Georgia · Public University
Georgia College & State University Student Conduct & Academic Misconduct Defense
Facing a Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer) proceeding? AdvocatED advisors know Georgia College's specific process, not generic advice, but guidance built around how your institution actually works.
⏱ At Georgia College, every Academic Honor Code violation is a Level 4 offense that can bring suspension or expulsion, you cannot drop the course while a case is pending, and you have only five business days to appeal a separation. Contact us as soon as you're notified.
If you just received notice
What to do right now at Georgia College
- 1Note the exact date on your notice letter and calendar every deadline it lists. Georgia College's response and appeal windows are short, and missing one forecloses your options.
- 2Do not respond substantively yet. Before you reply to the Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer), read The Bobcat Code (Student Code of Conduct) so you know the specific procedure that applies to your case.
- 3Preserve everything related to the allegation: emails, drafts, timestamps, citations, and messages with classmates. This evidence often decides the case.
- 4Confirm your right to an advisor. Most schools, including Georgia College & State University, allow you to bring an advisor to a Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer) proceeding. AdvocatED can serve in that role.
- 5Contact AdvocatED for a free case review before your Georgia College meeting. We will explain how the Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer) approaches cases like yours and what response gives you the strongest position.
Georgia College & State University's Academic Integrity & Conduct Process
Georgia College handles conduct through the Office of the Dean of Students, the University's Chief Conduct Officer, under 'The Bobcat Code.' Cases are heard by a Hearing Officer or a University Hearing Panel by majority vote under the preponderance standard, with a written 'substantial evidence' justification required for suspension or expulsion. Academic Honor Code cases split authority between the faculty (responsibility and grade) and the conduct office (sanctions only). As a USG institution, the final external step is a Board of Regents discretionary review.
This specific institutional knowledge is what separates AdvocatED from generic advisors. We provide guidance tailored to how Georgia College's actual process works, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Key Things to Know About Georgia College's Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer)
- →Public University System of Georgia liberal arts university; the Dean of Students is the Chief Conduct Officer under 'The Bobcat Code'
- →Cases are heard by a Hearing Officer or a University Hearing Panel by majority vote under the preponderance standard, with a written 'substantial evidence' justification required for suspension or expulsion
- →Academic Honor Code cases split authority: the faculty side decides responsibility and the grade, while the conduct side determines additional sanctions only
- →All Academic Honor Code violations are Level 4 offenses that can bring suspension or expulsion, and no conduct sanction is imposed until any academic appeal concludes
- →Suspension or expulsion appeals go to the President within 5 business days on three grounds; general determinations are appealed to the VP for Student Life
- →As a USG institution, the final external step is discretionary review by the Board of Regents under Policy 6.26
How AdvocatED Helps Georgia College Students
Academic Misconduct Defense
The Bobcat Code (Student Code of Conduct) violations, plagiarism, cheating, AI use, collaboration issues
Learn more →Conduct Hearing Preparation
Coaching and preparation for presenting your case before Office of the Dean of Students (Chief Conduct Officer)
Learn more →Academic Dismissal Appeals
Building a compelling appeal through Georgia College's appeals process
Learn more →Title IX Defense
Navigating Georgia College & State University's Title IX investigation and hearing procedures
Learn more →Georgia College Resources & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions: Georgia College Students
Who decides my case at Georgia College?
Conduct is centered on the Office of the Dean of Students, who is designated the University's Chief Conduct Officer under 'The Bobcat Code.' Depending on the case, it is decided by a single Hearing Officer or a University Hearing Panel (a mix of officials and students) by majority vote. For Academic Honor Code cases, authority is split — the faculty side (through deans and department chairs) decides responsibility and the grade, while the conduct side determines only the additional sanctions. Knowing that division is key to defending an academic case.
What standard of proof does Georgia College use?
Georgia College decides cases by the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, and the University — not you — bears the burden of proof. For the most serious outcomes there is an added safeguard: a decision to suspend or expel must articulate the 'substantial evidence' relied upon in the written decision. We hold the University to both requirements whenever separation is at stake.
How does the Academic Honor Code work at Georgia College?
All Academic Honor Code violations — including the unauthorized use of AI — are classified as Level 4 offenses and can result in suspension or expulsion. Faculty must report every violation to the Dean of Students even if they don't pursue further discipline. The academic process determines responsibility and the grade, and then a separate 'sanctions-only' conduct hearing addresses additional penalties. Importantly, no conduct action is taken until any academic appeal has concluded, and you cannot drop or withdraw from the course while it is pending.
How do I appeal a decision at Georgia College?
It depends on the outcome. General conduct determinations are appealed to the Vice President for Student Life, who can decide, deny, or refer the appeal to a University Appeals Committee. A suspension or expulsion is appealed in writing to the President within five business days on one of three grounds: new information, a procedural error that affected fairness, or a finding inconsistent with the weight of the information. The President's decision is the final institutional decision — after which you may seek Board of Regents discretionary review.
What does it mean that Georgia College is part of the University System of Georgia?
It means USG Board of Regents policy governs the top of the process, and the sexual-misconduct framework follows USG policy with USG-trained hearing panels. After you exhaust the University's internal appeals, the final step is a discretionary-review application to the Board of Regents under Policy 6.26 — granted only in limited circumstances. We factor that system-level structure into strategy from the start.
What sanctions can Georgia College impose?
The status-sanction ladder runs from a reprimand and probation through suspension deferred, suspension (separation for a set period), and expulsion (permanent separation), plus academic sanctions, degree or admission revocation, and housing outcomes. Readmission after expulsion cannot be petitioned for at least three years, and after suspension not before half the suspension period. Because these outcomes are severe and long-lasting, contesting both the finding and the sanction is worthwhile.
Related guides for Georgia College students
Topic-specific guides that cover the situations Georgia College students most commonly face.
Facing a Georgia College Conduct Issue?
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