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