Honor Code Procedures

The Honor Code council, a joining student-staff-faculty committee, is responsible for policies and procedures pertaining to the Honor Code.

All students pledge to live by the Honor Code and the Honor Code Council provides a fair and effective mechanism for resolving any alleged violations. The Council consists of a Chief Justice, an Administrative Coordinator, twelve student members, nine faculty members appointed by the Academic Council, and the Dean of Students and the Dean’s Designees.

The following procedures are used to investigate and adjudicate alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct as applied to academic and conduct related matters, exclusive of matters falling under the Policy Against Unlawful Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation and/or the Sexual Misconduct Policy, which are governed by the procedures set forth in those policies with the process overseen by the Director of Nondiscrimination Initiatives: Title IX and ADA/Section 504 Coordinator. These procedures are intended to assure fundamental fairness in the resolution of charges and are designed to uphold the integrity of the Honor Code.

The full details of these procedures are outlined in the Code of Student Conduct, available here.

Charges

Any member of the College community may file Charges against a student for violations of the Code of Student Conduct and thus the Honor Code. A Charge shall be prepared in writing and submitted to the Case Coordinating Team through a secure on-line form. A Charge should be submitted as soon as possible after the alleged violation takes place.

FILE AN ACADEMIC CHARGE

FILE A NON-ACADEMIC CHARGE

The Case Coordinating Team will process the Charge. It is important that sufficient information is presented to indicate that a violation may have occurred. If necessary, an investigation may be conducted by or directed by the Case Coordinating Team to determine if the Charge has merit and/or if the case can be disposed of alternatively by mutual consent of the parties involved. If there is insufficient information or the alleged act provides no basis for an Honor Code Charge, the Charge will be dismissed and the case closed. The Dean of Students will receive updated information on all proposed Charges annually.

If there is sufficient information to support that a violation may have occurred, the Administrative Coordinator will notify the student in writing by e-mail of an Honor Code Charge within five (5) Working Days of receipt, with a copy to the Dean of Students. Charges pending over academic breaks are an exception to this five day requirement and will be addressed in a timely manner. Failure to adhere to this notification guideline does not constitute grounds for dismissal of the Charge(s).

Rights of Charged and Charging Parties

As part of any Honor Code resolution process, the Charged Party:

  • will be informed of the Charge in writing
  • will meet with the Administrative Coordinator to review the disposition of the Charge and the Honor Code procedures
  • will have the opportunity to consult with the Chief Justice and/or a Student Advocate for advice and guidance at any stage in the Honor Code process
  • will be allowed to respond to the Charge
  • will be allowed to review all case materials in advance of the hearing
  • can request the recusal of a Hearing Panel member if there is a significant conflict of interest
  • can present Witnesses and testimony at a hearing
  • can have an Advisor -- one current student, faculty, or staff member of the student’s choosing (may not be an attorney), who is not otherwise involved in the case and who commits to confidentiality, accompany the student throughout the conduct process, provided that the Advisor may consult with the student but not speak on behalf of the student or actively participate in the process
  • will receive the outcome in writing
  • can appeal the finding of a hearing on stated grounds as set forth below

As part of any Honor Code resolution process, the Charging Party:

  • will have the opportunity to meet with the Administrative Coordinator to review the disposition of the Charge and the Honor Code procedures
  • will have the opportunity to consult with the Chief Justice and/or a Student Advocate for advice and guidance at any stage in the Honor Code process, if the Charging Party is a student
  • can request to withdraw the Charge at any time (the College may proceed with the Charge without a Charging Party)
  • will be allowed to review all case materials in advance of the hearing
  • can request the recusal of a Hearing Panel member if there is a significant conflict of interest
  • can present Witnesses and testimony at a hearing
  • can have an Advisor -- one current student, faculty, or staff member of the student’s choosing (may not be an attorney), who is not otherwise involved in the case and who commits to confidentiality, accompany the student throughout the conduct process, provided that the Advisor may consult with the student but not speak on behalf of the student or actively participate in the process
  • will receive the outcome finding in writing, sanctions will be included only if there is an educational need to know
  • can appeal the finding of a hearing on stated grounds as set forth below

Resolution Processes

Cases that are academic in nature may be resolved through the Faculty-Student Resolution Process, if certain criteria are met, or an Honor Code Hearing. Charges that are not academic in nature may be resolved through the Non-Academic Resolution Process, if certain criteria are met, or an Honor Code Hearing.

