Latest news with #studentconduct
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Penn State placed a frat on interim suspension. It opted to operate independently
Another fraternity at Penn State has decided to operate independently of the university after being placed on interim suspension. Sigma Pi, 303 Fraternity Row, State College, was put on interim suspension in April and will remain like that until the student conduct process concludes, a Penn State spokesperson confirmed in an email. The university's student affairs site states it is on interim suspension for 'alleged violations of university policies and guidelines.' But during the process, the fraternity told the university it intended to operate as an independent organization, regardless of the outcome. It is the eighth fraternity at Penn State operating without university recognition. 'This decision mirrors a national trend where some fraternities choose to cut ties with institutions to avoid oversight. However, the university retains jurisdiction for the matter currently under review, as the allegations occurred when the group was a recognized student organization. Details regarding the outcome will be shared when the student conduct process is complete,' university spokesperson Wyatt DuBois said. Groups that operate independently of the university can't be held to Penn State's standards for recognized student organizations. The student affairs site states they can't participate in official university activities and while the individual students can be held accountable under the student Code of Conduct, the collective group is not held to the same standards. 'This lack of structure increases the risk for behaviors and environments that jeopardize student health and safety — including hazing, high-risk alcohol use, and unchecked misconduct. Penn State strongly discourages students from affiliating or associating with unrecognized organizations,' DuBois said. In addition to Sigma Pi, other known unrecognized chapters and organizations are Acacia, Delta Phi, Lambda Phi Epsilon, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE), Phi Kappa Sigma (Skulls), Sigma Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. During this past spring semester, three fraternities (Pi Kappa Alpha, Sigma Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon) banded together to form an independent, student-led State College Interfraternity Council. Penn State has said the rogue independent council is 'deeply concerning' and strongly discouraged students from affiliating with the unrecognized organizations and avoiding events hosted by the groups. Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Dallas ISD to vote on cellphone ban in schools
Dallas ISD trustees could vote on a new student code of conduct for the next school year, which includes a district-wide cellphone ban for students. This comes less than a week after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a statewide ban on cellphones in schools. This bill goes into effect on Sept. 1. The cell phone ban at Dallas ISD would make it against the rules for students to use personal devices, even for safety purposes. Previously, students could use their phones or personal devices if it was approved by a teacher. According to the new policy, each school could enforce the ban in its own way, whether that be through pouches, locked storage, classroom boxes, or just in the student's backpack. If caught using a device, it will be taken and the student will receive a level two disciplinary offense. The new state law says districts should implement bans for students for the whole day while on campus, not just instructional time. The law also sets aside $20 million for districts that want to buy storage like pouches. In a statement to CBS News Texas, Dallas ISD wrote in part: "along with many other districts, we're still in the process of determining what these changes will look like heading into the new school year." Grapevine-Colleyville ISD implemented a similar ban for students last fall. Grand Prairie ISD required high school students to put their phones in storage pouches last fall as well. One private school in Willow Park has lockers where students put their phones in at the start of the day. Dallas ISD added that plans are still being finalized and may change in the next month or so.
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Yahoo
Fulton County school board approves policy that restricts K-8 students from using electronics
On Wednesday, the Fulton County School Board voted in favor of a new policy that would restrict K-8 students from using their electronic devices during the upcoming school year. 'Such as laptops, cell phones, Google glasses, Apple watches for use during instructional time,' Fulton County Chief Communication Officer Brian Noyes said. Noyes says that during the past year, students already adhered to a student code of conduct that restricted lower-grade students from using electronic devices. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The new change now includes middle school students in Fulton County. Noyes adds that high school students in Fulton County schools don't typically use personal electronics during instructional time unless teachers approve. Atlanta Public Schools officials recently said they are considering changes for how to manage cell phone use among high school students. TRENDING STORIES: Swimmer airlifted to Savannah area hospital after being bitten by shark Deaths of couple who vanished on Lake Oconee spawning massive search ruled accidental Man tries to break into Cobb County home while woman was in bed, police say [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
New York Times
04-06-2025
- Business
- New York Times
A Student at Brown Channeled Elon Musk. Then He Got in Trouble.
