Student Conduct

Student disciplinary procedures

In 1989, the Board of Regents adopted an administrative code Chapter UWS 14, which covers academic misconduct. Its principles state, "The Board of Regents, administrators, faculty, academic staff, and students of the Universities of Wisconsin believe that academic honesty and integrity are fundamental to the mission of higher education and of the Universities of Wisconsin. The university has a responsibility to promote academic honesty and integrity and to develop procedures to deal effectively with instances of academic dishonesty. Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others’ academic endeavors. Students who violate these standards must be confronted and must accept the consequences of their actions."

The Board has also adopted Chapter UWS 17, last revised in 2009, which covers non-academic misconduct. In it, they state, "The missions of the Universities of Wisconsin and its individual institutions can be realized only if the university's teaching, learning, research and service activities occur in living and learning environments that are safe and free from violence, harassment, fraud, theft, disruption and intimidation. In promoting such environments, the university has a responsibility to address student nonacademic misconduct; this responsibility is separate from and independent of any civil or criminal action resulting from a student's conduct. This chapter defines nonacademic misconduct, provides university procedures for effectively addressing misconduct, and offers educational responses to misconduct. The Universities of Wisconsin is committed to respecting students' constitutional rights. Nothing in this chapter is intended to restrict students' constitutional rights, including rights of freedom of speech or to peaceably assemble with others."

The procedures in both Chapters 14 and 17 describe the actions that the university may take in response to student misconduct; they define the conduct that is prohibited; and they outline the procedures that are to be used to resolve allegations of misconduct. The UWL student disciplinary procedures are identical to those in UWS 14 and UWS 17. These documents can be found in the UWL Student Handbook, also available in the Office of Student Life. It also includes UWS Chapter 18, "Conduct on University Lands," which describes prohibited behavior and parking regulations.

Student honor code

We, the students of UW-La Crosse, believe that academic honesty and integrity are fundamental to the mission of higher education. We, as students, are responsible for the honest completion and representation of our work and respect for others’ academic endeavors. We, as students and responsible citizens of the City of La Crosse, will aim to uphold the integrity of the university throughout the La Crosse community. It is our individual responsibility as students to uphold these ethical standards and to respect the character of the individuals and the university.