleading may result in disciplinary action.
  3. Charges:
    Once an incident has been investigated, charges are then assigned. It is possible that the investigator sees no policy violations in the incident, which means that there will be no charges assigned. If there is a policy violation, then there are charges assigned.
  4. Correspondence Concerning Charges:
    Once charges are assigned, all students that have charges will be notified. These notifications are made through a student’s Lynchburg email. These messages will come from the Maxient system directly, and the email address will reflect that.
  5. Charges Resolved through CERP:
    Once charges have been issued to students, there are several ways to go about resolving charges. They can be resolved through Admin Handlings, Student Judicial Boards, and Administrative Boards. The type of resolution is determined by the charges issued. Disciplinary Process Advisors (DPAs) are encouraged in all forms of resolution.
  6. Decisions & Outcomes:
    Once a student goes through a resolution process, they are then sent correspondence about the decisions that were made in the resolution and the outcomes that have been assigned to them. Decisions are dependent on the determinant of the responsibility that a student has for policy violation. In our process, it is the preponderance of incident information and evidence that determines responsibility. Outcomes are based on the type of policy violation, the severity of the policy violation, and potential prior violations.
  7. Appeal (optional):
    Regardless of whether an incident is resolved through administrative handling or a board hearing, a charged student found responsible for violating the Honor and Student Conduct Codes has the option of submitting one written appeal request. The lack of an appeal by the charged student is interpreted as the student’s acceptance of the original decisions. If no appeal is submitted, the original decisions become the final outcome of the student disciplinary process.When an appeal request is submitted, the charged student is typically not afforded a meeting with the person resolving the appeal request. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal request, the charged student is notified in writing of the appeal outcome. Appeal outcome decisions are final decisions in the disciplinary process. An additional appeal is not available through the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations.

Administrative Handling Route
  1. Incident Report Submitted and Reviewed By CERP:
    Once an incident occurs, the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices receives a report detailing the incident. Our job as CERP is to look at the incident to see if there are any possible policy violations that took place. From there we make decisions on how to move forward and evaluate the incident.
  2. Correspondence Concerning Incident:
    Once reviewed and assigned to an appropriate hearing officer, a pre-adjudication letter is sent out to the alleged student(s) involved. This letter is sent to the student’s Lynchburg.edu email address. The student will have the option of meeting in person or submitting a written statement. If a student requires a form of accommodation to attend or engage in the disciplinary process, please communicate that need directly with the assigned hearing officer.
  3. Administrative Handling Meeting/Written Statement:
    Once a student receives their pre-adjudication invitation, they then are welcome to meet in person with their assigned hearing officer or submit a written statement. These options help the hearing officer decide appropriate next steps in the disciplinary process. Responsibility of actions and outcomes are part of these next steps. If a student decides to not participate, then the hearing officer renders a decision regarding any alleged policy violations without the benefit of input from the alleged student.
  4. Charges & Determination of Responsibility:
    After the incident meeting has concluded, or a written statement has been submitted, charges are then assigned by the hearing officer. It is possible that the officer sees no policy violations in the incident, which means that the alleged student will be found not responsible. If there is a policy violation, then responsibility is determined.
  5. Decisions & Outcomes:
    Once a student goes through the administrative handling process, they are then sent correspondence about the decisions of their hearing officer. Decisions are dependent on the determinant of the responsibility that a student has for policy violations. In our process, it is the preponderance of incident information and evidence that determines responsibility. Outcomes are based on the type of policy violation, the severity of the policy violation, and any potential prior violations.
  6. Appeal (optional):
    Regardless of whether an incident is resolved through administrative handling or a board hearing, a charged student found responsible for violating the Honor and Student Conduct Codes has the option of submitting one written appeal request. The lack of an appeal by the charged student is interpreted as the student’s acceptance of the original decisions. If no appeal is submitted, the original decisions become the final outcome of the student disciplinary process.When an appeal request is submitted, the charged student is typically not afforded a meeting with the person resolving the appeal request. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal request, the charged student is notified in writing of the appeal outcome. Appeal outcome decisions are final decisions in the disciplinary process. An additional appeal is not available through the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations.
Board types
  • Administrative Board:
    The Administrative Board is authorized to resolve charges of any type of alleged violation of the Honor and Student Conduct Codes. Hearings assigned to the Administrative Board by Community Expectations and Restorative Practices include all matters when the Student Judicial Board is not in session, any matter that SJB is unable to resolve in a timely manner, and hearings involving students nearing degree completion who reportedly violated University policies during the last weeks of classes, exams, or the period between course completion and the awarding of a diploma. Community Expectations and Restorative Practices will select members of the University of Lynchburg staff and faculty to serve as hearing panel members on the Administrative Board. An Administrative Board hearing is conducted by a panel of three staff and/or faculty members. A chairperson facilitates the hearing. At the chairperson’s discretion, a University representative may attend, observe, facilitate, and/or assist the Administrative Board during a hearing, including during private deliberations.
  • Student Judicial Board (SJB):
    The Student Judicial Board (SJB) resolves charges of alleged violation of the Honor and Student Conduct Codes as assigned by the Community Expectations and Restorative Practices. SJB members are selected through application and interview processes. A Student Judicial Board hearing is conducted by a panel of five student members. A Student Judicial Board chairperson (or designee) facilitates the hearing. At the chairperson’s discretion, a Student Judicial Board advisor or other University representative may attend, observe, facilitate, and/or assist SJB during a hearing, including during private deliberations. During the fall and spring semesters, the Student Judicial Board resolves student appeal requests related to traffic and parking violations.
Disciplinary Process Advisor