Thousands of administrative employees at Brown University woke up this spring to an email with pointed Elon Musk-like questions about their job responsibilities. Please describe your role, it asked. What tasks have you performed in the past week? How would Brown students be affected if your job didn't exist? The March 18 email was from a sophomore, Alex Shieh, who explained that the responses would be included in a story for The Brown Spectator, a new, as yet unpublished conservative newspaper on campus. His questions were undoubtedly sensitive for elite universities like Brown, where the cost of tuition, housing and other fees has risen to $93,000. Critics, including President Trump, accuse the schools of padding their budgets with redundant layers of deans and associate deans, bloated diversity programs and niche academic divisions. Many recipients of the email, including those in the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, were not amused — no doubt aware that Mr. Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency was ripping like a hacksaw through the federal bureaucracy, had asked government employees similar kinds of questions. Two days later, Brown notified Mr. Shieh that he was under investigation for possible violations of the university's code of student conduct, including its prohibitions on invasion of privacy, misrepresentation and emotional or psychological harm. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mt. Ararat principal lays out plan to move forward from hazing ordeal
May 8—TOPSHAM — Before a crowd of parents and others gathered Thursday for the Maine School Administrative District 75 school board meeting, Mt. Ararat High School Principal Chris Hoffman had a clear goal: Turn the page from a hazing ordeal that embroiled the school's boys hockey team this winter. "I'm nervous tonight," he said. "It's not the public speaking — I do that all the time — it's that I want to get this right. I want our student athletes to know they have the support of their leaders and their community." Hoffman spent several minutes outlining the steps the district has taken and plans to take in a presentation entitled "Ensuring a Healthy, Supportive Athletic Culture at MTA." It included extra training, more supervision, better communication and team building, and accountability. He stressed that the process has only begun and he urged board members and those in the audience to work collaboratively in the coming months to ensure success. Late last month, the school district released a two-page summary of what was learned during a monthslong investigation that began in early January — a pattern of student misconduct that "intended to embarrass or humiliate the target" and violated district policies. At least four students on the hockey team were subjected to hazing that was described as "physical aggression and/or intimidation" and "sexually inappropriate conduct." That summary did not include any recommendations for discipline or policy changes, but both SAD 75 Superintendent Heidi O'Leary and board Chair Amy Spelke said at the time that conversations would continue. Prior to Hoffman's presentation, during the public comment period before school board meeting, a handful of parents and community members spoke out harshly about the investigation. Andrea Cram, of Bowdoin, whose son was on the team, said the way it was handled "shattered trust and inflicted real harm." Cram went on to say that she believes the investigation was not neutral but "leading and manipulative." "Efforts to restore the program are appreciated, but they do not undo the damage," she said. Margaret Schmoll, whose son is a student at Lisbon High School but plays on the Mt. Ararat hockey team, said she was "dumbfounded" by the investigation. Like Cram, Schmoll said the investigation did not "paint the entire picture." "You had no interest in making it right or changing the false narrative that you created," she said. Hoffman, O'Leary and SAD 75 board members sat quietly during the public comments and didn't engage with any speakers, many of whom stayed behind to hear the principal's presentation. The hazing allegations surfaced in January and represented the third high-profile case in Maine since 2021. Two senior players, along with head coach A.J. Kavanaugh and assistant coach Todd Ridlon, were suspended during the investigation, although O'Leary repeatedly emphasized that the move was not necessarily an indication of guilt. Kavanaugh resigned in February, long before the investigation was completed, and is now coaching a youth team based in Lewiston. Once he resigned, Kavanaugh was no longer part of the investigation. He has declined to speak to the Press Herald about the matter. His resignation came after Mt. Ararat's season came to an abrupt end following a game in which parents showed support for a suspended player by wearing matching shirts with his number on them. Some players put stickers on their helmets with the number as well. That public show of support during the team's senior night devolved into reports of taunting and unsportsmanlike conduct from both adults and players, and it created what O'Leary called at the time "a highly charged and divisive environment on the ice, in the locker room, and in the stands." She responded by canceling the rest of the season. The investigation continued and eventually involved interviews with 31 individuals — including all members of the co-op team that includes players from SAD 75, as well as nearby Lisbon High School and Morse High School in Bath — and revealed a pattern of behavior that included "the use of homophobic language, intentional urination on teammates in the shower, humping teammates in the locker room while nude, taunting with sexually inappropriate gestures, and other degrading and unwelcome conduct." When the school district released the summary of the investigation's findings, O'Leary and Spelke said a full report contained confidential information and therefore could not be released. The Press Herald requested the report via Maine's Freedom of Access Act on the grounds that just because documents contain confidential information doesn't mean they are exempt from public release. In many cases, sensitive information can simply be redacted. The district, in response to that request, said it "will be reviewing the investigative report with legal counsel to determine whether any portion constitutes a public record under FOAA." The controversy involving the Mt. Ararat ice hockey team comes on the heels of two other major hazing investigations involving a Maine high school sports team. Last fall, the Lisbon High School football team forfeited half its season after allegations of hazing surfaced. And in 2021, the Brunswick High School football team ended its season early after officials investigated claims of hazing. High-profile cases of hazing have occurred in other states as well, including this month in upstate New York, where 11 high school students and members of the lacrosse team face criminal charges for hazing a younger player. A 2020 study by Ohio University found that 47% of high school students say they experienced hazing in sports before they entered college. Some hazing experts, like University of Maine professor Elizabeth Allan, the founder of the research group StopHazing, say more can be done to combat hazing. "Schools are doing more than ever before to educate about it," Allan told the Press Herald last fall. "But we still have a long way to go. ... It's easy to say 'Oh, that's not a problem here at our school.' However, the research shows that it's far more pervasive than people typically think." Hoffman said the district plans to partner with StopHazing to study team cultures and develop a plan to prevent problematic behaviors. The district also said it's working to restore the hockey team to competition next year. Because the team ended the season by forfeiting a game, it faces a two-year suspension under rules set by the Maine Principals' Association. The district has appealed that decision and the appeal will be heard in early September. The last two teams that faced suspensions because of hazing incidents won their appeals. If and when the Mt. Ararat hockey team returns to competition, though, it no longer will include players from Lisbon High School, O'Leary said in a letter to the community this month. The decision was mutual. Mt. Ararat still plans to invite players from Morse High School. But some players from this year won't return. Jason MacDonald said his son, who will be a senior next year, has transferred to another school because of the ordeal. McDonald wasn't surprised by any of the findings, and he was glad the investigation happened, but he found it lacking. "My concern is that there is still no accountability for those in leadership positions," he said. "There were people who knew about issues with this hockey team even before the season started, and they did nothing." Copy the Story Link We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. 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