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Active Sanctions – Community/Restorative

These sanctions provide the student with an opportunity to renew relationships and repair the harm their actions may have caused to individuals, the Rutgers community, or the larger New Brunswick community.

Restitution

  • Description: Financial compensation to an injured party
  • Appropriate for: Incidents in which a student has damaged, destroyed, or stolen property belonging to the University or to a member of the community
  • Not appropriate for: All other cases
  • Availability: No restrictions
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: In cases of substantial restitution, payment can be made in installments, at the discretion of the Conduct Officer/Hearing Board. The student is instructed to deliver restitution to the Office of Student Conduct, not directly to the injured party.
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to pay restitution in the amount of [AMOUNT]. Payment must be in the form of a money order or certified check payable to [INJURED PARTY]. Cash and personal checks WILL NOT be accepted.”

Good Neighbor Workshop

  • Description: One-hour workshop on off-campus community standards and good community citizenship
  • Appropriate for: Incidents in which student has been disruptive to the off-campus community
  • Not appropriate for: All other cases
  • Availability: As scheduled by the Office of Off-Campus Living and Community Partnerships
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to complete the free Good Neighbor workshop offered by Off-Campus Living and Community Partnerships at Rutgers University. A member of the Student Conduct staff will contact you with workshop dates, times, and location.”

Restorative Justice Circle

  • Description: A meeting where community members who have been impacted by an incident (including victims, perpetrators, and others) can have an honest dialogue. It is a non-threatening way to rebuild trust, community, and relationships. Restorative Justice Circles focus on gaining understanding and reaching a mutually desired outcome or resolution.
  • Appropriate for: Cases where all parties are willing to participate in the circle
  • Not appropriate for: Cases where one or more parties are unwilling to participate; cases involving stalking or harassment
  • Availability: As scheduled between participants and the Office of Student Conduct
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: An unwilling student cannot be sanctioned with Restorative Justice practices.
  • Instructions to student: “You must participate in a restorative justice activity provided by the Office of Student Conduct. A member of the Student Conduct staff will contact you with the date of your restorative justice activity. The goal of restorative justice practices is to establish an option for addressing harm, to engage those harmed by providing them with an active role in addressing the harm and restoring community, while educating those who have harmed individuals, groups, and the larger Rutgers community.”

Restorative Justice Conference

  • Description: A meeting where victims and perpetrators can have an honest dialogue about the violation and its consequences
  • Appropriate for: Cases where both parties are willing to participate in the conference
  • Not appropriate for: Cases where one or more parties are unwilling to participate; cases involving stalking or harassment
  • Availability: As scheduled between participants and the Office of Student Conduct
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: An unwilling student cannot be sanctioned with Restorative Justice practices.
  • Instructions to student: “Restorative justice is a philosophical approach that embraces the reparation of harm. A central practice of restorative justice is a collaborative decision-making process that includes harmed parties, people who caused harm, and others to seek a resolution that includes: (a) accepting and acknowledging responsibility for harmful behavior, (b) repairing the harm caused to individuals and the community, and (c) working to rebuild trust by showing an understanding of the harm, addressing personal issues, and building positive social connections. The Restorative Justice Conference facilitators will contact you via email.”

Recommended Mediation

  • Description: A conversation between individuals in conflict facilitated by a trained mediator
  • Appropriate for: Interpersonal disputes that do not involve serious use of force or bodily harm
  • Not appropriate for: All other cases
  • Availability: As scheduled between participants and mediator
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: An unwilling student cannot be sanctioned with Restorative Justice practices.
  • Instructions to student: “It is recommended that you attempt to deal with your interpersonal conflict in this instance through mediation. Mediation is a process in which a neutral third party works with disputants to attempt to achieve a lasting and mutually satisfying outcome to the dispute. Although such action on your part is voluntary, be advised that this recommendation will remain a part of your disciplinary record. To initiate the mediation process, contact the Office of Student Conduct.”

Restorative Justice Coalition

  • Description: Participation in a restorative justice practice recommended by a member of the Residence Life Restorative Justice Coalition. The goal of restorative justice practices is to accept responsibility for one's actions, while addressing the harm caused and engaging those harmed in an attempt to reconcile and reestablish community relationships. Student is required to complete a Perspective Interview.
  • Appropriate for: Cases where the student is willing to participate in restorative justice
  • Not appropriate for: All other cases
  • Availability: As scheduled among participants and the Office of Student Conduct
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: An unwilling student cannot be sanctioned with Restorative Justice practices.
  • Instructions to student: “You must participate in a restorative justice practice provided by a member of the Restorative Justice Coalition. You will be contacted with details of participation. The goals of restorative justice practices are to accept responsibility while addressing the harm, and potentially engaging those harmed in an attempt to reconcile and reestablish community relationships. You must also interview at least one person who reflects the identity of the individual you wronged. Note: This interview must be approved by a member of the Restorative Justice Coalition. Provide a reason to this person as to why you are interviewing them. Ask meaningful questions that will allow you to learn why your actions may have been interpreted as hurtful. Ask the interviewee what they think can be done to restore the harm. After your interview, write an essay (at least 250 words, typed and double-spaced) that includes an overview of the interview and explains what you gained from this person’s perspective. Your essay may not serve to justify your own actions nor evaluate the actions of others. It should utilize appropriate language, grammar, and spelling.”

