Faculty and students will at all times conduct themselves in a manner that serves to maintain, promote, and enhance the high quality academic environment befitting the University of Vermont. To this end, it is expected that all members of the learning community will adhere to the following guidelines:
Students are expected to attend all regularly scheduled classes. The instructor has the final authority to excuse absences. It is the responsibility of the instructor to inform students of his or her policy for handling absences and tardiness, and the penalties that may be imposed. Notification should be done both verbally and in writing at the beginning of each semester.
It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor regarding the reason for absence or tardiness from class, and to discuss these with the instructor in advance whenever possible. The instructor has the right to require documentation* in support of the student's request for an excuse from class. If an out-of-class exam is scheduled which conflicts with a regularly scheduled class, the regularly scheduled class has priority.
The instructor has the right to disenroll any student from a course if that student (1) does not meet the prerequisites of the course, or (2) fails to attend a scheduled course by the third instructional day of a semester or the second scheduled class session of a course, whichever comes later, unless the student has notified the instructor and has been excused. To disenroll students the instructor must notify the Registrar, who will remove the student's name from the class list and the course from the student's schedule. The student is responsible to determine whether or not she or he is enrolled in a class.
* When a student is unable to attend class for a health reason, the student may give permission for the instructor to discuss the situation with a representative from the Center for Health and Wellbeing. As with all absences, the faculty member has final authority to excuse students from classes.
Athletic-Academic Conflicts Students participating in inter-collegiate athletics should plan their schedules with special care, recognizing the primary importance of all of their University academic responsibilities. Each semester, members of UVM varsity and junior varsity teams are responsible for documenting in writing any conflicts between their planned athletic schedule and the class schedule to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes. Students and instructors should then discuss potential conflicts between course requirements and intercollegiate competitions. When an unavoidable conflict exists, the student and instructor should seek a resolution which permits the student to address the course requirement and participate in the athletic competition. The instructor has final authority on this matter.
Religious Holidays Students have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester students should submit in writing to their instructors by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Faculty must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work.
The University of Vermont is a place to learn and to teach. It is not a cloister - it does not live in a vacuum. It is both in the world and of the world. Its mission is to educate people for leadership in society. (Board of Trustees, May 1969)
Fundamental to our entire philosophy is our firm belief that rights guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States must be protected on the campus as elsewhere and that local, state, and federal laws must prevail on campus. Becoming a member of the University community in no way abrogates or compromises the rights, which the Constitution of the United States guarantees to all persons.
Within the University setting as within society at large, the exercise of one's rights must be tempered by recognition of the rights of others. For example, the exercise of free speech may unreasonably infringe upon the right to learn. The laws of society and the mission of the University establish the framework within which disagreement, dissent, demonstration, and advocacy may, indeed must, occur. For humankind to progress, the educational process must be dynamic even if fraught with controversy, for change cannot take place until the first question is raised. The discovery of new propositions or new solutions also may be followed by passionate advocacy. Such advocacy must never replace the continued pursuit of the University's essential purpose of learning and teaching.
It is within this context that the University rejects the use of, or the threat of force as a means of resolving differences. Violence is both unnecessary and inappropriate for those who have access to reasoned discourse and is unacceptable within an institution dedicated to reason. The University officer responsible for implementing the Policy Statement on Freedom of Expression and Dissent, when students are involved, is the Vice President for Student Affairs. In all cases, the designated officer shall attempt to resolve the situation through efforts of persuasion. The University must, if efforts at persuasion have failed, resort to the use of any legal remedy deemed necessary. Those engaged in unlawful disruption, consequently, may expect appropriate responses from either University or other law enforcement authorities or both.
A full statement of the policy is in The Cat's Tale 
. Each student is responsible for knowing and observing this policy.
The University expects each student to maintain high standards of personal conduct and social responsibility at all times both on and off campus. As responsible citizens, all students are required to observe and to share in the support of University regulations. Any student who fails to uphold these standards is subject to disciplinary action.
The disciplinary authority of the University is vested in the President. In such cases as the President considers proper, this authority may be delegated to the several deans and to appropriate judicial bodies. The continuance of each student, the receipt of academic credits, graduation, and the conferring of any degree or the granting of any certificate are strictly subject to the disciplinary powers of the University. The University is free to cancel a student's registration at any time on any grounds if it considers such action to be for the welfare of the institution.
Policy on the above matters is explained in detail in The Cat's Tale . Each student is held responsible for knowledge and observance of these rules and regulations, including those concerned with academic honesty.
The principal objective of the policy on academic honesty is to promote an intellectual climate and support the academic integrity of the University of Vermont. Academic dishonesty or an offense against academic honesty includes acts that may subvert or compromise the integrity of the educational process. Such acts are serious offenses that insult the integrity of the entire academic community.
Offenses against academic honesty are any acts that would have the effect of unfairly promoting or enhancing one's academic standing within the entire community of learners which includes, but is not limited to, the faculty and students of the University of Vermont. Academic dishonesty includes knowingly permitting or assisting any person in the committing an act of academic dishonesty.
The policy distinguishes between minor and major offenses. Offenses purely technical in nature or in which the instructor does not perceive intent to achieve advantage are deemed minor and are handled by the instructor. Major offenses are those in which intent to achieve academic advantages is perceived. A full statement of the policy can be found in The Cat's Tale . Each student is responsible for knowing and observing this policy.
