before the entire student body, although this option is rarely exercised. If found guilty at an open trial, the student is dismissed permanently.
Separately from the student-run honor system, the Student Judicial Council and the Student-Faculty Hearing Board hear allegations of student misconduct.
== Academics ==
=== Rankings and reputation ===
In the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, the undergraduate college is tied for 21st among national liberal arts colleges and 14th among Best Value Schools, and the law school is ranked tied for 33rd nationally among all law schools. Forbes magazine college rankings placed W&L 47th among the top 500 universities, liberal arts colleges, and service academies for their 2024-25 list. For the 2024 Rankings, Washington Monthly ranked Washington and Lee 7th among 197 liberal arts colleges in the U.S. based on its contribution to the public good, as measured by social mobility, research, and promoting public service. In 2023, Degreechoices ranked Washington and Lee …
