’07-08 Tute Disciplines Fewer; Eight Suspended
The Committee on Discipline heard fewer cases in 2007-8 than in the prior year, a decline driven by fewer charges of unauthorized access and academic misconduct.
Charges of personal misconduct which did not involve “unauthorized access” actually increased. Eight students were suspended last year, compared with five in the prior year.
There were no expulsions in 2007-8. One student was expelled in 2006-7 for charges of assault based on an incident where a student beat another in the face with a coffee mug.
Suspensions last for one or more semesters, after which the student must reapply to MIT through the Committee on Discipline.
Though the COD requires that suspended students meet some conditions before returning, “the COD hopes and expects that you will return and complete your studies,” said David Kennedy, the committee’s staff member.
Expulsion “implies that the student should not consider MIT for further education,” according to the committee’s written rules, availab le online at http://web.mit.edu/committees/cod/. A student may reapply after a period specified by the committee — in the past, perhaps 10 or 20 years.
The committee considers charges on a case-by-case basis and does not discuss individual student cases or publish a list of charges or their outcomes. These annual statistics were presented to the faculty at their April 15, 2009 meeting.