NIU’s academic misconduct policy falls in the majority of other universities in Illinois, but a plan to change NIU’s transcript policy would date NIU back to the 60s.

After discussing students’ transcripts with the Graduate Council, Graduate School Dean Jerrold Zar said the council has determined “there should be a transcript notation in cases of dismissal, suspension or termination for academic misconduct and in cases on reinstatement after such dismissal, suspension or termination.”

But this is something NIU has not incorporated for several years. “It seems to me back in the 50s and 60s, they used to indicate social probation on the records,” said John Olson, assistant registration and records director.

Currently at NIU, students found guilty of academic misconduct are disciplined but nothing goes on their transcripts, he said.

This is the norm at other Illinois universities, also.

Northwestern University in Evanston does not put any notations on students’ transcripts although the idea has been brought up and shot down before, said NU registrar Donald Gwinn.

Western Illinois University in Macomb only puts academic status on students’ transcripts, but cases of academic misconduct are handled through a separate office, according to a WIU registrations representative.

The practice of putting notations on transcripts used to be applied at WIU, although it was back in the ‘50s, she said.

Eastern Illinois University in Charleston and Illinois State University in Normal also do not write anything on the transcripts.

However, ISU Records Coordinator Donna Banner said they can place a hold on students’ transcripts when students damage school property or owe money to the university.

The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign does mark transcripts, said U of I registrar William Fierke. If a case is severe enough and the student is dismissed for disciplinary action, a notation would be put on the transcript. However, the mark would be dropped after six years, he said.

Southern Illinois University in Carbondale also marks transcripts, said Lavida Cruse, assistant records director. The transcript would state that students were suspended for disciplinary reasons, but would not tell what they were suspended for, she said.