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8.1 Conduct Expectations
The Law School and the UW-Madison community strive to provide a positive learning environment and quality of life for our students. The expectations of law students include:
- Your consistent practice of civility toward others
- Your respect for the expression of diverse opinions
- Your insistence on academic honesty and integrity
- Your demand that all members of the university be accepted and judged as individuals without regard to their race, sex, religion, color, creed, disability, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry or age.
- Your efforts to insure that the community is safe from violence, harassment, fraud, theft, disruption and intimidation
For more information about student rights and responsibilities please see students.wisc.edu/rights/
8.2 UW-Madison Dean of Students Office-Dean on call
An assistant dean from the Dean of Students office is on-call daily for walk-in appointments (Bascom Hall, room 70), phone calls (608-263-5700), and emails (dean@studentlife.wisc.edu). Below are some of the reasons a student may meet with the dean on-call:
- Advocacy
- Conflict Mediation
- Problem Solving
- Consulting
- Assistance for victims
- Family Emergency
- Resources
- Questions
- Concern for others
- Complaints
See students.wisc.edu/doso/studassist.html#deanoncall.
8.3 Director of Student Life
Law School Director of Student Life Mike Hall is available to meet during the day, in the evening or on weekends for any of the reasons listed above or anything else a student would like to discuss, including academic, personal, mental health, or nonacademic issues. Students can make an appointment to meet in his office (Room 5101), drop-in for a meeting, call (office: 608-890-0115; cell: 608-215-7134) or email (mahall2@wisc.edu).
The Director of Student can also accompany a student who has a meeting in the Dean of Students Office.
8.4 Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct, including--but not limited to--cheating, plagiarism, and falsifying information, may be grounds for discipline during law school. In addition to the Rules of the Law School, students are subject to the Student Conduct and Disciplinary Rules of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. An explanation of the UW campus rules is available at http://www.wisc.edu/students/saja/misconduct/misconduct.html. Penalties for academic misconduct range from oral reprimands or lowered or failing grades to university disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion from the university. For information about the academic misconduct investigation process, see students.wisc.edu/doso/misconductflowchart.html.
Academic misconduct is a very serious issue for prospective attorneys. This is one reason for the questions on your law school application regarding prior academic misconduct. You will also need to answer questions about academic misconduct when you apply for admission to practice law. The Wisconsin Board of Bar Examiners (BBE) will review your files if you seek admission to the Wisconsin bar: the BBE will expect to see complete disclosure of pre-law school academic misconduct in the files of the school. The BBE will also receive information about academic misconduct during law school from the University.
Academic misconduct also is possible grounds for denial of admission to the bar due to the questionable moral character reflected by the conduct. See Law School Rules Appendices A and B and the No Collaboration Policy at Rule 6.11.
8.5 Nonacademic Misconduct
The University of Wisconsin-Madison also has a code regarding nonacademic misconduct that applies to Law students. See http://students.wisc.edu/saja/misconduct/non-academic_misconduct.html. Nonacademic misconduct can include sexual assault, stalking, hazing and harassment. See docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/uws/17/09.
Violation of the code may result in penalties ranging from a written reprimand to expulsion. The University has a formal nonacademic misconduct process. See students.wisc.edu/doso/nonacadmisconduct.html. Nonacademic misconduct is also possible grounds for denial of admission to the practice of law. When you apply for admission to practice law you will need to disclose completely all non-academic misconduct incidents, including any that occur during law school.
8.6 Sexual Assault/Stalking/Domestic Violence
Direct of Student Life Mike Hall works with the University Health Services and the Dean of Students Office support victims of sexual assault, stalking and domestic violence.
- If you are in need of immediate assistance call 9-1-1.
- If you have been sexually assaulted, call (608) 251-RAPE [7273] (Rape Crisis Center 24-hour hotline).
- If you are experiencing dating or domestic violence, call (608) 251-4445 (Domestic Abuse Intervention Services 24-hour crisis hotline).
- If you are being stalked, call (608) 264-COPS [2677] (UW-Madison campus police) or (608) 266-4275 (Madison police).
- See the University Health Services website: uhs.wisc.edu/assault/.
With regard to these highly sensitive issues, we want to make you aware that Director of Student Life Mike Hall is available for support during any of these processes. You can call his office (608) 890-0115 or cell phone (608) 215-7134, email (mahall2@wisc.edu) or meet to discuss any issue that may arise.
