Appeals for Behavioral Misconduct

A respondent has the right to appeal the outcome of a student conduct process on one or more of the following grounds:

• There was a material deviation from the procedures that affected the outcome of the student conduct process;
• There is new and relevant information that was unavailable, with reasonable diligence and effort, that could materially affect the outcome;
• The sanction(s) was clearly inappropriate and/or disproportionate to the prohibited conduct for which the respondent was found in violation.

Appeals must be submitted in writing to SRR within five business days after receipt of the outcome letter. Failure to appeal within the allotted time will render the original decision final and conclusive.

Submit an Appeal

The basic outline of the process is as follows:

1. Initial review by the Associate Dean of Students or designee will generally be completed within 14 days of the date the appeal is filed.  This stage of the appeal is to determine if the appeal provides the grounds as described above and in the Code of Student Conduct. 
2. If the appeal is found to have provided grounds as described above and in the Code of Student Conduct, it will be forwarded to the Chair of the Appeals Board.
3. This person shall select a Panel of one student, one faculty member, and one staff member to review and decide the appeal.
4. The decision to grant or deny the appeal will be based on information supplied in the written appeal and when necessary, the record of the original proceedings.
5. The decision of the Panel shall be final and conclusive and no further appeals will be permitted.
6. Sanctions will generally be deferred during the appeals process, unless it is decided that the continued presence of the student on campus poses a substantial threat to themselves, others, or to the stability and continuance of normal university functions.

Decisions of the Panel of the Appeals Board include:

• Affirm the findings of the original board or conference;
• Remand the case to the original board or conference officer for a new hearing or conference;
• Request that a new board or conference officer hear the case.