Letter of Apology

  • Description: A letter in which the student apologizes to the injured party and acknowledges the harm they caused
  • Appropriate for: Incidents in which a student has assumed some level of responsibility for their actions and has negatively impacted another member of the community
  • Not appropriate for: Incidents in which a student refuses to acknowledge any responsibility for their actions
  • Availability: No restrictions
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to write a letter of apology to [INJURED PARTY]. This letter should be no less than 250 words in length (typed, double spaced) and must be submitted to me by email. Do NOT deliver your letter directly to [INJURED PARTY]. This letter should reflect an understanding of the inappropriateness of your actions and the impact it had on the letter’s recipient. Be advised that this letter will be screened by Student Conduct staff prior to being forwarded to the recipient. A copy will also be maintained in your conduct file. Be further advised that this letter may not serve to justify your own actions nor evaluate the actions of others. The letter should utilize appropriate language, grammar, and spelling.”

Resident Assistant Interview

  • Description: An interview with a Resident Assistant about their duties and responsibilities
  • Appropriate for: Incidents in which a student demonstrates a disregard for residence hall staff acting in the performance of their duties
  • Not appropriate for: Non-residence hall cases
  • Availability: As scheduled between the student and Resident Assistant (in consultation with the appropriate Residence Life Coordinator)
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: Indicate the name and residence hall of the Residence Life Coordinator who will facilitate the interview
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to conduct an interview with a Resident Assistant about their duties and responsibilities. You are required to contact [NAME], the Residence Life Coordinator in [RESIDENCE HALL] to arrange to complete this sanction. Once completed, you must then write a paper reflecting on your actions in this incident. This paper must be no less than 250 words in length (typed, double-spaced) and should address the following questions/issues:

A. Summarize your interview with the Resident Assistant. What are their duties and responsibilities? How did your actions affect the Residence Life staff’s ability to perform their duties?
B. Reflect on the policies you were found in violation of: why do they exist? What purpose do they serve?
C. How was your behavior inconsistent with the University’s expectations?
D. If placed in the same situation again, how would your actions be similar or different?
E. Why would your actions be similar or different?
F. What is the most important thing you have learned from this experience?

This paper may not serve to justify your own actions or evaluate the actions of others. The paper should utilize appropriate language, grammar, and spelling.”

Educational/Community Service Hours

  • Description: The student provides service to a campus or community philanthropic organization
  • Appropriate for: Instances in which the required service can be related to the violation in question
  • Not appropriate for: All other cases
  • Availability: As scheduled between the student and the organization
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): List of service opportunities, service log
  • Note: Students assigned educational/community service should also be required to complete an educational/community service reflection paper (see below)
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to complete [NUMBER OF HOURS] hours of educational service with an office/agency approved by the Office of Student Conduct. Attached is a list of potential volunteer opportunities; however, you are not limited to the organizations on this list. Once your proposed service has been approved, you are expected to begin immediately and to complete five hours per week until the sanction has been fulfilled. Be advised that no consideration will be granted for work schedules or for co-curricular activities, including athletics. You are advised to identify an organization and make immediate contact in order to complete your service on time. Once you have completed your service, you are required to submit a reflective essay about your experience.”

Educational/Community Service Reflection Paper

  • Description: A writing exercise in which the student can reflect upon their educational/community service and their actions related to the violation
  • Appropriate for: Incidents in which the student has been required to perform educational/community service
  • Not appropriate for: All other incidents
  • Availability: No restrictions
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: This sanction should be assigned as a supplement to educational/community service hours (see above)
  • Instructions to student: “You are required to write a paper reflecting on your educational/community service and your actions in this incident. This paper must be no less than 250 words in length (typed, double-spaced) and should address the following questions/issues:

A. What does it mean to you to be a part of the Rutgers University community?
B. What responsibilities do you have as a member of this community?
C. In what way did your actions in this incident impact the community?
D. What did you learn from completing this service?

This paper may not serve to justify your own actions or evaluate the actions of others. The paper should utilize appropriate language, grammar, and spelling.”

Contact Restriction

  • Description: A directive prohibiting the student from contacting another person (also known as a no-contact order)
  • Appropriate for: Cases involving violence, threats of violence, sexual misconduct, stalking, harassment, defamation, or other unwanted contact
  • Not appropriate for: Interpersonal conflicts in which both parties have established a desire to continue their relationship
  • Availability: No restrictions
  • Supporting materials (included with sanction letter): None
  • Note: Contact restrictions should normally be imposed indefinitely
  • Instructions to student: “You are restricted from having any contact with [INDIVIDUAL] indefinitely. No contact is understood to mean contact in person, in writing, by phone, social media, through third parties (such as family or friends), and/or via computer or electronic communication devices. You need to avoid contact with [INDIVIDUAL] both on and off campus. In areas where neither of you is required to be present (such as a social event), if one of you arrives first, the other must leave. In areas where both of you are required to be present (such as class), you must sit on opposite sides of the room from each other and avoid sitting within eye-line of each other. 

You are prohibited from speaking with this person at any time and you must make accommodation in your academic and social pursuits to avoid being in the same room with or within fifty feet of this person. Failure to abide by this restriction will result in immediate and serious disciplinary action. If the other party initiates contact with you, contact the Office of Student Conduct (848-932-9414) immediately.”