we are now Student Conduct and Community Standards

Over the years, many stakeholders, both inside and outside UMBC, have had difficulty discerning what we do based on the name of our office. After more than a calendar year researching options, exploring focus-group and survey respondent feedback about different possible names for our office, and debating amongst ourselves the benefits and drawbacks of various naming options, we have decided on a new name:

Student Conduct and Community Standards

This name is a mash-up of “Student Conduct,” which is the preferred name for most conduct offices across the country, while adding a phrase that has currency for our campus.The addition of “Community Standards” emphasizes the importance of community at UMBC. Also:

• The name focuses on both individual responsibility and community responsibility
• One of the goals of restorative practices is repairing relationships which fits nicely with the concept of building community
• The inclusion of “Community Standards” emphasizes that we have a broader focus than just talking about discipline
• The use of “Community Standards” signals to campus partners our desire to collaborate around the creation and maintenance of standards for behavior in all realms of the student experience