- Authority. The Dean of Student Affairs is vested with the authority over student conduct by
the Board of Trustees or President. The Dean of Student Affairs or designee serves
as the Chief Conduct Officer and oversees and manages the student conduct process.
The Dean of Student Affairs may appoint administrative hearing and appeals officers
as deemed necessary to efficiently and effectively supervise the student conduct process.
- The Dean of Student Affairs or designee will assume responsibility for the investigation of an allegation of misconduct to determine if the complaint has merit.
- Gatekeeping. No complaint will be forwarded for a hearing unless there is reasonable cause to believe a policy has been violated. Reasonable cause is defined as some credible information to support each element of the offense, even if that information is merely a credible witness or the impacted party’s statement. A reporting party wholly unsupported by any information will not be forwarded for a hearing.
- Conflict Resolution Options. The Dean of Student Affairs or designee has discretion to refer a complaint for mediation or other forms of appropriate conflict resolution. All parties must agree to mediation and to be bound by the decision with no review/appeal. Any unsuccessful mediation can be forwarded for formal processing and hearing; however, at no time will complaints of sexual misconduct/assault or physical violence be mediated as the sole institutional response. The Dean of Student Affairs may also suggest that complaints that do not involve a violation of the Code of Student Conduct be referred for mediation or other appropriate conflict resolution.
- Interpretation and Revision.The Dean of Student Affairs will develop procedural rules for the administration of hearings that are consistent with provisions of the Code of Student Conduct. Material deviation from these rules will, generally, only be made as necessary and will include reasonable advance notice to the parties involved, either by posting online and/or in the form of written communication. The Dean of Student Affairs may vary procedures with notice upon determining that changes to law or regulation require policy or procedural alterations not reflected in this Code. The Dean of Student Affairs may make minor modifications to procedures that do not materially jeopardize the fairness owed to any party. Any question of interpretation of the Code of Student Conduct will be referred to the Dean of Student Affairs whose interpretation is final. The Code of Student Conduct will be updated annually under the direction of the Dean of Student Affairs with a comprehensive revision process being conducted every five years.