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Conduct, Care, Leave of Absence/Returns

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We are a team of professionals who support the entire Bentley community through our work managing the Care Team and Office of Student Conduct.  We take an interventionist approach to each situation to balance individual needs with evidence-based practices and overall care for the Bentley community. 

students interacting

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide individualized, informed and empathetic support for students, employees and family members in navigating challenging situations.  Through our work, we seek to build skills in students that support life-long learning, resilience, and their ability to live out the Bentley Core Values.  

Our Functions

Students, their families and Bentley employees interact with our office for a variety of reasons.  Namely, this office is responsible for the Student Conduct System and the Care network. 

The essential functions of our office include: 

Overseeing the return to Bentley following a hospitalization process 

  • Managing reports of students of concern (via the Care team)

  • Managing the personal and medical leave of absence processes 

  • Returning from a medical or personal leave of absence 

  • Providing guidance for Bentley in mitigating situations involving risk 

  • Recruiting, selecting and training members of the University conduct boards 

  • Managing reports of student violations of University policy 

  • Preparing students for conduct hearings 

  • Preparing and disseminating the student handbook 

  • Training appropriate members of the community in various matters including the Clery Act, identifying students of concerns 

  • Providing ongoing education that promotes student engagement and thinking about resilience, community impact, and citizenship 

  • Supporting veteran and military-affiliated students 

Contact Us

Kelly Downes

Director 

Office of Equal Opportunity and Institutional Equity

Pronouns she/her/hers

781-891-2193

kdownes@bentley.edu

DeeDee Cook

Equity and Support Manager

Office of Equal Opportunity and Institutional Equity

Pronouns she/her/hers

781-891-2798

deedeecook@bentley.edu