Beginning with students who enroll in classes for the first time after August 1, 2013, Lehigh University will maintain disciplinary records indefinitely except where the Disciplinary Records Expungement Policy applies. Students taking classes prior to August 1, 2013 will have their records maintained for five years after their graduation except in cases of suspension and expulsion which will be kept indefinitely.
Records Requests:
Students seeking copies of their disciplinary records or seeking to have their records released to other institutions of Higher Education, should follow the instructions on this form: DISCIPLINARY RECORDS. Students must also provide a copy of a government issued form of Identification.
Disciplinary Records Reporting Policy:
In accordance with the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), the Disciplinary Records of a student generally cannot be released without the permission of the student. Exceptions to this are found in 34 CFR § 99.31 of the law.
Different institutions of higher education have different policies and procedures related to student records retention and release. Colleges and Universities are free to determine what the institution considers "reportable" to outside institutions, potential employers, and graduate or professional programs, and what specific information is reported. Therefore what Lehigh University reports might not be "reportable" by other institutions of higher education.
It is the policy of the Lehigh University Office of Student Conduct & Community Expectations to release Disciplinary Records for any formal disciplinary action in which a student is found responsible for violating the Lehigh University Code of Conduct and a primary sanction (as defined in Article VI of the Code) is assigned. These primary sanctions are in descending order of severity, Expulsion, Disciplinary Suspension, Disciplinary Deferred Suspension, Disciplinary Probation, and Disciplinary Warning. Lehigh University does not release secondary or educational sanctions to outside entities except under the order of a subpoena.
The format of the release will be as follows:
NAME OF STUDENT / Date of Incident / Charges –Primary Sanction(s) Imposed Dates of Primary Sanction
Examples:
JOHN ALLEN DOE / November 16, 2012 / Unauthorized consumption of alcohol, – Disciplinary Warning
JANE ALLISON DOE / March 4, 2010 / Academic Dishonesty Plagiarism– Disciplinary Probation 3/4/2010 – 12/31/2010
RICHARD DOE / August 1, 2011 / Respect for Others (Violence) – Disciplinary Suspension 8/1/2011 - 12/31/2011, Disciplinary Deferred Suspension 1/1/2012 - 05/31/2012.
The Lehigh University Office of Student Conduct & Community does not release the following types of cases1:
- Cases in which the student is found not responsible
- Cases where informal action or no action is taken
- Cases where Medical Amnesty is granted
- Housing violations, or other violations of the General Provisions for Occupancy (GPO) that do not involve the Office of Student Conduct & Community Expectations.
1 Cases where medical amnesty is granted may be reported internally to campus committees or offices such as study abroad, awards and prizes, Phi Beta Kappa, and selection committees for on campus employment and positions including but not limited to gryphon positions and orientation leader positions.