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Process Overview

You received a letter from the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards...

Now What?

Most cases are resolved informally by meeting with the hearing officer. The letter you received is known as a charge letter and is not a finding of responsibility. It is a request to meet with you to hear about the incident from your perspective and to provide you with information on how the conduct process works.

At the meeting, you and the hearing officer will review the report together to determine if you have any responsibility for violating the Code of Conduct.

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Decisions of responsibility are based on the preponderance of evidence standard -- Which asks whether it is more likely than not that the violation occurred.

 

A finding of responsibility will result in a sanction being assigned. The assigned sanction is intended to serve as a reminder that the behavior should discontinue and to help educate about alternative choices.

Examples of sanctions include educational programs, meeting with campus administrators or reflection papers. In addition, a student may receive a status sanction such as a conduct warning or conduct probation.

At the end of the meeting, usually one of two things will happen:

  • If you and the hearing officer agree that you are not responsible, then the process is concluded.
     
  • If you and the hearing officer agree about your responsibility and an appropriate sanction, you will sign an administrative agreement document and complete the sanctions as required.
     

If you and the hearing officer disagree about your responsibility or appropriate sanctions, the hearing officer will determine how to proceed:

  • The hearing officer may impose a finding of responsibility and a sanction. This means that even though you did not accept responsibility, the hearing officer believes that the preponderance of evidence standard has been met. You have the right to appeal this decision.
     
  • Or the hearing officer may refer your situation to the formal hearing process, which includes a review of the situation by a 3-member hearing panel.

Questions?

Should you have additional questions about the conduct system or process, please feel free to contact the Office of Student Conduct at (315) 267-2579 or at studentconduct@potsdam.edu.