The Administrative Board

The Faculty of Divinity has delegated to the Administrative Board the power to enforce the regulations of the Faculty in disciplinary matters involving students. The Board does not oversee academic matters involving a student’s progress and program, which are within the province of the degree committees and the Executive Committee on Academic Programs. 

The Board is composed of five voting members, three Faculty members (one of which is the academic dean) and two students, as well as one non-voting member, the Associate Dean of Student Services. The chairperson of the Board is the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs. The term of all appointments is one academic year beginning in September. 

It is the expectation of the Divinity School that all students, whether or not they are on campus or are currently enrolled as degree candidates, will behave in a mature and responsible manner. This expectation for mature and responsible conduct also encompasses accountability for one’s own well-being, including responsible decision-making regarding physical and mental health. Further, the Divinity School expects every student to be familiar with the regulations governing membership in the Harvard community, set forth in this Handbook. Because students are expected to show good judgment and use common sense at all times, not all kinds of misconduct or behavioral standards are codified here. 

The following behaviors are examples of violations of the rules or standards of conduct of the Faculty of Divinity that may be subject to disciplinary action by the Administrative Board and, if necessary, the Faculty: lying to an officer of the University, cheating, plagiarism, forgery or other forms of academic dishonesty, disruption or obstruction of teaching, research or other university activities, harassment, disorderly conduct, coercion or other conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person, theft or damage to property, possession of stolen goods, physical violence or abuse, verbal abuse, violations of University rules or federal, local, or state law (including unlawful use or possession of controlled substances, firearms, or hazardous materials), misuse or abuse of library or computer facilities, and other conduct that departs from generally accepted standards of behavior and integrity. Students are expected to comply with all disciplinary rules from matriculation until the conferring of the degree. A degree will not be granted to a student who is not in good standing or against whom a disciplinary charge is pending. 

Note that formal complaints of sexual and gender-based harassment will be reviewed by the Sexual Misconduct Review Board or Rights and Responsibilities Committee as set forth above. 

Procedures 

Administrative Board cases may be initiated when the Divinity School receives a report of an incident that appears to violate HDS rules or standards of conduct. The Administrative Board may independently initiate a charge against a student, and usually does so when a student has been charged with a crime in a court of law. When court action is pending or in progress, the Administrative Board may delay or suspend its own review process, in recognition of the student’s criminal defense interests. In the case of alleged serious criminal behavior, HDS may place a student on an involuntary leave of absence. Students who know they are in trouble may wish to contact any dean directly to start the process cooperatively. 

Upon receiving a report of alleged misconduct, the Associate Dean of Student Services conducts a preliminary review to determine whether there is sufficient basis to refer the incident to the Administrative Board. Ordinarily, in the course of the preliminary review, the student and the Associate Dean consult and the student is provided an understanding of what might result from the Administrative Board hearing, a statement of the expectations of honesty by HDS, and a description of the Associate Dean’s role as fact-finder. In the event that the case turns out to be based on a misunderstanding, it will be dismissed by the Associate Dean in consultation with the Chair of the Administrative Board. 

Disciplinary cases are ordinarily considered by the Administrative Board as quickly as is reasonably possible, given the Board’s schedule and the need to investigate matters carefully. (The Board does not meet during the summer months.) A disciplinary matter concerning a student on leave of absence will also be handled as quickly as possible, and no student on a leave of absence will be allowed to register until any pending disciplinary matter has been resolved. 

If the incident is referred to the Administrative Board, the Associate Dean prepares a charge letter to the student, identifying the incident and asking the student to prepare a personal statement. The charge letter is copied to the chair of the Administrative Board 

The student then prepares a personal statement that provides their account of the incident at issue and its context, as well as the student’s reflections on it. This statement should be written by the student; it is unacceptable to submit statements written by others. Students should be aware that, if the Associate Dean or the Chair of the Board believes it would be helpful to do so, the statement may be shared with the person who presented the complaint. (The Associate Dean will advise the student on when, as a general matter, statements normally would be shared.) The Associate Dean or the Board may also solicit statements from other relevant parties or witnesses. To assist the Board, complaining parties and responding students are encouraged to identify persons from whom the Associate Dean should consider soliciting statements or from whom the Board should otherwise hear. 

The Chair of the Administrative Board calls a meeting, and the Associate Dean advises the student when the meeting will occur. Normally all hearings are conducted before the Board as a whole, although, depending on circumstances, the Board may proceed differently. If the responding student believes that a member of the Board has a direct or personal interest in the case, then the student may request in writing that the Chair excuse the member, describing the basis for that belief; the Chair, in their sole discretion, shall make a final decision as to whether to excuse the member. 

Ordinarily, the meeting with the responding student will proceed along the following lines: 

  • At the prescribed time, the Associate Dean will meet the student and the student’s personal advisor and escort them into the meeting; 
  • The Chair will introduce the Board members and outline the procedures; 
  • The Chair or the Associate Dean will review the case briefly for the student; 
  • The Associate Dean will report the case orally to the Board; 
  • The Chair will ask if the student has anything to add, to which the student may respond; 
  • If willing, the student will respond to questions from the Board; 
  • The student and the student’s personal advisor will then be excused from the meeting. 

