Although students have likely heard of the Disciplinary Committee, more commonly known as the DC, they may not understand how it operates. The DC is a council of faculty members and students that hears cases when students violate major school rules. The council recommends consequences to Head of School Mr. Craig Bradley.
The disciplinary process begins with the deans deciding whether a case will go to the DC. This decision is based on a variety of factors, including the severity of the offense and whether it is a repeat offense.
Committee members receive the details of a case the night before a DC hearing. They meet to review the details of each case for fifteen minutes before the student, along with their advisor or a trusted adult from the school community, is invited to present their perspective and answer questions.
The recommendation given to Mr. Bradley is decided according to the guidelines of The Almanac. The standard consequences are warning, general probation, academic probation, and suspension. A letter of censure is a less severe punishment that is not given out by the DC but by deans for offenses that don’t rise to the DC.
During the hearing, the student is prompted to explain their thoughts during the incident under review. Ms. Amanda McClure, associate dean of student life, said, “The committee asks questions like: What are some of the ways that you will respond in the future if something like this happens?”
The DC has changed and evolved over the years. Formerly, all class presidents were on the DC, which made it difficult to schedule cases at times everyone could attend. Now, a smaller number of students are elected specifically for this role by their peers.
The student representatives have the same responsibilities as the adult representatives, and their votes are weighted equally. DC representative Danielle Attoh ’25 said, “Student representatives can advocate for other students in a way that faculty members can’t. They represent student voices not often heard in certain spaces.”
After the committee’s recommendation is approved by Mr. Bradley, the student’s class dean meets with the student and their advisor to deliver the decision and arrange follow-up conversations. Ms. McClure said, “We also refer students to helpful resources, such as the TLC or librarians. These conversations are specific to individual cases.”
