Student Handbook: Appeals

  1. In student conduct cases in which the student is determined by the Dean of Students or their designee to be responsible for a Code of Conduct violation, the finding of the Dean of Students or their designee is final except in cases where the sanction of university disciplinary probation is imposed by the designated hearing officer, when the Dean of Students imposes the sanction of suspension or expulsion from the University as defined below, or when the conduct process falls under the Sexual and Related Misconduct Policy and Procedures. Please refer to the Sexual and Related Misconduct Policy and Procedures for appeal procedures that are decided pursuant to the Sexual and Related Misconduct Policy and Procedures.
  2. In student conduct cases where university disciplinary probation is assigned by the designated hearing officer other than the Dean of Students, the Assistant Vice President/Dean of Student Services, or the Vice President for Student Affairs the student may appeal the university disciplinary probation to the Dean of Students. The finding of the Dean of Students is final.
  3. In a serious student conduct case involving suspension or expulsion from the University, and thus heard by the Dean of Students, an appeal of the suspension or expulsion may be heard by the Student Conduct Review Council (SCRC).  Appeals must be presented in writing to the Vice President of Student Affairs within two business days of notification of the sanction imposed. The written appeal must be based on (1) a question of process, which is limited to failure of the University to notify the student of alleged violation, or failure of the University to provide a hearing; and/or (2) a claim of an excessively harsh sanction.

In those appeals within the review of the SCRC, the Vice President of Student Affairs will coordinate the scheduling of an appeal review meeting of the SCRC.

Student Conduct Review Council (SCRC)
The SCRC is composed of five members: two faculty members appointed by the President of the Faculty Senate or their designate, one of whom is appointed as chairperson; one administrator appointed by the Vice President for Student Affairs or their designate; and two students appointed by the President of the United Student Government or their designate. In the event that the accused is a graduate student, the students on the SCRC will be appointed by the Dean of the particular graduate school or their designate.

The SCRC shall have the power to: uphold the decision of the Dean of Students; uphold the decision but change the appealable sanction; or remand the case back to the Dean for further hearing. The decisions and sanctions of the SCRC are determined by majority vote, and are final and not eligible for appeal. 

SCRC Appeal Review Process

  1. The Dean of Students and the accused will present their respective versions of the case. The Dean of Students will meet with the panel first in order to present the case, followed by the accused student.  The accused student will represent themselves in the review meeting. The accused student may be advised by another student, with the exception of any students who were involved in the complaint, or a member of the faculty of the school in which the accused student is enrolled.  However, there will be no active participation by the student advisor or faculty member during the appeal meeting. Note: In sexual and related misconduct cases, the respondent and complainant may also bring an Advisor of Choice and the assigned Administrative Support Person (ASP) may serve as the support person.  Please consult the Sexual and Related Misconduct Policy and Procedures and the Campus Assault and Relationship Education (CARE) brochure for further information.  
  2. The SCRC may pose questions to the Dean of Students and to the accused student.
  3. The SCRC may choose to ask the Dean of Students to return to the meeting to answer specific additional questions about the case or ask the Vice President for Student Affairs or Assistant Vice President/ Dean of Student Services at any time to answer procedural questions.
  4. The SCRC meetings are conducted in closed session.
  5. When and if the SCRC decides by majority vote that it needs more information in order to reach its decision, it may call witnesses or request information to the extent it requires.
  6. As soon as possible, the Chairperson of the SCRC will inform the accused and the Vice President of Student Affairs of the final decision.