To promote consistency across our system, a single Code of Student Conduct has been established and will be implemented at all of our colleges, effective in the 2025 Fall Semester. “A single Code of Student Conduct promotes clarity and fairness for students, faculty and staff at all our colleges,” said Dr. Heather Sorrell, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Experience and Strategic Initiatives. Dr. Sorrell served as system office liaison to the Code of Conduct Workgroup that prepared the revision. “A single code also allows for better system-wide support for college conduct staff. It helps to ensure a consistent, legally sufficient student experience across colleges and will reduce confusion between campuses,” she added.
An informational webinar is planned as part of the rollout of the new code. More on that below.
“With many of our students pursuing their studies at more than one of our colleges, it also makes sense for VCCS students to understand what is and isn’t acceptable conduct, regardless of the specific college they attend. This helps create a sense of community and shared values across the entire system,” said Dr. Sorrell.
“Everyone can benefit from this initiative,” said Dr. Felicia Ganther, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Workforce Programs. “A well-defined code of conduct helps create a safer and more positive learning environment for all students. By outlining expectations for respectful and responsible behavior, it reduces the risk of conflicts and negative interactions. In addition, a single code across all campuses also can streamline administrative processes for the college system as a whole, making it easier to monitor and address conduct issues consistently across all campuses,” Dr. Ganther added.
The new single Code of Student Conduct is the result of a months-long process that involved stakeholder groups from across the VCCS. Chancellor David Dore called for the single Code of Student Conduct last fall, in line with his vision for a “one system” approach. Dr. Sorrell was asked to lead the effort.
VCCS Academic and Student Affairs Council of Vice Presidents (ASAC) Student Services Committee reviewed the single code request at its November 2024 meeting. The Vice Presidents assigned local subject matter experts (SMEs) to aid in this effort. The assembled workgroup consisted of representatives from VCCS colleges of varying sizes and regions, including student conduct officers, academic & student services personnel, and workforce staff. Other stakeholders were brought in for input as needed during this process, such as the Council of Deans and Directors (CODD) and the Workforce Advisory Council (WDAC).
The result was a proposed update to VCCS Policy 6.5 Campus Conduct as well as a code of conduct template for college use. After several rounds of Legal Review, the new code was approved by ASAC at their March 2025 meeting and the VCCS Advisory Council of Presidents (ACOP) at its April 2025 meeting. Chancellor Dore approved it into policy on April 18, 2025, and the approved code was presented to the VCCS State Board on May 22, 2025.
With the goal of full implantation at the beginning of the upcoming fall semester, rollout to the colleges has begun. This includes implementation support, communication templates, and checklists developed by the cross-system workgroup and system office staff.
Webinar available with more details:
On June 4, Dr. Sorrell hosted a webinar to provide more information about the new student code of conduct. You can access a recording of that webinar here.
You can view the text of the new Student Code of Conduct for Virginia’s Community Colleges.