At its discretion, the Case Coordinating Team may refer the case to the Dean of Students for Administrative Resolution. The Dean of Students or the Dean’s Designee has discretion at any time to respond to a case through an Administrative Resolution and not through an Honor Code Council Hearing Panel. Any finding and/or sanction(s) determined by Administrative Resolution are not eligible for Appeal.

Faculty-Student Resolution Process (FSRP)

The Faculty-Student Resolution Process (FSRP) is a resolution option for cases academic in nature in which the faculty Charging Party and the student Charged Party reach a mutual agreement that a violation occurred and together determine appropriate sanctions.

The faculty member bringing the Charge must first indicate an interest in resolution through the FSRP on the Academic Charge Form and may contact the Administrative Coordinator to discuss the appropriateness of the FSRP option with respect to the offense.

A student is eligible for the Faculty-Student Resolution Process if:

  1. the student Charged Party has no record of prior offenses,
  2. the case appears to be a minor infraction of cheating, plagiarism, or inappropriate collaboration, and
  3. the student, after meeting with the Administrative Coordinator to review the Charge and having the opportunity to consult with a Student Advocate, accepts responsibility for the violation and agrees to pursue the FSRP.

If any of these conditions are not met, the Administrative Coordinator will inform the faculty Charging Party that the case must proceed to a Hearing Panel if the Charge is to be pursued. The Administrative Coordinator will not specify the reason for this determination. The faculty Charging Party may withdraw the Charge at any time before the start of a scheduled hearing. The Dean of Students or the Dean’s Designee may exercise discretion to respond to the case through an Administrative Resolution and not through an Honor Code Council Hearing.

If all of these conditions are met, the Administrative Coordinator will inform both the faculty Charging Party and the student Charged Party that they are instructed to meet to discuss the Charge at hand and reach an agreement for a proposed resolution. The faculty Charging Party should then complete a Faculty-Student Resolution Report form, including the proposed resolution, which will be reviewed by the Case Coordinating Team. If the proposed terms of the FSRP are deemed appropriate, the FSRP form will be forwarded to the student Charged Party to confirm agreement. The student is granted five (5) Working Days to consider the proposal. If the student accepts the terms of the FSRP, the case will be closed once all sanction(s) are completed. An FSRP is not eligible for an Appeal as both parties retain the right to request a hearing if an agreement cannot be reached through the FSRP.

The Faculty-Student Resolution Process will result in a finding of “responsible,” as accepting responsibility is a condition of eligibility, and will result in a sanction of warning. The FSRP may result in additional sanctions, such as a grade penalty, failure on assignment, loss of privilege, restorative measures, and/or educational projects or initiatives. See section in the full Code of Student Conduct on sanctions for additional detail.

Non-Academic Resolution Process (NARP)

The Non-Academic Resolution Process (NARP) is a resolution option for cases that are not academic in nature. A student is eligible for the Non-Academic Resolution Process if:

  1. the student Charged Party has no record of prior offenses,
  2. the case appears to be a minor infraction of the Code of Student Conduct,
  3. the student Charged Party, after meeting with the Administrative Coordinator to review the charge and having the opportunity to consult with a Student Advocate, accepts responsibility for the violation and agrees to pursue the NARP, and
  4. the Charging Party, if a student, after meeting with the Administrative Coordinator to review the charge and, having the opportunity to consult with a Student Advocate, agrees to pursue the NARP.

If any of these conditions are not met, the Administrative Coordinator will inform all parties that the case must proceed to a Hearing Panel if the charge is to be pursued. The Administrative Coordinator will not specify the reason for this determination. The Charging Party may withdraw the charge at any time before the start of a scheduled hearing. The Dean of Students or the Dean’s Designee may exercise discretion to respond to the case through an Administrative Resolution and not through an Honor Code Council Hearing.

If all conditions are met, the Administrative Coordinator will inform all parties and the Charging Party will have the opportunity to submit a statement to accompany the Non-Academic Charge Form and any relevant material. The student Charged Party will be asked to prepare an opening statement and it is strongly advised they meet with their assigned Student Advocate.

The Non-Academic Resolution Process hearing will be scheduled within five (5) Working Days of the determination to pursue the NARP. The student Charged Party shall meet with a resolution panel composed of one (1) Honor Code Council student member and one (1) Dean’s Designee. This will be an opportunity for the student Charged Party to respond to the allegations and the panel will question the student Charged Party to gather more information. At any point during this meeting, the student Charged Party may choose to contest the Charge and request a formal hearing. Witnesses are not permitted in an NARP.