A student who is going through the disciplinary process has been notified that their conduct is being investigated before a possible board hearing or who has been charged with an alleged violation of the Honor and Student Conduct Codes that will be resolved through a board hearing has the right to be accompanied by a disciplinary process advisor (DPA) [who is a current University of Lynchburg student, faculty, or staff member] to investigation, hearing, and appeal proceedings that the student attends. If the advisee elects not to attend a proceeding, the DPA cannot attend that proceeding.

When exercising the right to be accompanied by a DPA, a student should identify a person who is able to attend proceedings as scheduled by the University. Although a student can be accompanied to a particular proceeding by only one DPA, a student may elect to change advisors during the course of the disciplinary process. A proceeding is not subject to postponement due to the unavailability of a specific disciplinary process advisor. If a student needs assistance identifying someone to serve as their DPA, please contact the Student Judicial Board at [email protected] to make that request.

If requested by the advisee, a DPA can provide support, guidance, and advice to the advisee. A DPA can also assist the advisee in preparing comments that the advisee will present during a proceeding. To enhance effectiveness, a DPA should read the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations. Since formal training is not required for a current University of Lynchburg student, faculty, or staff member to serve as a DPA, the University of Lynchburg is not responsible for the quality, accuracy, or effectiveness of assistance provided by an advisee’s selected DPA.

A disciplinary process advisor is not involved in determining the outcome of an incident review. Throughout the disciplinary process, a DPA cannot present information, advocate for, or argue a case on behalf of an advisee; the advisee is responsible for presenting comments that the advisee wishes to provide, even when accompanied by a DPA.

During any disciplinary proceeding, a DPA’s communication is limited to conferring quietly with the advisee through written note or whisper; the DPA may not address any other participant, administrator, or the hearing panel. The DPA may not interfere in, disrupt, or delay a proceeding. Community Expectations and Restorative Practices, the administrator facilitating the administrative handling, or a hearing chairperson may remove or dismiss a DPA who becomes disruptive or who does not abide by the restrictions on advisor participation; the proceeding then continues without the advisor present.

To Request a DPA please fill out the DPA request form below:

DPA Request Form

 

Questions related to the University of Lynchburg’s Honor & Student Conduct Codes and Regulations should be directed to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices (434.544.8765).

