The total number of disciplinary cases referred to the College declined to 490 during the 2001-2002 academic year, down from 526 cases reported during 2000-2001. But accompanying the decrease in overall disciplinary cases was a noticeable increase in the number of severe punishments handed out.
According to the annual report on disciplinary action taken by the College, 42 students received suspensions for between one and six terms last year, and one student was permanently "separated" -- or expelled -- from the school. Only 26 were suspended and none separated two years ago.
An increase in alcohol-related violations was also recorded in the report. This year's tally of 341 alcohol-related violations was nearly 100 more than the previous year.
And continuing a trend from 2000-01, adjudicated cases of sexual abuse remained very rare on campus during the 2001-02 academic year. Only two cases of sexual abuse were reported last year, neither involving intercourse.
According to the 2000-01 Annual Report to the Community, "In recent years the number of sexual abuse cases have varied widely from year to year, with no discernible pattern in the number of complaints filed."
Senior Associate Dean of the College Dan Nelson said it is difficult to discern trends using data from only the last few Committee on Standards reports.
"I am always reluctant to look at [year-to-year] fluctuations. There can be a lot of variations yearly that do not necessarily represent a trend," Nelson said.
In this year's report there were 29 suspension-level cases for alleged Academic Honor Principle violations. Of the 29 students, 19 were suspended for one to six terms, with 16 of these being suspended for three terms or longer.
A large number of the convicted Academic Honor Principle violations stemmed from a series of cheating cases in computer science courses. Among these were reports of illegal collaboration on take-home homework and tests and the providing of answers by one student for another to copy. In the latter circumstance, both students were disciplined.
The most severe punishment was given to a student who stole original work from a public computer and turned it in as his or her original work. This student was found guilty of theft and cheating.
"The COS report allows us to acknowledge the increase of certain kinds of Academic Honor Principle violations that are occurring," said Nelson.
The one separation that occurred this year involved a student's misrepresentation and forgery of college documents.
"[The] student acknowledged forging letters of recommendation from a class dean and faculty member in support of his transfer application to another university," the report said. "The student had also recently acknowledged forging letters of recommendation from a dean and faculty member from his previous university in support of his transfer application to Dartmouth."
In addition to the separation and suspensions that took place, 106 students were placed on "College Discipline," which places restrictions on student privileges. There were also 160 reprimands, which are recorded in students' files but do not appear on transcripts, and 89 warnings.
Nelson warned that the recently released report is not a complete list of all violations because it "only includes the reports and cases that were actually brought to the attention of the ... deans and the Committee on Standards."
