Proposed code of conduct could expand university’s disciplinary discretion

Mark Robinson Assistant News Editor

A proposed code of student conduct would give the university more discretion to discipline students who are charged with a crime, but not yet convicted of it.

According to the 20-page document, the university would be able to pursue disciplinary action against a student or student organization “without regard to the pendency of civil or criminal litigation in court or criminal arrest and prosecution.”

The proposed code of student conduct would allow the university to carry out judicial proceedings prior to, during or after criminal or civil cases were held in court.

“If someone does something egregious, now it’s very clear that it will impact your standing with the university,” said Charles Klink, Ph.D, associate vice provost for student affairs and enrollment services.

The proposed code establishes a wider breadth of sanctions that would allow VCU to withhold a student’s degree if a student has pending disciplinary proceedings with the university. A student’s completion of a university imposed punishment could affect graduation status, according to the document. The changes expand the university’s disciplinary breadth under the current rules and procedures. A clause added in 2004 allowed the university to discipline students after a conviction in the court system.

In February, VCU student Carolina Perez was killed in a drunken-driving crash when the car she was riding in was hit.

Varinder “Vick” Chahal, the accused driver of the car that hit the car Perez was riding in, is a VCU student. He is charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter and is scheduled to appear in court May 2.

The senior accounting major’s lawyer said Chahal, who is free on $25,000 bond, hopes to finish his degree at VCU. Under current policy, Chahal is exempt from punishment from the university until his court proceedings conclude.

Every three to five years an administrative committee is responsible for reviewing university policies. Revisions to the old rules and procedures began last March.

A larger student population, more students living on campus and advances in technology contributed to the decision to write a new code, Klink said.

“It served its life well,” Klink said, “but it was time to move to something a little more modern that was written in a way that’s easy for students to understand it.”

The proposed code of student conduct would replace the university’s current rules and procedures, which were written in 1979.

The revised code attempts to clearly define the university’s expectations for students, prohibited behavior and university sanctions for violating the code, Klink said.

There are two scheduled public forums that student, faculty or staff can