VI. Disciplinary Procedures

6.1 General Procedures

6.1.1 Reporting an incident/filing a complaint - Any individual (student, employee of the University, or other person) who believes that a student or student organization may have committed a violation of the Code published above, may file an incident report or complaint report with one of the following offices:

University Police Department

Office of Housing and Residence Life 

Office of Recreation Services 

Office of Student Life

Office of Student Rights and Community Standards    

Employees of the University shall make reports to the Office of Student Rights and Community Standards of violations of the Code in cases where the offense must be reported to state and federal constituencies. That office shall inform University employees of what violations are included.

6.1.2 Types of hearings - The hearing process for students may vary according to the level at which the case is adjudicated. Adjudication may occur in the administrative area where the violation occurred. Where the offense is of a more serious nature and may warrant consideration of suspension or expulsion from the University, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Community Standards.

6.1.3 Good Neighbor Exception - Students are always encouraged to call for emergency assistance as needed, even at the risk of disciplinary action for one’s own conduct. When another person is in need of critical care or when a situation otherwise warrants emergency response, call 911 immediately. The Good Neighbor Exception provides students the opportunity for University disciplinary action to be waived if he/she risked revealing one’s own violation of the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities in order to seek medical or other emergency assistance to another person in distress. The decision to provide the exception shall be the judgment of the designated hearing officer. NOTE: The exception does not apply to any criminal charges that might be incurred as a result of an offense.

6.1.4 Decision-making
    a. Decisions in all hearings shall be based on a preponderance of the evidence.
    b. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities proceedings.