After the meeting, the resolution panel will meet in closed session to deliberate and come to a decision. The Non-Academic Resolution Process will result in a finding of “responsible,” as accepting responsibility is a condition of eligibility and will result in a sanction of warning or probation. The NARP may result in additional sanctions such as loss of privilege, restorative measures, restitution or fines, no contact order, and/or educational projects or initiatives. See section in the full Code of Student Conduct on sanctions for additional detail. This resolution will be shared with the student Charged Party the following working day in a meeting with the Administrative Coordinator and in writing. An NARP is not eligible for Appeal.

Honor Code Hearing Process

In cases referred for an Honor Code Hearing, hearings shall be conducted by the Honor Code Council according to the following guidelines:

  1. Honor Code hearings shall be conducted in private. Hearings will normally be conducted in person however, due to extenuating circumstances, may be conducted by telephone or virtually (e.g., Zoom or other video conference) as determined by the Case Coordinating Team.
  2. The Charging and Charged Parties shall be notified of time and location of the hearing at least five (5) Working Days in advance and at least five (5) Working Days after the Charged Party has been notified of the Charge(s). Maximum time limits for scheduling of hearings may be extended at the discretion of the Administrative Coordinator. Efforts will be made to schedule hearings when students are not in class.
  3. The Hearing Panel shall be composed of one current student Honor Code Council member, one faculty Honor Code Council member, and the Dean of Students or one Dean’s Designee.
  4. The Charging Party, Charged Party, and all Witnesses will be expected to be present at the scheduled hearing. Failure of the Charged Party to appear will not stop the proceedings; Charged Party will forfeit the opportunity to respond. Should the Charging Party fail to appear, the proceedings will continue with the College as the Charging Party.
  5. The Charging Party, the Charged Party, and their Advisors, if any, shall be allowed to attend the entire portion of the hearing at which information is received (excluding deliberations). Witnesses will be present in the hearing only while presenting information and answering questions. No others can attend a hearing.
  6. In hearings involving more than one Charged Party, the Administrative Coordinator after consulting the Dean of Students, has the discretion to permit the hearings concerning each student to be conducted separately or jointly.
  7. The Charging Party and the Charged Party have the right to be assisted by an Advisor they choose. The Advisor must be a current member of the College community (student, faculty or staff) and may not be an attorney. The Charging Party and/or the Charged Party is responsible for presenting their own information, and therefore, Advisors are not permitted to speak on behalf of the student or actively participate in an Honor Code Hearing. A student should select as an Advisor a person whose schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time for the hearing because delays will not be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an Advisor. The Advisor must commit to confidentiality and not be otherwise involved in the case.
  8. The Charging Party, the Charged Party, and the Administrative Coordinator may arrange for Witnesses from the College community to present pertinent information to the hearing. The Administrative Coordinator will try to arrange the attendance of possible Witnesses who are members of the College community, if reasonably possible, and who are identified by the Charging Party and/or Charged Party at least two (2) Working Days prior to the hearing. Witnesses shall provide a written statement summarizing their knowledge of the Charge and answer questions from the Honor Code Hearing Panel. Questions may be suggested by the Charged Party and/or reporting party to be answered by each other or by other Witnesses. Questions from the Charged and/or Charging Party, to be asked of each other or Witnesses, will be asked by proxy of the Chief Justice, rather than directly. This method is used to preserve the educational tone of the hearing and to avoid creation of an adversarial environment. Witnesses will be present in the hearing only while presenting information and answering questions.
  9. Pertinent records, exhibits, and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by the Hearing Panel at the discretion of the Case Coordinating Team. Materials from third parties must include name, relationship and contact information of the author. Anonymous materials are not accepted.
  10. All materials to be presented at the hearing by the Charging Party are due to the Administrative Coordinator within five (5) Working Days after submission of the Charge. The Charged Party will have the opportunity to review the submitted materials in a meeting with the Administrative Coordinator, and all materials to be presented at the hearing by the Charged Party are due to the Administrative Coordinator within five (5) Working Days of the initial Charge meeting. A copy of all materials will be made available to the Hearing Panel at least one (1) Working Day before the hearing. Late materials will be accepted at the discretion of the Hearing Panel on the day of the hearing. All materials will be collected at the conclusion of the hearing. No party is permitted to take any materials or notes from the hearing.
  11. If a case involves a technical matter that falls outside of the expertise of the Hearing Panel, the panel may consult with the appropriate source of information. These consultants will not attend the hearing unless deemed necessary by the Case Coordinating Team.
  12. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Administrative Coordinator and/or the Dean of Students or the Dean’s Designee.
  13. After the portion of the hearing concludes in which all pertinent information has been presented, the panel shall meet in closed session to determine by majority vote, whether a violation has occurred for each Charge.
  14. The Hearing Panel’s determination shall be made on the basis of whether it is more likely than not that the Charged Party violated the Code of Student Conduct, and thus the Honor Code. The panel will not consider any prior Honor Code violation when determining whether a violation has occurred.
  15. Since the Honor Code hearings are an educational process, formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Honor Code proceedings.
  16. There shall be a verbatim record, such as a tape recording, of all Honor Code Hearings at an Honor Code Hearing Panel solely created for the Hearing Panel’s use in deliberations and for use in determining whether the stated grounds for an Appeal exist. Deliberations shall not be recorded. This record shall be property of the College and will be destroyed after the Appeal period has passed, specifically ten (10) Working Days after the delivery of the outcome, which is after the five (5) Working Day period in which either party may file an Appeal and the five (5) Working Day period for the Hearing Review Panel to consider the Appeal.
  17. The Charging Party, Charged Party, and/or Witnesses may request participation by telephone or virtually (e.g., by Zoom or other video conference) or to be in a separate room during a hearing. The Administrative Coordinator will determine if the request for accommodation is appropriate.

