- The Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or a designee may conduct an investigation to gather information and determine if there is sufficient information to find a possible violation. If there is insufficient information then the case shall be dismissed. If there is sufficient information then the case shall proceed to a formal hearing.
- A formal conduct hearing will be scheduled. The hearing date, time and location will be communicated to the respondents at least five business days prior to the hearing. A respondent may choose to waive this notice in the interests of expediting resolution of the case.
- The respondent may review all information relevant to the hearing. Information will be available at least five business days prior to the hearing.
- Formal Conduct Hearings shall be conducted according to the following guidelines:
a. Formal Conduct Hearings shall be conducted in private.
b. A hearing board normally consisting of three individuals who will determine responsibility for the alleged policy violations and possible sanctions as well as a non-voting board chair. For Greek Student Organizations, normally five individuals will serve on the hearing board.
c. The respondent has the right to be assisted by an advisor of their choice, at their own expense. The respondent is responsible for presenting relevant information to the hearing board. Advisors may advise their advisee but are not permitted to speak or participate in the hearing. Normally, hearings will not be delayed or rescheduled to accommodate advisors.
d. The hearing board, respondent, an advisor of the respondent's choice (if any), and the investigator (if any) shall be allowed to attend the entire portion of the formal conduct hearing except for the hearing board's deliberations.
e. The respondent and the investigator will have an opportunity to present information relevant to the allegations.
f. The respondent or investigator may request witnesses to present pertinent information to the hearing board. The Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee will determine relevancy of witnesses. Normally, hearings will not be delayed or rescheduled to accommodate witnesses.
g. Approved witnesses shall be allowed to attend a portion of the hearing where they will present relevant information and answer questions.
h. The hearing board and respondent may ask questions of the respondent the investigator and witnesses.
i. After all appropriate parties have had an opportunity to present information to the hearing board and ask questions, the hearing board will deliberate to determine responsibility for alleged violations. Deliberations will be in private. The hearing board may confer with the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee during deliberations.
j. If responsibility for any violation is determined, the hearing board will deliberate to determine appropriate sanctions. Sanctions will be determined based on the violations for which the respondent is found responsible, prior misconduct, factors considered aggravating and factors considered mitigating. The hearing board may confer with the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee during deliberations.
k. In hearings involving more than one respondent, the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee may permit the respondents to participate in the hearing separately or together. Respondents may request to have decisions rendered separately or together.
l. Pertinent records, exhibits and written statements (including impact statements) may be accepted as information for consideration by the hearing board at the discretion of the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or a designee. All relevant information must be submitted at least 2 business days before the scheduled hearing.
m. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee.
n. The hearing board's determination of responsibility for each violation shall be made on the basis whether there is a preponderance of the evidence, or whether it is more likely than not, that the respondent violated the Student Code of Conduct.
o. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in a criminal or civil court, are not used in the student conduct proceedings. - There shall be a single verbatim record, such as a digital recording, of all formal hearings before a student conduct board. Deliberations shall not be recorded. The record shall be the property of the university.
- If with proper notice respondent and/or investigator, do not appear for a conduct hearing, the available information regarding alleged violations shall be presented and considered without such parties present.
- The Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee may accommodate concerns for the personal safety, well-being, and/or fears of confrontation of the respondent and/or witnesses during the hearing by providing separate facilities, by using a visual screen to separate participants, and/or by permitting participation by telephone, video conferencing, video recording, audio recording, written statement or other means. Decisions regarding participation will be made by the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards or designee.
Last Updated: August 13, 2024