Appealing a Conduct Decision
An accused student may dispute a disciplinary outcome to the university Appeals Board (AB). Students, faculty and administrators who serve as members of the AB are appointed by the university president to serve on the board. An appeal will be reviewed by a panel of no fewer than three AB members. The purpose of the appeals process is to provide a check and balance on the original process and decision. The role of the AB is to consider the specific claims regarding that process and decision rather than to substitute its judgment for that of the original hearing body. However, where the AB determines error in a case, it has the authority to make decisions relative to the issues raised by the appealing student.
Appeals shall be submitted in writing to the Office of Student Conduct & Campus Values, and will normally include a letter from the student explaining the basis for her or his appeal. A student may also decide to include additional documentation he or she believes is relevant toward the AB's consideration. Appeals must be full and complete upon submission. Following appeal, disciplinary outcomes becomes final and are not subject to further review or appeal under the conduct process.
BASIS FOR APPEAL
A student may dispute a disciplinary outcome for one or more of the following issues:
- The conduct process was not conducted fairly, and/or was not in conformity with the procedures prescribed in the Student Code, such that significant prejudice resulted.
- The decision regarding the accused student was not based on substantial information; that is, that the facts presented were not sufficient to support the finding of the hearing body.
- The sanction imposed was disproportionate relative to the violation of the Student Code for which the accused student was found responsible.
- New information unknown to the appealing student at tehe time of the original hearing has been discovered, which is sufficient to alter the decision.
AUTHORITY OF THE APPEALS BOARD
If the Appeals Board agrees with any claim in the accused student's appeal letter, it has the authority to review the case. Normally, examination is limited to the written case record and any supproting documents that were submitted. The AB has a range of authority regarding modification of findings and sanctions.
Students should refer to the Submitting an Appeal section in the Code of Student Conduct for a more detailed explanation of this authority and of the entire appeals process.