Reporting Academic Misconduct

A faculty member who believes that a student may have committed an academic integrity violation has four mutually exclusive options for addressing the alleged misconduct, as detailed in the section “Action by the Faculty Member” of the Academic Integrity portion of the Honor Code. Before deciding which single resolution option to implement, a faculty member is encouraged to meet with the student to explain the concern of academic integrity and to listen to the student’s response and perspective. Also, a faculty member is encouraged to contact the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices (125 Hundley Hall; 434.544.8765) to consult about addressing alleged violations of the Honor Code.

Three of the options available to faculty for addressing suspected academic misconduct affect only the student’s grade:

  • Grant no credit for the examination or assignment in question (100% of the course grade is based on all other work)
  • Assign a score of zero for the examination or assignment in question
  • Recommend to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee) that the student be assigned a final course grade of “F.”
  • When this recommendation is upheld by the Associate Vice President (or designee), the student is dismissed from the course for the remainder of the academic term. The associate provost (or designee) notifies the student and the faculty member whether the recommendation is upheld.

In accordance with the Honor Code, when implementing one of these grade-related options, the faculty member is strongly encouraged to notify the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices that an academic integrity violation occurred and that the faculty member has resolved the incident through use of the Academic Integrity Violation – Resolution Report. Such notification is necessary to identify recurring problems and maintain accurate academic integrity records; however, the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices will take no new action to address the violation.

The fourth option available to faculty for addressing suspected academic misconduct is to refer the matter to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices for review through student conduct procedures detailed in the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations. (See the section “Action by the Faculty Member” of the Academic Integrity portion of the Honor Code for additional information.) To make such a referral, a faculty member completes the form Faculty Referral of a Possible Academic Integrity Violation. If relevant to the incident, the following documents should be submitted with the completed referral form:

  • A copy of the problematic work
  • Any supporting documents (e.g., cheat sheet, the original source article from which an essay was plagiarized, originality report from Turnitin.com, etc.)
  • A copy of the syllabus section(s) relevant to the case (e.g., reference to the Honor Code, explanation that group work is prohibited on the assignment, instruction not to use outside sources, etc.)
  • Emails exchanged with the student regarding the assignment and/or any other documents needed for a third party to have a complete understanding of the reported incident

Student Appeal of Action by a Faculty Member

A student responsible for committing an academic integrity violation can submit one written appeal request. Appeal requests pertaining to academic misconduct are typically resolved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee). For more information, see the section “Appeal of Action by the Faculty Member” of the Academic Integrity portion of the Honor Code.

Participating in a Judicial Board Hearing

A faculty member may be asked to contribute to a judicial board hearing as a witness, character

reference, or disciplinary process advisor. For any hearing, an individual may serve in only one capacity. Faculty members are encouraged to contact the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices (125 Hundley Hall; 434.544.8765) if additional information is needed about the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations.

Behavioral Standards for Learning Environments

The values and attitudes that should guide student behavior consistent with maintaining an environment conducive to learning are outlined in the University of Lynchburg catalogs and The Hornet. Responsibility and authority for maintaining order in the learning environment are assigned to faculty in Section 3.12.3 of the Faculty Handbook. 

The following standards and procedures apply to all learning environments. However, each college or school and each instructor may have codes to specify additional standards suitable for learning environments or activities.

No student in University of Lynchburg classes, laboratories, performances, lectures, and/or organizations shall behave in any way that obstructs or disrupts the normal functioning of the environment. Such behavior includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that persistently or grossly (1) inhibit the ability of other students to learn; (2) interfere with the meaningful participation of other students; or (3) inhibit the ability of an instructor or presenter to do their job. Specifically, students should foster an optimal learning environment by doing the following:

  • Arriving on time.
  • Being seated when it is time to begin and being attentive throughout.
  • Refraining from engaging in conversations with others unless participating in group activities.
  • Using a courteous tone when speaking.
  • Refraining from leaving the event while it is in progress (except for illness or with prior approval).
  • Treating others with respect.
  • Refraining from eating.
  • Respecting the process of discussion and group activity.
  • Leaving the facility in a neat and clean condition.