Immediately following, the Board will discuss the case and make a determination as to whether the student violated the HDS expectations for conduct. The Chair will call for a vote. 

When voting for dismissal of the charge(s), admonition, warning, or requirement to withdraw, a majority of the Board members is sufficient to determine the outcome. However, when the Board has voted to require a student to withdraw, an additional two-thirds majority vote is needed if the Board also wishes to recommend dismissal or expulsion to the Faculty. 

When reviewing a case, the Board may consider any information it deems relevant. Decisions of the Board are final and take effect immediately. Where the Board has recommended expulsion or dismissal, a two-thirds vote of the Faculty present at a Faculty Meeting is required before the expulsion or dismissal is effective. 

Shortly after the Board meets, the Associate Dean informs the student against whom the charges were brought of the decision. Following this, the Associate Dean writes a letter to the student confirming the Board’s decision in writing. Regardless of the outcome, copies of letters, statements, and any other relevant documentation related to the case are placed in the student’s educational record as defined and protected by federal law. 

Reconsideration 

A student may ask that any decision of the Administrative Board be reconsidered provided that new materially relevant information becomes available or there is reasonable evidence of a procedural error. Once a student has been awarded a degree, the option to have the Board reconsider a decision is closed. 

Appeals 

Students have the option to appeal disciplinary decisions made by the Administrative Board on the following grounds: 

  • the Administrative Board made a procedural error; or 
  • based upon a review of the Administrative Board’s annual disciplinary statistics, as available, the sanction imposed by the Administrative Board was inconsistent with its usual practices and therefore inappropriate. 

All appeals must be filed in writing with the HDS Dean within one week of the disciplinary decision of the Administrative Board. Once a student has been awarded a degree, the option to appeal to the HDS Dean is closed. In consultation with the Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean of Student Services, the HDS Dean may grant or deny the appeal. In the event the Dean grants the appeal, this will remand the matter to the Administrative Board for action consistent with its decision. There are no circumstances under which a student may appeal a decision made by the Dean. 

Following the decision on appeal, documentation of the appeal decision and materials related to the appeal will be included in the student’s file. 

Sanctions 

It should be noted that students are considered in good standing when they have not been warned, required to withdraw, dismissed, or expelled from HDS for either academic or disciplinary reasons. Admonitions do not affect a student’s good standing.

The following actions may be taken by the Board: 

  • Dismissal of charge(s).  Charge or charges are not sustained, or are found to be without foundation. 
  • Admonition. A reprimand to a student who has been found to have violated HDS’s standards of conduct. This action is a formal rebuke which does not become part of the student’s official record. 
  • Warning. Notice to a student who has been found to have violated HDS’s standards of conduct that any further instance of misconduct during a specified time period would provoke more serious sanctions. The warning becomes part of a student’s official record and is a formal disciplinary action. 
  • Probation. A strong warning to a student whose conduct gives serious cause for concern. Probation is a formal disciplinary action and becomes part of the student’s official record. No student on probation may be recommended for a degree. Further, during the probation period, any further instance of misconduct will cause the Administrative Board to seriously consider requiring the student to withdraw, except in very unusual cases. The duration and terms of probation are set by the Administrative Board. 
  • Requirement to Withdraw for a Stated Period.  Suspension for a definite period of time as determined by the Board. Requirement to Withdraw is effective immediately upon the action of the Board, and a student who is required to withdraw for any reason is not in good standing unless and until readmitted. To petition for readmission, ordinarily a student must be away from Harvard for at least one but generally two or more terms, and must demonstrate that they have satisfied any other conditions set by the Board. Without exception, students who have been required to withdraw must petition the Administrative Board to be readmitted; readmission is the prerogative of the Administrative Board and its decision will depend on its judgment of the student’s readiness to rejoin the HDS community. Students who have been required to withdraw remain bound by the rules regarding financial aid and financial obligations (tuition and fees, library fines, etc.) of students granted a leave or on voluntary withdrawal. Withdrawn students are not entitled to a University ID card unless and until they are officially readmitted. 
  • Dismissal.  Action taken in serious disciplinary cases that ends a student’s connection with the University. (The action taken by the Board is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the Faculty that the student be dismissed.) Dismissal must be voted by a two-thirds majority of the Faculty of Divinity present at a Faculty Meeting. Dismissal does not necessarily preclude the student’s return, but readmission requires a two-thirds majority vote of the Administrative Board as well as the Faculty. Dismissed students are not in good standing unless and until they are officially readmitted. 
  • Expulsion.  Expulsion is the highest censure, and is a final separation from the University. (The action taken by the Board is a vote of requirement to withdraw with a recommendation to the Faculty that the student be expelled.) Expulsion must be voted by a two-thirds majority of the Faculty of Divinity present at a Faculty Meeting. A student who is expelled can never be readmitted or restored to good standing. 

The Divinity School does not record a sanction of admonition on a student’s transcript. Both warning and requirement to withdraw appear on a student’s transcript. The fact that a student was withdrawn for a period of time for any reason remains on the student’s transcript. Dismissal and expulsion are permanently noted, even in the case of a dismissed student who successfully petitions for readmission.