We encourage all students to review the Bentley Student Handbook prior to each semester. Students receive the handbook via Bentley email prior to each semester. The Bentley Student Handbook outlines:

• Code of Conduct (Page 38)
  • Outlines students' rights and responsibilities 
• General Policies (Page 59)
  • Campus policies which are "alleged policy violations" prior to hearings
• Conduct Process (Page 78)
  • Outlines the Administrative hearing and Student Conduct Board process
• Sanctions (Page 91)
  • If a student is found responsible for campus policy violations they are issued sanctions
• Living on campus / Residential Center Policies (Page 115)
  • Information about living on campus and Residential Center policies and processes 

Bentley has two distinct conduct processes in which conduct cases are adjudicated. Your student will be notified whether they will be participating in the ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING process or the STUDENT CONDUCT BOARD process.

• Administrative Hearing Process
  • Handbook
  • Website
• Student Conduct Board Process
  • Handbook 
  • Website

We understand and recognize participating in a conduct process can be challenging for your student and we have support for them on campus. In addition, depending upon the type of process and Level of the case, the student may be allowed a Support Person. Below are campus resources you may want to talk to your student about using:

• Counseling Center
• Community Wellbeing and Health Promotion
• Spiritual Life

Please note, the Office of Student conduct must comply with FERPA. Student conduct records are confidential, and we cannot discuss another student’s conduct history. Your student is welcome to share their conduct history with you. In cases where a student is deemed a Harmed Party, we can disclose information about the conduct hearing with the harmed party.

Support Person

A Support Person may be allowed in a conduct process depending upon the level and type of conduct process (see chart below). A student is allowed one Support Person but can make a request for an additional Support Person to the Office of Student Conduct. If the student is allowed a Support Person and choses to have a Support Person accompany them at their Hearing, they must inform their Hearing Officer (for the Administrative Hearing Process) or the Office of Student Conduct (for the Student Conduct Board Process). Students are expected to inform their Support Person about their role within a hearing (listed below).

Role of a Support Person in a conduct hearing:

• This is a person designated by the student(s) to support them through the conduct process 
• The Support Person can be a legal representative, however, the Support Person cannot address or talk to anyone in the hearing besides the student(s) 
  • If there are pending criminal charges related to events being reviewed, legal counsel for the student involved can be present to safeguard rights of student related to criminal charges but cannot participate directly in the hearing 
• They cannot ask questions, interject, or otherwise speak on a student’s behalf during a hearing 
• Student and Support Person can privately converse at any point during the hearing 
• Support Person cannot formulate questions, responses, or statements for a student 
• Violations of these restrictions could result in a warning to the Support Person, and repeated violations may result in Support Person being asked to leave the hearing 
• If a student wants to have a Support Person present, they are responsible for notifying the Office of Student Conduct at least 5 business days prior to the hearing so that Support Person can be included on the Hearing Agenda. (for Student Conduct Board Process)

If you witnessed an incident on campus, you are encouraged to write a written statement at University Police. The Office of Student Conduct may contact you if you submit a written statement. Depending upon the conduct process, you may be asked to attend the conduct hearing. Witnesses will speak in front of all hearing officers/board members, alleged violators, and the Office of Student Conduct. Witnesses will not be notified of the outcome of the conduct process.

Emergency Contact (Prior to Student Conduct)

As listed in the Bentley Student Handbook, Bentley University staff may call emergency contacts for a variety of reasons. If a student is transported off-campus to a medical facility, Bentley staff will contact emergency contacts (if listed). 

• DRUG AND ALCOHOL VIOLATIONS
  • The university may inform parents or legal guardians of the student’s violation of federal, state and local laws and university rules and regulations concerning drug and alcohol use and possession.
• HEALTH AND SAFETY EMERGENCIES
  • The university may disclose educational records and personally identifiable information to members of the university community, professionals assisting with the university, law enforcement personnel and others when it determines, based upon the information available at the time, that there is an articulable and significant threat to the health and safety of a student or others and that the disclosure will aid the university in addressing the health and safety threat or emergency.

Emergency Contact (After Student Conduct)

If a student concern and/or medical-related incident involves policy violations, a student may be sanctioned one of the following:

Parental or Guardian Notification (Staff Issued)

In certain situations, parents or guardians may be notified when students violate university policies. This may include serious violations that put the student’s success at Bentley in jeopardy.

Parental or Guardian Notification (Student Issued)

In certain situations, a student may be asked to notify their parents of their conduct history. This sanction provides students an opportunity to discuss their conduct record with their parent/guardian themselves. Further violations of campus policies may result in staff contacting the student’s parent or guardian.