Disciplinary Records
Student Code of Conduct: 3.11 Disciplinary Records
Student disciplinary records will be maintained in the student's or recognized student organization's disciplinary file in the Office of Student Conduct (OSC), consisting of a statement of charges, summary of the information presented in any investigation, conference, or hearing, findings and sanctions by OSC or the hearing body, records of appeals and rationale for decisions. Student disciplinary records also include the correspondence, evidence and testimony presented, including those of any applicable complainant and/or witnesses. Records will be preserved during the pendency of any related legal proceedings.
A student disciplinary record is part of a formal educational record, and is maintained by the Office of Student Conduct for a period of seven (7) years, after which the file records may be purged. Records may be maintained for a longer time at the discretion of the university, except that the recording of any hearings may be destroyed one semester following the exhaustion of all appeals.
Student disciplinary case records are subject to FERPA and other applicable privacy laws. However, when the student is expelled, suspended, or their admission is revoked, a notation will appear on the academic transcript that the student has been dropped due to disciplinary action and is not eligible to enroll. Student disciplinary case records may be required to be transmitted to the Board of Regents for purposes of appeal, or, in the case of legal action, to the courts or to the parties in litigation.
Because student disciplinary case records may contain records of persons other than the individual authorizing access, records relating to such other persons will be denied or redacted in a manner sufficient to prevent identification of the other person. Disciplinary process information pertaining to students may be shared with an office or department within the university where the requestor has a legitimate need to know.
Records of violations by recognized student organizations may be transmitted for inclusion in the organization's file in the Office of Student Activities.
Disciplinary Record FAQs
Student Disciplinary records are considered "educational records" and are normally maintained in the Dean of Students Office for a period of seven (7) years, after which the file records may be purged.
Unless a student is suspended or expelled, individual student disciplinary records are kept confidential, and nothing from them appears on a student's academic transcript. If a student is suspended or expelled, a notation will be placed on the transcript that the student was dropped due to disciplinary action and is not eligible to enroll at Iowa State.
On occasion, students may be asked about a University disciplinary record as a part of a program, University, or employment application. The most common background checks the Office of Student Conduct receives are for study abroad programs, Cyclone Aid and DIS Team Leader applications, law school and other graduate program applications, and government security clearance.
To learn more about filing a record request and the necessary documentation, visit: https://www.studentconduct.dso.iastate.edu/report-an-incident---forms/records-request
Students may wish to share disciplinary information with another individual and/or allow a representative from the Office of Student Conduct to discuss their case with another individual (such as an attorney or guardian). Students wishing to have their information shared will need to complete a Release of Information with the Office of Student Conduct; this release can be completed by contacting your hearing officer directly.