The University of Chicago is a community of scholars dedicated to research, academic excellence, and the pursuit and cultivation of learning in an environment where the free and open expression of ideas and critical questions are paramount. Every member of the University - student, faculty, and staff - makes a commitment to strive for personal and academic integrity; to treat others with dignity and respect; to honor the rights and property of others; to take responsibility for individual and group behavior; and to act as a responsible citizen in a free academic community and in the larger society. Any student conduct, on or off campus, of individuals or groups, that threatens or violates this commitment may become a matter for action within the University's system of student discipline.

The Student Manual is the official statement of University policies and regulations, and expected standards of student conduct that are applicable to all students. Academic units and administrative offices may have additional policies and guidelines that may provide more detailed information.

The primary purpose of policies and regulations, and the articulation of expected standards of student conduct, is to further the mission of the University and to protect the well-being of the community. These policies and regulations enable all the members of the University to function as a community and respond to situations that threaten or violate that community.

Policies and regulations are to be understood in the larger context of the functioning of the University and with sensitivity to the reality that the University is not an abstract entity, but rather a sum of its individual units and community members. Rigid conformity to and narrow application of policies and regulations without taking into account the larger context of the functioning of the University are not appropriate in our academic community. Policies and regulations are often not more specific than necessary and often are general enough to allow the University to respond to situations in their unique complexities and take into account the variations in values and goals of different University academic units and administrative offices. As such, they provide a broad framework that is designed to create a level of consistency across the University yet also accommodate local cultures. The University will create new policies and procedures and modify existing ones to address new issues and questions, and to reflect the evolution of our community and the larger society within which our community exists.

The contents of this manual do not create a contract between any individual and the University. The contents of the manual are subject to change from time to time at the sole discretion of the University, and from time to time updated information may be distributed regarding policy and regulation changes.