Yale College Undergraduate Regulations

Yale College is an academic community dedicated to the advancement of learning. Students freely associate themselves with the College and in doing so affirm their commitment to a philosophy of mutual tolerance and respect. All students admitted to Yale should understand the responsibility thus placed upon them. If any member of the community should interfere with its functions or show themselves unable or unwilling to assist in these functions, the community may find it necessary to protect itself by suspending or terminating that person's membership. Indeed, by formal vote the Yale College Faculty has affirmed:

  • Its commitment to protect free expression and peaceful dissent and to preserve mutual respect and charitable relations among all members of the Yale community.

  • Its belief that physical restriction, coercion, or intimidation of any member of that community is contrary to the basic principles of the University.

  • Its expectation that such action will ordinarily result in temporary or permanent separation from Yale College.

Yale College also reserves the right to withdraw students under policies described in the Yale College Programs of Study. For more information, see Academic Regulations, "Time Away and Return."

Authority for disciplinary matters proceeds from the Yale Corporation, which has empowered the Yale College Faculty to oversee disciplinary actions with respect to undergraduates. Penalties for misconduct by undergraduates are ordinarily imposed by the Yale College Executive Committee, a standing committee of the Yale College Faculty by whose authorization it acts.

The Executive Committee’s jurisdiction includes offenses described in the Undergraduate Regulations as well as other actions on the part of students that may in the judgment of the committee warrant disciplinary action because they may imperil the integrity and values of the Yale community or the well-being of its members. The Executive Committee may assign penalties as provided in the Undergraduate Regulations, though in some cases that authority resides in the president of the University, or is delegated to other University officials.

Violations of sexual misconduct will be addressed by the University-Wide Committee on Sexual Misconduct (UWC).

The heads of the residential colleges, the University Librarian, the directors of the Yale computer facilities, and the Senior Director of Residential Dining may summarily impose certain penalties for violations of the dormitory regulations, the library regulations, the computer facility regulations, and the dining services regulations.

A member of the faculty finding evidence of academic dishonesty on a class assignment or examination is expected to bring the matter to the attention of the Executive Committee. Any member of the faculty, residential college head, residential college dean, or member of the University administration or staff may bring to the attention of the committee an alleged infraction of the Undergraduate Regulations.

Each student in Yale College is required as a condition of enrollment to comply with the Undergraduate Regulations. The University expects students to be familiar with the Undergraduate Regulations; a claim of ignorance of any of the regulations will not be accepted as an excuse for violating them. No student or group of students should expect to be individually warned to conform to any of the rules contained in the Undergraduate Regulations.

The University reserves the right to amend or supplement these regulations at any time upon such notice to students as it deems suitable. The Yale College Dean’s Office is responsible for the publication of the Undergraduate Regulations. Suggestions for amendments may be sent to the Editor, Undergraduate Regulations, Yale College Dean's Office, 1 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511.