Your future, our focus
Any student, faculty member or staff member other than the faculty or staff member having direct instructional responsibility for the student may submit a written complaint when a student’s conduct appears to violate the Academic Code of Conduct. The person should submit a written description of the observed misconduct to the affected instructor within five (5) working days of becoming aware of the incident. The affected instructor having immediate instructional responsibility for the student will review the complaint and determine the type of review most appropriate to the situation. This determination usually includes, but is not limited to, the nature of the incident, prior student conduct and existing sanctions against the student.
The instructor having immediate instructional responsibility for the student on his own or after having received a complaint that a student’s conduct appears to violate the Academic Code of Conduct from another student, faculty or staff member, will determine whether or not to pursue a violation of the Academic Code of Conduct. An instructor who pursues a violation of the Academic Code of Conduct should first seek the advice of his/her Division Chair. If the instructor intends to initiate proceedings that will result in lesser sanctions (reducing the grade for a particular assignment or test; issuing a failing grade for a particular assignment or test; or issuing a failing grade for the course, without the student option of dropping the course), then he/she should follow the informal hearing procedures outlined in Step One. If the instructor intends to initiate proceedings that will result in a greater sanction (disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion), then he/she will follow the formal hearing proceedings outlined in Step Three.
An instructor who pursues a violation of the Academic Code of Conduct will meet with the student within 10 working days of becoming aware of the alleged violation. Before the meeting, the instructor should seek the advice of the respective Division Chair and notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs of a pending action. At the meeting, the instructor will inform the student of the charges and the evidence against him/her. After the meeting, the student will have the opportunity to offer verbal and/or written information on his/her behalf within an agreed upon time period. An instructor may take the following disciplinary actions for breaches of the Academic Code of Conduct:
After the meeting the instructor will confirm his/her decision in writing to the student within five working days, with a copy of the letter to the Division Chair. If the student is not satisfied with the written decision of the instructor, then he/she proceeds to Step Two.
If the student is not satisfied with the written decision of the instructor at Step One, he/she may file an appeal within five working days to the instructor’s division chair. The student must submit a written response to the instructor’s decision from Step One, detailing why the student is appealing. The student may also give the Division Chair any supporting material. The affected instructor will provide a concise written statement of the offense including dates, places, witnesses, and others involved.
In reviewing the appeal, the division chair may request additional information from the instructor or anyone else involved. These individuals will have five working days to submit this and any other written information they wish to be considered. The Division Chair also may conduct face-to-face interviews with the student, the instructor, and anyone else involved. The division chair will provide a written decision within five working days following receipt of all pertinent information (including the interviews, if conducted) but no longer than 15 working days following the receipt of the complaint. The division chair will send a copy of his/her written decision to the student and the instructor.
If the student or the instructor is not satisfied with the written decision of the Division Chair, then he/she proceeds to Step Three.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs initiates formal hearing procedures in response to an appeal from Step Two or in response to an instructor’s desire to impose a greater sanction (disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion). When the Vice President for Academic Affairs acts on a case, the intent is to handle it in a hearing using discussion, counseling, persuasion, mediation or other informal techniques. The general conduct of the formal hearing will conform to the “Student Conduct Procedural Review”. Except that in the event of an Academic Expulsion, the procedures requiring a formal contested case procedure shall not be applicable.
If a student or instructor initiates the hearing as an appeal from Step Two, then he/she will file the appeal with the Vice President for Academic Affairs within 10 working days of the Division Chair’s decision in Step Two. The appeal must include a written statement explaining why the decision from Step Two dissatisfies him/her, copies of supporting material from Steps One and Two, the instructor’s written decision from Step One, the Division Chair’s written decision from Step Two, and any new supporting material.
If an instructor is initiating the hearing in order to impose a greater sanction, then he/she will send the case in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within 10 working days of the alleged violation. The written referral from the Instructor will contain a concise statement of the offense (including dates, places, witnesses, and others involved) and a justification for the proposed sanction. Within the same time frame, the respective Division Chair will supply the Vice President with a written document that indicates his/her degree of support for the proposed sanction. The Vice President for Academic Affairs will request a written statement from the student(s) charged with the violation or anyone else involved. These individuals have five working days after receiving the Vice President’s request to submit any written statements they wish to be considered. The Vice President for Academic Affairs has the right to request additional information.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs must conduct the hearing within 10 working days of receiving a request. At the hearing, the student receives in writing the charges and evidence against him/her. The student has the opportunity to offer verbal and additional written information on his/her behalf. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may impose all sanctions including expulsion and/or recommend changes in the instructional area relating to grading, testing, or other instructional procedures. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may uphold, rescind, or decrease sanctions given by the Division Chair. The Vice President sends a written decision to the student, the instructor, and the Division Chair within five working days of the hearing.
For the instructor, the matter ends with the written decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. If the student is not satisfied with the written decision of the Vice President, then he/she has the right to appeal the decision through a hearing before the Student Appeals Board. See “Student Appeals Board Process and Procedures”.