Office of Student Conduct
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Office of Student Conduct |
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Click on the question of your choice to view the answer.
FOR THE STUDENT REFFERED FOR MISCONDUCT
FOR THE PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT A STUDENT NEEDING ASSISTANCE
FOR THE STUDENT REFERRED FOR MISCONDUCT
Question :What's the worst that can happen to me with the University if I have been involved in student misconduct?
Answer : The worst that can happen is being expelled from the University, which is only needed very, very, rarely, as a consequence for student misconduct. In most circumstances, the student is placed on disciplinary probation with some conditions for successful completion of the probation, such as: involvement in an educational project, community service, restitution for damage or theft, or an assessment with a counselor to address concerns that might be related to the student's well-being.
Question : What if you don't believe me? What can I do if I am not responsible for the misconduct as charged?
Answer : You provide
your information to the administrator so that she may carry out an investigation
of the case to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with
the charge. If the administrator does not believe the student since the evidence
against the student is compelling, then she will refer the case to a hearing.
The student will have the opportunity to rebut the charge of misconduct in
front of a hearing board, to know of all evidence proposed against the student
(including witnesses), to bring witnesses on the student's own behalf, and
to cross-examine the witnesses at the hearing.
The good news is that there are seldom any cases involving charges that a
student is denying that cannot be resolved through an informal meeting and
investigation by the administrator. Our staff, faculty, and police officers
who refer students for alleged misconduct are trained to understand the level
of evidence and the type of objective information that is required to exist
for all reports and referrals. Mistakes can occur in charging a student, but
the procedures of fairness and due process rights afforded the student have
worked well in rectifying any mistakes. Finally, it is a violation of the
University and system Code to knowingly submit a false charge or report.
Question : Who is going to know about my misconduct and my referral for disciplinary action?
Answer : The information
is private, since it is a part of an educational record. The students has
the authority to decide when and if this information may be released. As required
by the Federal Educational Right to Privacy Act (FERPA), any record and information
about the judicial process as it relates to the student referred is protected
and confidential information.
If a student is a victim of a crime of violence, then that student may receive
information on the outcome of the case they refer, but this information is
privileged information as well.
Question : If a professor accuses me of misconduct, why won't you just accept the professor's word over mine? How will I be able to get fair treatment?
Answer : The administrator of the student judicial process for this university is recquired to take action on student misconduct that can be proven. Whetherthe complaining party is a professor, a fellow student, or a visitor to the campus who is unknown to the administrator; the standard of objective proof remains the same. The burden of proof for any report alleging student misconduct is on the university representative, who must show by a preponderance of the evidence that it is more likely than not that the student was responsible for the misconduct as charged. Also, if the student charged with misconduct denies the charge, the administrator must call a hearing and invite both parties - in this case, both the professor and the student - to present their sides of the story and make their case. The hearing board, comprised of members who do not know either party, will decided whether there is enough evidence to find the student responsible.
FOR THE PERSON CONCERNED ABOUT A STUDENT NEEDING ASSISTANCE
Question : When should I refer a student to your office?
Answer : Please consider making a referral to the Office of Student Judicial, Mediation and Advocacy Services whenever a student expresses concerns about one or more of the following issues:
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