Code of Student Responsibility

Code of Student Responsibilities

The Code of Student Responsibility outlines standards of student conduct and serves to promote an environment that fosters a safe and enriching study abroad experience for all students, enabling personal growth, cultural engagement and academic excellence.

Freedom to learn can be preserved only through the respect of the rights of others, for the expression of ideas, and for the law. Acceptance of admission to DIS carries with it an obligation to act as an intercultural leader and to have a holistic approach to a student’s study abroad experience. Students should therefore be open to learning experiences beyond the classroom and in various cultural encounters throughout their study abroad experience.

Students are obliged to follow the Code of Student Responsibility throughout their enrollment at DIS. By accepting admission to DIS, students confirm that they understand and agree to abide by this Code of Student Responsibility.

Students violating DIS regulations and policies will be subject to reviews and possible sanctions. DIS reserves the right to remove students from the program for failure to maintain appropriate academic or behavioral standards. A student dismissed due to a violation of the Code of Student Responsibility will not be eligible for a refund of tuition, tour costs, etc. and will be financially responsible for transportation home and all other related costs incurred.

Information regarding violations of the DIS Code of Student Responsibility may be shared with a student’s home institution.

1. Standards of conduct

  1. Laws
    Students will follow the laws and customs governing Denmark, Sweden, and any other country they visit both on official DIS activities and during personal travel. For more information on key laws to be aware of, that may be different than in the U.S., students are encouraged to review pre-departure orientations and materials as well as their study tour materials. Students are reminded that neither DIS nor the U.S. Embassy can interfere with legal proceedings or obtain release from jail.
  2. Housing
    Students living in DIS housing are responsible for upholding DIS Housing Regulations and Expectations, and generally fostering a healthy living environment within the DIS community.
  3. Academic
    DIS expects students to abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. Students are also held to the DIS Academic Regulations as part of this Code.
  4. Property and Facilities
    Students are expected to respect DIS property and facilities including buildings, housing, equipment, technology (computers, networks, software), data and transportation. Theft, vandalism and unauthorized use are prohibited.
  5. Other Community Standards
    1. Students are expected to contribute to a positive community, where harassment and disruptive behavior are not tolerated. This includes harassment, sexual harassment, stalking, verbal abuse, physical abuse and self-endangerment.
    2. Obstruction of classes, study tours and program activities is prohibited. Students agree to comply with directions of DIS officials and partners acting in performance of their duties, including communication of guidelines, directives, timetables, and instructions.
    3. Students are financially responsible for their own actions and any property damage, fines etc. are the responsibility of the student to rectify.
  6. Alcohol and Drugs
    1. Students who choose to consume alcohol do so with the knowledge that they remain responsible for their actions at all times. Being under the influence of alcohol during class, study tour visits, field studies, and other DIS official time is prohibited. Extreme or repeated intoxication at anytime is prohibited.
    2. Students may not purchase, possess, use, or distribute any drugs considered to be illicit, illegal, or a controlled substances in Denmark, Sweden, and any country they visit while enrolled with DIS. Students may not use drugs legally prescribed to another person or inappropriately/illegally use otherwise legal drugs. Students are further cautioned that the possession of illegal drugs is often dealt with harshly by local law enforcement. Students are encouraged to review the Alcohol & Drug policy.
  7. Use of the DIS Name and Logo
    1. Students may not use DIS social media platforms to promote any events not supported by DIS.
    2. Use of the DIS brand requires written permission from the Marketing and Communications Department prior to use (contact: studentmedia@dis.dk).

2. Sanctions

If the Code of Student Responsibility, or any rules or policies enforceable under the code is violated, sanctions will vary depending on the circumstances. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to:

  • Oral and/or written warnings
  • Behavioral Agreements
  • Removal from housing
  • Disciplinary Probation
  • Removal from Study Tour
  • Restitution
  • Dismissal

The DIS disciplinary process is designed to be fair to all individuals involved. In reviewing alleged violations under this Code, DIS will honor the student’s right to understand the allegations against them as well as their right to be heard in response to the allegations. If a group of students is involved and the responsible individual(s) cannot be identified, the group will face review and possible sanctions as a whole. DIS uses preponderance of the evidence as the standard of proof for alleged violations of the Code of Student Responsibility. This means that students will be held responsible for a violation of the Code of Student Responsibility if it is more likely than not that the violation has occurred.

Students may appeal a DIS decision, which resulted in sanctions, under this Code by contacting codeappeals@dis.dk. A committee will decide if a serious error has been made, taking into account any or all of the following:

  • Information that should have been considered but wasn’t;
  • A sanction issued in bad faith or that does not match the violation;
  • New information since the original decision was made that substantially affects the decision; and
  • Other errors

The appeal must be timely (generally within the same term of study as the original disciplinary decision) and sanctions will, in most cases, remain in place until an appeal decision is reached.

3. Home Institution Conduct Code

DIS students are expected to follow their home college or university code of conduct, as well as that of DIS. Students are responsible for understanding their responsibilities under their home school code of conduct. DIS will honor the home school’s decisions related to their own code and will support their decisions, to the extent possible. For example, if a home school withdraws their support of a student on a DIS program as a result of a violation of the home school’s code, DIS will not allow the student to remain with DIS.