Overview of the Student Conduct Process
If you just received a Notice of Alleged Violation, you may be (understandably) a little nervous. The information in this page, also provided in PDF format along with your electronic notice, will hopefully answer your questions and help you prepare for your upcoming meeting.
Please Note: You are welcome to bring the support person of your choosing as an Advisor to any student accountability meeting. You are required to complete an Advisor Form in order for an Advisor to participate in student accountability proceedings..
Preparing for your pre-hearing conference
If you receive Notice of Alleged Violation, it does not mean you have violated the Code of Community Standards or that you “did something wrong.” It does mean your name was on a report and you have an opportunity to come and share what happened, if anything, before a decision is made.
Before your pre-hearing meeting, you should:
- Carefully read your Notice of Alleged Violation
- Mark your calendar with the date, time and location for your upcoming meeting
- Respond to your Case Administrator if there is a scheduling conflict
- Review the Code of Community Standards
- Gather any information you may want to share with the Case Administrator at the initial meeting
The Pre-Hearing Meeting
At the pre-hearing meeting, you will:
- Have the student accountability process and alleged violations explained to you in detail
- View the incident report or complaint and any other documentation related to the incident
- Be given the opportunity to share preliminary information about the incident
- Be given the opportunity to accept or contest responsibility for the alleged violation(s)
- Be given an opportunity to indicate your preferred resolution method
If you accept responsibility for the alleged violation(s), the Case Administrator will discuss sanctions with you in an Administrative Conference. If you contest responsibility for the charges, you will be referred to a hearing.
The Hearing
The purpose of the student accountability hearing is to determine responsibility. The hearing may be conducted by an administrator or a board, depending on the situation. You will have the opportunity to indicate your preference between the two forms of resolution. You also have the option to submit the following information to your Case Administrator before your hearing:
You will:
- A list of witnesses (at least 2 business days in advance)
- Documentation, including a written statement, witness statements and/or character statements (at least 2 business days in advance)
- Name of your Advisor (at least 1 business day in advance, or 3 business days if Advisor is an attorney).
During the hearing, you will:
- Have an opportunity to formally contest responsibility for the charges
- Be given an opportunity to share information about the incident, including documentation and witnesses
- Have the opportunity to share any thoughts you may have regarding the outcome of the meeting
Please Note: In the sanctioning phase, if you are found responsible for a violation, the hearing authority will develop an Action Plan to resolve the incident – you are encouraged to share any thoughts you may have in regard to sanctioning with them for their consideration.
Related:
Appealing The Decision
Students have the right to appeal the outcome of a hearing. Please note that the finding of responsibility cannot be appealed by students who accepted responsibility for a violation of the Code of Community Standards; however, those students still have the right to appeal the sanctions. If a student appeals the decision, the resulting requirements are placed on hold and will not go into effect until the appeal is reviewed and a decision is rendered.
If you would like to submit an appeal, make sure that:
- It is submitted within 5 business days from the date of the outcome letter
- It includes an Appeal Request Form and an appeal letter
- It is based on at least one of the grounds for appeal specified in the Code of Community Standards
Please refer to the Code of Community Standards and the Appeal Request Form for detailed information on appeal rights and guidelines. Failure to observe these guidelines for appeal submission may result in the dismissal of your appeal.
Related:
Completing Your Action Plan and sanctions
Your outcome letter will provide all information needed to complete your requirements, including guidelines and deadlines. It is your responsibility to adhere to any and all sanction requirements until/unless you are informed in writing of approved modifications. Students who fail to complete disciplinary sanctions in a timely and satisfactory manner may be charged an additional $50 fine for each instance of a missed educational sanction and/or a $100 fine for each instance of a missed intervention or restorative sanction, not to exceed $150 total.