Disciplinary next steps regarding some students

Dear colleagues,

Monday afternoon, President Kornbluth outlined for the community a set of disciplinary consequences related to students who remained in the unauthorized encampment on Kresge lawn after a 2:30 p.m. deadline. Students received two follow-up messages making our expectations clear. Student Life staff have now initiated these disciplinary actions, which will apply in the interim until cases are reviewed by the faculty-led Committee on Discipline (COD).

In case this process involves students of yours, we wanted to be sure you had some basic facts, shown below. S3 or GradSupport will help the affected students with communicating to their instructors and advisors. Please note that you do not need to take any action based on the contents of this letter.

• Some of the students who face disciplinary consequences received an interim academic suspension. Under an interim academic suspension, a student is not allowed to participate in any co-curricular, extracurricular, or academic activities – no classes, no labs, no exams, including virtually – until the COD can review the case. Students are not eligible to be employed by or volunteer for the Institute, and if they have a student appointment, it has also been suspended. Students may only make use of their Institute housing, dining halls, and MIT Health. All other privileges connected to their student status are suspended.
• Students who were already subject to pending or prior COD cases or who participated in escalating behavior in a heated situation have now received interim full suspensions, pending further consideration by the COD. Students on full interim suspension are not permitted on campus, except to access MIT Health. All other privileges connected to their student status are suspended. They are not allowed to remain in Institute housing or to use their meal plans, and they may not participate in any co-curricular, extracurricular, or academic activities – no classes, no labs, no exams, including virtually. These students are not eligible to be employed by or volunteer for the Institute, and if they have a student appointment, it has also been suspended.
• S3 and GradSupport deans will reach out directly to affected students to offer support.
• If one of your students has received an interim suspension of any kind, when you go to enter their grade in the system, you will see an “O.” (In subjects with J/U grading, you will see “**”.) The Note field will show “Academic Suspension.” In cases where COD review results in the suspension being lifted, an “X” will be appended to the “O,” at which time you will be able to resolve the grade with the student. For thesis/research subjects, you will be notified if a suspension is lifted.
• Monday night, a number of students chose to move back into the camp. Everyone should be clear that, consistent with President Kornbluth’s letter on Monday, students remaining in the encampment now should also expect to be subject to disciplinary consequences.

We appreciate your understanding in this exceptionally difficult time.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart

Melissa Nobles

Mary Fuller