Disciplinary measures and the disciplinary board
The disciplinary board is, according to the Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100, chapter 10), the organ that decides about disciplinary measures against students that has been reported for one of the below situations:
1. use prohibited aids or other methods to attempt to deceive during examinations or other forms of assessment of study performance
2. disrupt or obstruct teaching, tests or other activities within the framework of courses and study programmes at the higher education institution
3. disrupt activities in the library of the higher education institution or other separate establishments at the institution, or
4. subject another student or member of the staff of the higher education institution to harassment or sexual harassment of the kind laid down in Section 4 of Chapter 1 of the Discrimination Act (2008:567).
If there are grounds for suspecting that an offence of the kind laid down above has been committed, the vice-chancellor shall be notified promptly through a report. The report is registered as a public document. The Vice-Chancellor let the matter to be investigated. During the investigation, the student have the opportunity to make a statement on the issue. Thereafter, the Vice-Chancellor has a consultation with the legally qualified member and decide whether the circumstances are such that the matter shall be dismissed without further action, call for a warning from the vice-chancellor, or be referred for a hearing by the disciplinary board.
If the last option applies, both the notifying member of staff and the reported student, as well as possible witnesses are called to the meeting. Both the member of staff and the student have the possibility to give their statements in front of the board, as well as respond possible questions. The board then deliberate in private and makes their decision.
The board can decide if the matter shall be dismissed without further action, call for a warning, or if the student should be suspended during a period of time, maximum 6 months.
The disciplinary board meet once per month.
The decision of suspensions and warnings can be appealed to the Administrative Court (but shall be sent to Linnaeus University) within three weeks from the date the decision is received. Instructions on how to appeal are always included in the decision protocol.
Composition of the Disciplinary Board
The disciplinary board is chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, or his stand-in. The other members of the board are a legally qualified member who shall hold or have held tenure as a judge, a representative of the teaching staff at the higher education institution and two student representatives.
At Linnaeus University, the Student Union Linnékåren appoints the student representatives. They are appointed for a period of one year. The legally qualified member and the teacher representatives are appointed by the univeristy for a period of three years.
The administration is done by the secretaries of the board. Students and staff can contact these through disciplinarenden@lnu.se
Information to reported students
When a report is directed towards you, the investigators of disciplinary cases will contact you. You will get access to the report, as well as the possibility to send in a written statement.
The Vice-chancellor goes through the report and decides, in consultation with the legally qualified member whether your matter shall be dismissed without further action, call for a warning from the vice-chancellor, or be referred for a hearing by the disciplinary board.
If your matter is dismissed without further action, nothing happens and you can continue your studies as usual.
If the Vice-Chancellor call for a warning, you can also continue your studies as usual. However, if another report of disciplinary misconduct is directed towards you, the disciplinary board will have the warning in mind. If the Vice-Chancellor call for a warning, you can request that the matter will be brought up to the disciplinary board through notifying the investigators of disciplinary cases.
If the Vice-Chancellor decides to refer your matter for a hearing by the disciplinary board, you will be called to this meeting with date, time and place. The meetings are held once per month in Växjö. You have the right to attend the meeting and make a statement in front of the board. You are also entitled to be present when others address the board, unless there are special grounds to the contrary. If you cannot attend in person, you have the chance to leave a phone number, which the board will call you on in case they have questions during the meeting.
If you have been present during the meeting, you can wait outside while the disciplinary board deliberate and get the decision right afterwards. No matter if you are present or not, the protocol will be e-mailed to you. The protocol also contains instructions on how to appeal the decision. When an appeal reaches the board, the board shall consider if there is any reasons to change the decisions or not. If such reasons do not occur, the appeal is sent to the Administrative Court in Växjö for their final decision.
Please note that during the investigation, you are supposed to continue with your studies as normal. Only when a decision of suspension is taken, you are not allowed to continue. The suspension is only valid during the time period the protocol states.
Information to suspended students
A suspension decision means that your are prohibited from participating in instruction, tests or other activities within the framework of the courses and study programmes at Linnaeus University. The decision comprise one or more periods, but the total suspension period shall not exceed six months. A suspension takes effect the Monday the week after the decision is made by the disciplinary board. At Linnaeus University, the suspension follows the regular semester dates. This means, that if you are suspended for eight weeks in the end of the spring semester, your suspension is on pause during the summer, and continues when the autumn semester starts again. To know the exact dates for your suspension, you must look at the decision protocol that was sent to you after the disciplinary board meeting.
The following applies to you during the suspension period:You are not allowed to participate in lectures
- You are not allowed to participate in tutoring
- You are not allowed to participate in any kind of examinations
- You are not allowed to participate in internships connected to your studies at Linnaeus University
- You cannot register on courses
- You cannot register for examinations
- Your student account is shut down, which means you cannot use the services connected to it
- You cannot use computer rooms or other facilities that is only accessable for students at Linnaeus Univeristy
- You are not entitled study allowances from the Swedish Board of Student Finance (CSN).
During your suspension, you can still:
- Take contact with the Student Welfare office, contact details can be found at https://lnu.se/en/education/during-your-studies/student-welfare/
- Take contact with your student councelor
- Visit the university library and borrow books (however not use the computers, databases or other services connected to your student account).
- Study at home
- Continue courses you might take at other Higher Education Institutes
- Register for examinations that takes place after your suspension period.
Advice and support
The Student Union
If you have been reported to the disciplinary board, you can get help and support by the studentombud at the Student Union Linnaeus Union. They can support you throughout the process and also join you to the disciplinary board meeting when your case is to be decided upon. The Student Ombudsman have confidentiality. You are welcome to contact them and you find their contact information at the webpage of Linnaeus Union.
The Student Welfare Office
If you need someone to talk to, the Student Welfare Office is there for you. The Student Welfare Office is available both before and after the disciplinary board meeting. The Welfare Officers have confidentiality. You can contact them at studenthalsan@lnu.se or a Welfare Officer directly, contact details can be found at https://lnu.se/en/education/during-your-studies/student-welfare/
Contact
If you have questions about disciplinary measures or the disciplinary board, you are welcome to contact the investigators of disciplinary cases at disciplinarenden@lnu.se