Judicial Procedure

Step I
Filing of charges – written charges may be made by administrators, faculty and staff against a student to the Vice President for Student Affairs. Charges should be filed within two weeks of the incident. Charges made against faculty must be made to the academic unit head for that academic area, and charges made against administrators and staff must be made to the Director of Human Resources.

Step II
Inquiry – the charges will be investigated within two weeks by the Vice President for Student Affairs and/or his or her designee.

Step III
Notification – if the charges are found to have a reasonable basis in fact, a letter shall be sent within one week after completion of step II to the student’s last known address informing him or her of the charges, complaining party and witnesses, circumstances surrounding the incident, procedure to be followed, and possible sanctions if the allegations are substantiated.

Step IV
Conference – within two weeks, the student will arrange to meet with the Vice President and/or his or her designee to review and discuss the content of the letter. Depending on the circumstances, there may be a need to hold several conferences with witnesses, the accuser and the accused to find truth in conflicting stories.

Step V
Letter of Disciplinary Action –Within one week of conference (or failure of the student to arrange a conference) the Vice President or his or her designee will send the student a letter stating the disciplinary action, if any. The action is binding unless the student follows the appeal process.

Appeal.
A student may request an appeal in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs, postmarked within one week of the discipline letter. A review committee, comprised of faculty, staff and students will be assembled to review the complaint and determine whether there is a basis for appeal. If the committee will hear the appeal, the student has a right to the following during the hearing:

• Be assisted by an advisor from within the College (person cannot be present in hearing with the student, however)
• Present evidence and witnesses on his or her own behalf
• Question and challenge statements made on behalf of the complaining party
• Be informed of all witnesses
• Refuse to answer questions
• Refuse to attend the hearing

Typically, appeal hearings are arranged in instances where due process was not followed or procedures were skipped in the judicial process.

For sanctions other than suspension or dismissal, the Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Academic Affairs or President (whomever of these three rendered the decision), has the final say unless, again, judicial procedures were not followed accurately.

All appeal letters must include a copy of the sanction letter sent to you by the College officer who rendered the sanction, and a clear statement of the basis of your appeal (i.e., you feel that proper procedures were not followed or you are seeking a reversal on new or overlooked evidence that could exonerate you from the charges).

If the review committee decides to hear the case (for all suspensions and dismissals or in procedural oversights), their decision will be final. You will be informed in writing of the committee’s appeal decision at the conclusion of the review. A copy will be sent to the Vice President for Student Affairs and a copy will be placed in your file.

Discipline records are kept on file for two years after a student graduates or five years after the student’s last semester of attendance (if the student did not graduate). Cases involving felony crimes and acts of severe destruction and violence will be kept on file indefinitely.