Administrative Resolution

At its discretion, the Case Coordinating Team may refer the case to the Dean of Students for Administrative Resolution. The Dean of Students or the Dean’s Designee has discretion at any time to respond to the case through an Administrative Resolution and not through an Honor Code Council Hearing Panel. Any finding and/or sanction(s) determined by the Dean of Students or Dean’s Designee are eligible for Appeal based on the grounds for Appeal.

Alternative Resolution

In addition to the aforementioned resolution processes, a Charge may be resolved through alternative measures. Such alternative measures may include educational conversations and/or a mediation.

An educational conversation is a discussion between a College administrator and a student regarding behavior that does not rise to the level of potential policy violation but is nonetheless inappropriate or having a negative impact on the College community. These conversations are educational and supportive in nature and intended to help the student reflect on their behavior and connect to resources, if needed.

A mediation or facilitated dialogue may be arranged with the College Ombudsperson or other appropriate College staff at the mutual request of all parties involved at any point in the process before the start of an Honor Code Hearing. Should an attempted mediation or facilitated dialogue not be successful, all parties reserve the right to move forward with a formal Honor Code process.

Appeals

A finding reached by the Honor Code Hearing Panel may be appealed by the Charged Party or Charging Party to a Hearing Review Panel within five (5) Working Days of the decision. Such Appeals shall be in writing and shall be delivered to the Administrative Coordinator. Either party considering an Appeal will be required to meet with the Administrative Coordinator and may request to listen to the hearing recording and/or review the information presented in the hearing, in the presence of the Administrative Coordinator, in order to prepare the Appeal. Administrative Resolution decisions are not eligible for an Appeal. The only grounds for an Appeal are the following:

  1. To consider new information, sufficient to alter the finding, or other relevant facts not available at the original Honor Code Hearing; and/or
  2. To determine whether there was a significant error in the procedural process.

The Case Coordinating Team will distribute the appellant’s materials, along with all written materials and the recording from the initial hearing, to the Hearing Review Panel within five (5) Working Days from the date the Appeal is filed. The Case Coordinating Team may also submit materials related to the procedures followed before and during the initial hearing. The appellant will have the right to review and respond to such materials. Any sanctions from the initial hearing will be stayed pending the outcome of an Appeal, except when interim restrictions have been imposed by the Dean of Students.

Appeals will be considered and a response written to the appellant by the Hearing Review Panel within five (5) Working Days from the date materials were distributed to the Hearing Review Panel. When the College is not in session, the Appeal will be considered within ten (10) Working Days of the beginning of the next semester.

Upon consideration, the Hearing Review Panel may deny or uphold the Appeal. If an Appeal is upheld by the Hearing Review Panel, the matter shall be returned to the Administrative Coordinator and original Honor Code Hearing Panel for the reopening of the Honor Code Hearing to allow reconsideration of the original finding. If an Appeal is denied, the original finding and sanctions stand. The decision of the Hearing Review Panel will be final. The student found responsible and the individual bringing the Charge will be given written notification of the Hearing Review Panel decision.

APPEAL FORM