Self-report policy

Students at Calvin College may self-report to the Office of Student Conduct that they have been involved in a situation where they have violated or may have violated the student conduct code, provided that the specific incident has not come to the college’s attention via normal reporting channels and the report does not involve injury, harm, or violence toward another individual.

When receiving a student’s self-report, the Office of Student Conduct will work with the student to understand the situation, and to assist the student in addressing the situation so that they will be in compliance with the student conduct code moving forward. Approved self-reports will not receive sanctions but may be assigned appropriate interventions, referrals, and/or education. These reports do not become part of a student’s discipline record.

Example of a Self-Report

A self-report could be utilized by a student who is using (or has used) marijuana. The following is a potential scenario which might generate a self-report: A student realizes that Calvin’s zero tolerance policy means that they risk suspension if they continue the use of marijuana. The student realizes that they need help or resources to address the situation fully. Perhaps a friend or roommate is troubled by their use or has recently realized that the student is using marijuana.

If the student self-reports the above situation to a Student Life dean, then he or she would not receive a sanction for the reported marijuana use. The dean would receive the report and listen to the student’s experiences and concerns. The dean would work together with the student to identify appropriate resources to assist the student in bringing their behavior in line with the student conduct code. The self-report plan might stipulate that the student would submit to drug testing to support the change in behavior, and so together, the dean and the student would establish a timeline in which the student would submit to a hair test, to confirm that the student has come into compliance with the student conduct code.