Hearing Officers and Boards

Administrative Hearing Officers: Administrative hearing officers include the assistant dean of students, the director and assistant director of Student Conduct, and additional university staff members recommended by the assistant dean of students and appointed by the vice president for Student Life. They are typically drawn from the community directors in the residential neighborhoods, trained on an annual basis, and meet regularly throughout the academic year for continuing education. Other staff members may be trained and may serve as hearing officers at the discretion of the Vice President for Student Life.

Honor Board:  The Honor Board hears all academic policy violation cases for which the student denies responsibility. It may also hear social policy cases referred by the Office of Student Conduct or cases where suspension may be a potential outcome The assistant provost for communications and operations and assistant dean of students, or their designee are non-voting members of the boards, act as conveners for the hearings, and assure that University procedures are followed throughout the hearing.

The full Honor Board consists of a minimum of twelve students (elected by the student body or administratively appointed by the SGA President),  seven faculty members (three appointed by the Academic Council and four appointed by the provost/vice president for academic affairs), and seven Student Life administrators (appointed by the vice president of Student Life). These members are trained annually by the assistant dean of students and/or the director of student conduct.

A quorum of at least one faculty member, one Student Life administrator and one student must be convened in order to proceed with a hearing.

Due to the number of individuals involved in the process, the timeline for scheduling a board hearing may be longer than for an administrative hearing, but will typically be completed within 60 days from notice of the complaint.               

Organizational Honor Board:  For cases involving registered student organizations, student members of the Honor Board serve on a three-person hearing panel and make recommendations related to responsibility and outcomes (when appropriate) to the assistant dean of students or designee, who makes the final decision.

Appeal Boards (See Appeals and Appeal Boards for information.)