Issue/Question
An RA (or another BHSU staff member) wrote me up. What’s going to happen now?
Environment
- Office of the Student Code of Conduct
- Student Code of Conduct
- Residential Standards of Living
- Rights and Responsibilities
- BHSU Residence Life
Cause
A Residence Life staff member documented a situation you were involved in, and you would like information about what happens next.
Resolution
The basic conduct (judicial) process consists primarily of four (4) major components. They are outlined below and typically occur in the order listed.
Information Report - Once an Information Report has been completed and submitted through the online submission form, it is relayed to the Dean of Students, DRL, the CD/ACD in which the incident has occurred, Public Safety, and the Judicial Coordinator
The Dean of Students or Director of Residence Life will review the Information Report and provide suggestions regarding possible Code of Conduct violations. The Information Report is returned to the Complex Director, who will serve as the Hearing Officer for the case. Complex Directors act as Hearing Officers for violations involving residents in their hall/complex, regardless of where the incident occurred.
Notice to Appear - Once the Information Report has been forwarded to the Hearing Officer, a “Notice to Appear at an Informal Hearing” will be given to the student via e-mail or hand-delivered letter. The “Notice to Appear at an Informal Hearing” includes:
- alleged policy/code violations
- exact date, time, and location that they are to appear
- name and contact information for the Hearing Officer
- Along with the “Notice to Appear at an Informal Hearing” form, students also receive copies of the Information Report(s) and any accompanying documents (if any are present). All documents are emailed to the student at their BHSU student email account (@yellowjackets.bhsu.edu) or placed in a sealed envelope and hand-delivered to the student.
- If the scheduled Informal Hearing time does not work for the student for an acceptable reason, an alternate time may be scheduled.
Informal Hearing - During the Informal Hearing, the Hearing Officer will speak with the resident about what happened during and surrounding the documented incident. Students are given the opportunity to share their perspectives on the documented incident, provide supplemental documentation, and explain what happened in their own words.
The Hearing Officer determines if any violations of the Student Code of Conduct of the Residential Standards of Living occurred.
Students are then asked if they would like to claim responsibility for their actions. If they choose to do so, sanctions (consequences) are discussed, agreed to, and the hearing moves toward closure.
- If the student does not take responsibility, the Hearing Officer will recommend a Formal Hearing, no sanctions are discussed, and the hearing proceeds to closure.
- Most informal hearings end with students taking accountability for their actions.
Outcome Letter - Once the Hearing (Informal or Formal) is over and the case has been resolved, an Outcome Letter is written. The Outcome Letter includes:
- Date of Informal Hearing
- Date of incident from Information Report
- Code(s) of conduct the student has been found responsible for
- Sanctions imposed (including relevant dates, times, and contact information)
- The Outcome Letter is delivered via email or will be placed in an envelope and delivered to the student.
Most hearings follow the process described above, with a resolution during an Informal Hearing. For descriptions of conduct cases that move to a Formal Hearing, or beyond, please refer to the BHSU Student Code of Conduct, Item 3.c., starting on page 19, and the SDBOR Student Code of Conduct, Item 3, starting on page 15.
Please see the attached Judicial Process Flow Chart for a visual representation.
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact BHSU Residence Life at BHSUResidenceLife@bhsu.edu or call our office at 605-642-6464