Mission and Philosophy

Mission Statement

The Office of Student Conduct supports Georgetown University’s Catholic and Jesuit educational mission by enforcing regulations designed to promote an environment in which students can develop intellectually, morally, spiritually and socially while exercising a balance of partnership and autonomy within the campus community. The mission of the Office of Student Conduct is to promote concepts of fairness and due process in conduct settings.

The Office of Student Conduct serves as a resource to the entire University community.  Inherent in the student conduct process is the commitment to serve all involved parties, equally, in an unbiased and fair manner while striking a balance between upholding our community standards and fostering educational opportunities for each individual student.

The Office of Student Conduct is commissioned with the task of detailing the rights and responsibilities of students, adjudicating disciplinary matters and, when necessary, imposing sanctions for violations in accordance with the Code of Student Conduct.

Philosophy

As a Catholic and Jesuit University, Georgetown stands for the human dignity and worth of every person. It believes, therefore, in values that foster the human respect needed for people to live, work, study and recreate together as a community. Living these values requires each of us to make an effort towards building a campus community that will be known for love of truth, active care and concern for the common good and selfless sacrifice towards others.  Acting against these values diminishes the understanding of community.  Such action, because of the injury it does to the community, is taken seriously here at Georgetown, and is handled fairly yet firmly.

Good order is a sign that a community is working to achieve the goals it has set for itself. When order is absent or disrupted, not only are individuals harmed, but the community suffers too. To attain these goals, Georgetown has a conduct system, which promotes the well-being of individuals and groups who make up the campus community.

Responsibility for the Common Good

This conduct system encourages a sense of the common good among members of the campus community by setting standards of behavior that appropriately reflect the character and purpose of Georgetown University, and by providing policies and procedures to use when someone compromises those standards and thereby undermines the common good.

The conduct system supports the educational mission of Georgetown University by helping students grow into more responsible persons.  It includes fostering an environment in which learning may occur: an atmosphere of openness, freedom and creativity, but also one characterized by the order, peace, and tranquility necessary for study and reflection.  It includes respect and care for what we share in common and hold in trust for the educational mission of this University, including tangible goods such as the physical buildings and spaces of the University, but also intangible goods such as traditions of mutual respect and civil behavior.  The following regulations are necessary to protect the common good.  Their violation will result in disciplinary action.

Respect for the Dignity of the Person

Respect and reverence for every person is at the core of Georgetown’s Catholic, Jesuit identity.  It is particularly necessary that this respect encompass diversity and differences of opinion.  Individuals deserve to be free from the threat or actuality of physical violence or verbal abuse. Especially intolerable and egregious in view of the University’s commitment to respect for the person are offenses against persons because of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation. The dignity of persons includes the secure possession of property and unimpeded access to facilities appropriate for their use.  This responsibility includes regard for the safety, security and health of others in a university community guided by standards of truthfulness, honesty and personal honor.  The following regulations and prohibitions protect the dignity of the person. Their violation will result in disciplinary action.