Daniels Scholar Code of Conduct

 Purpose
The Daniels Scholar Code of Conduct establishes expected behavior of all Daniels Scholars and outlines the disciplinary process if a violation occurs.

Summary
All Daniels Scholars are expected to uphold Daniels Scholarship standards, which include abiding by federal, state and local civil and criminal laws, all policies and standards of conduct outlined by the college or university they attend, and the standards of conduct outlined in this document. Scholars who violate these standards will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the Daniels Scholarship Program.  The Daniels Fund reserves the right to treat each disciplinary case individually, based on the facts and circumstances of the situation.

Daniels Scholar Conduct
Daniels Scholars are responsible for their conduct from the time of acceptance as a Daniels Scholar through graduation. The Daniels Scholar Code of Conduct shall apply to any behavior of a Daniels Scholar, whether it occurs on or off campus of the college or university they attend. 

Any Scholar found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in this document.

1. Violations of federal, state, and/or local laws.
2. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, threats and/or other conduct which threatens or endangers the health or safety of any person, including the Scholar.
3. Acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to the following:
1. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty;
2. Furnishing false or misleading information to the Daniels Fund;
3. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any information requested or required by the Daniels Fund.
4. Violation of Drug Use & Testing Agreement and consent set forth in the Scholarship Acceptance Agreement.
5. Possessing, using, manufacturing, distributing or selling alcoholic beverages in violation of law or the policies of the college or university attending. 
6. Theft of and/or damage to public property or property belonging to another. 
7. Harassment, which consists of any verbal, written or physical conduct that is intended to, or likely will, threaten, intimidate or annoy another person.
8. Sexual misconduct or obscene/indecent behavior.
9. Retaliation against a person who reports an alleged violation of the code or testifies, assists or participates in a conduct proceeding or investigation.
10. Violation of SHIFT Rules and Guidelines.

 

Disciplinary Procedures
The following procedures apply to conduct violations.  Scholars may be subject to both appropriate Daniels Fund sanctions, as well as any appropriate college or university sanctions. 

The Senior Vice President, Scholarship Program has the primary responsibility for the coordination, investigation and enforcement of Daniels Scholar conduct standards.  The following steps outline the Daniels Fund’s Scholar disciplinary procedures:

1. When a disciplinary case is referred to the Daniels Fund, the Senior Vice President, Scholarship Program or designee, will gather factual information regarding the alleged misconduct and prepare a written summary of the alleged misconduct.  Discussion, inquiry and other informal procedures to gather information will normally be used.
2. The Scholar will be notified of the alleged infraction and asked to submit in writing his or her account of the incident, admitting or denying each alleged violation.  Failure to respond will be an admission of all the alleged violations.
3. The Daniels Fund disciplinary committee (President/CEO, Executive Vice President, and Senior Vice President, Scholarship Program) will meet and review the facts and circumstances of the case.  The committee has the sole authority to determine the appropriate level of disciplinary action in its sole discretion. The committee reserves the right to treat each disciplinary case individually, based on the facts and circumstances of the situation.  The committee, in its sole discretion, will determine whether a face-to-face meeting with the Scholar is required.  The Daniels Fund reserves the right to inform the Scholar’s parents, college or university officials, and law enforcement as it deems prudent.
4. Written notice of the committee’s decision will be provided to the Scholar.
5. Decisions by the Daniels Fund are final.

 

Sanctions for Misconduct
The Daniels Fund reserves the right to treat each disciplinary case individually, based on the facts and circumstances of the situation.  Sanctions for violations of standards by Daniels Scholars include:

1. Warning- An official written notice to the Scholar stating that the conduct is in violation of the Daniels Scholar Code of Conduct and that continuation of such conduct may result in further disciplinary action.
2. Probation- A disciplinary probation period of observation and review of conduct during which the scholar must demonstrate compliance.  Terms of the probationary period will be determined at the time probation is imposed.  Scholars may or may not receive scholarship payments from the Daniels Fund during the probation period. 
3. Suspension - A disciplinary period of observation and review of conduct during which the scholar must demonstrate compliance.  Terms of the suspension period will be determined at the time it is imposed.  Scholars will not receive scholarship payments from the Daniels Fund during the suspension period. 
4. Discretionary Sanctions- These include, but are not limited to counseling, mental health assessments, drug or alcohol treatment, or special educational projects designed to assist the scholar in understanding the overall impact of his or her behavioral infraction.  These may be imposed in conjunction with any other sanction.
5. Dismissal- Dismissal is the act of terminating a scholar from the Daniels Scholarship Program.  This also terminates the scholar’s right to any future scholarship funding from the Daniels Fund.