Honor System & Standards of Academic Conduct
Decision Board
A challenge to the finding of responsibility will be heard by a Decision Board. Decision Boards review the information that warranted the allegation of academic misconduct and arrive at a decision regarding responsibility. Decision Boards may uphold the initial administrative findings, reject the initial findings, or uphold some and reject some initial findings, where a respondent was charged with multiple violations. Further, if a Decision Board determines that the reported allegations do not constitute the particular violation charged but may constitute another violation of the policy, the Decision Board may refer the matter to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity to initiate new charges.
If a Decision Board upholds the initial finding of responsibility, the sanctions assigned by administrative resolution remain in effect.
Decision Board Procedures
Decision Boards proceed as follows:
1. Introductions and explanation of procedural rules by the chairperson
2. Introductory statements and presentation of any evidence, information, and witnesses by participants in the following order: the administrator, the reporting party, and the respondent
3. Questions from the Decision Board to the administrator, the reporting party, the respondent and witnesses, where applicable
4. Closing statements by participants in the following order: the administrator, the reporting party, and the respondent
The following rules of decorum govern Decision Boards:
1. All participants will treat each other with respect and common courtesy. It is vital that Decision Boards preserve a collegial and educational tone that encourages sharing information, honest responses to questions and careful consideration of the case at hand. In the event of personal attacks and/or aggressive, adversarial questioning, the chairperson will intervene and may impose restrictions on further participation to preserve effective communication, including requiring parties to submit additional questions and/or responses in writing.
2. Direct questions from anyone other than a member of the Decision Board to the reporting party, the administrator, witnesses or a member of the Decision Board are at the discretion of the chairperson.
3. If a member of the Decision Board becomes aware of new information about the alleged offense(s), they must provide it to the director of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity or designee prior to the hearing. If the director or designee determines the new information is relevant to the Decision Board’s deliberations, they will then ensure the respondent has the opportunity to review and respond to it.
4. The chairperson of the Decision Board is the final arbiter of all procedural questions.
5. There will be a single verbatim record of the Decision Board hearing, excluding deliberations. The record shall be the property of the university.
After the hearing, the Decision Board will hold a closed-session, confidential deliberation to determine if clear and convincing evidence shows the respondent violated the Honor System and Standards of Academic Conduct. In the case of multiple alleged violations, the Decision Board shall determine if clear and convincing evidence shows the respondent is responsible for each individual violation. Establishing the respondent violated the Honor System and Standards of Academic Conduct requires the majority vote of at least two of the three voting members of the Decision Board. If the Decision Board finds the respondent responsible for the violation(s), the Decision Board will either confirm or amend sanctions in accordance with IV.4.a.