A faculty or staff member may identify problem behavior through direct observation or by a complaint brought by a student to a faculty or staff member.

Violations of the Behavioral Standards for Learning Environments

If an instructor believes that a student’s behavior violates the Behavioral Standards for Learning Environments policy, the instructor should take action to stop the disruption, including directing the student to cease the disruptive behavior. If the student does not comply with the instructor’s direction, or if the instructor considers the disruption to be more egregious, the instructor may exercise any of the following options:

  1. When deemed feasible by the instructor, the instructor will initiate a private conversation with the student. At the discretion of the instructor, another member of the faculty/staff, and/or the student’s academic advisor may be asked to be present for the conversation. The conversation should include:
  1. Identification of the problematic behavior.
  2. Explanation of why the behavior is problematic.
  3. A statement regarding expectations of future behavior.
  4. Explanation of the consequences of continued misconduct.

Following the conversation, the instructor will create a written summary of the conversation and send copies to the student, the student’s academic advisor, and any staff member of the Academic Advising responsible for monitoring the student’s progress. If a faculty/staff member was asked to be present for the conversation, a copy of the summary will also be sent to that person.

  1. If the instructor believes that a private conversation will not be effective in resolving the misconduct, the instructor may call a meeting with the student and any of the following:
  1. The faculty member’s college or associate dean.
  2. The Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee).
  3. The Vice President for University Experience and Student Success (or designee).
  4. The student’s academic advisor.

The meeting will address topics 1a – 1d listed above. After the meeting, the instructor and the ranking academic official in attendance will create a written summary of the meeting. Copies will be sent to the student, the student’s academic advisor, any staff member of the Academic Advising responsible for monitoring the student’s progress, and any other faculty/staff members who attended the meeting.

  1. The instructor may submit a written report of the problematic behavior to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices for disciplinary review under the policies and procedures described in the Honor and Student Conduct Codes.

 

  1. If the instructor believes that the student’s behavior is so disruptive as to require immediate action, the instructor may require the student to leave the classroom immediately. If the student refuses to leave immediately, the instructor may summon campus safety officers to escort the student from the room.

After instructing the student to leave the classroom immediately, the faculty member will contact the provost and vice president for academic affairs to recommend a course of action, which may include:

  • Dismissal from the course with a grade of “F” (The grade of “F” cannot be changed by student-initiated withdrawal.).
  • Suspension from the University.
  • Referral of the matter to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices for disciplinary review following policies and procedures described in the Honor and Student Conduct Codes.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee) will arrange a meeting with the student, the instructor, and the instructor’s college or associate dean. During the meeting, the Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee) will inform the student of the course of action deemed appropriate to address the reported disruption.

Appeals Information and Forms:

Information on appeal procedures can be found online in the Hornet Handbook.

Parking Appeals:
Students wishing to appeal a parking citation may do so by visiting their parking portal and completing the online appeal form. All appeals must be submitted within 72 hours of the date and time the citation was issued. Appeals received after 72 hours will not be considered. If a fine is reduced or dismissed upon appeal, the amount will be adjusted accordingly on the appropriate student account. A student appealing a parking ticket is not afforded a meeting with the Student Judicial Board reviewing the student’s appeal.

Please email [email protected] for any inquiries, comments, or concerns.

Appeals Form:
Appeal Request Form (not for parking related appeals)

Additional Forms:

Contact Us

Meet with us in person on the first floor of
Hundley Hall, room 125
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., EST
Call: 434.544.8765
Email: [email protected]
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434.544.8300
1501 Lakeside Dr.
Lynchburg, VA 24501
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