Tulane’s Student Conduct Process: What to Expect at Your Pre-Hearing You received a letter informing you that you have been charged with violating Tulane’s Code of Student Conduct. Now what?
Pre-Hearing Process for Students: Initial Steps • Do not panic! • Read your charge letter. Note the date and time of your hearing fines are imposed for missed meetings. • We know that we only have one side of the story, and we want to hear your side. • Know that the Office of Student Conduct recognizes that all of us make mistakes.
What is this letter about? •
You received this letter because the Office of Student Conduct or Office of Housing and Residence Life received an incident report indicating that you may have violated the provisions of the Code of Student Conduct listed in your letter.
•
You have been scheduled for a pre-hearing, where you will have the opportunity to share your versions of the events in question.
•
The hearing officer will determine if you are responsible or not responsible for each charge based on the information available and select appropriate sanctions if you are found responsible.
•
You can choose to resolve the case at the prehearing or proceed to a more formal administrative hearing.
Your hearing officer will be able to answer any questions you might have about the charges, the process, or the report that led to the charges.
What is a pre-hearing? A pre-hearing is a meeting between you and a conduct officer. At the pre-hearing, the officer will: •
Discuss the conduct process
•
Review your rights under the Code of Student Conduct
•
Answer any questions that you have about the specific charges listed in your letter
•
Discuss the incident report that led to the charges
•
Listen to your side of the story
Your Student Rights Ø Considered not to have violated the code until after an opportunity to be heard Ø Appear and be heard at a hearing Ø Remain silent or not participate in the hearing Ø May have an advisor accompany you Ø Challenge the hearing officer on grounds of personal bias or conflict of interest Ø Have a complaint resolved without discrimination Ø Submit a statement concerning responsibility of charges and if applicable, sanctions Ø If you choose not to resolve your case at the pre-hearing, you have the right to submit an appeal
For a full list of your student rights, see the Code of Conduct online: tulane.edu/conduct
How can I best prepare for my prehearing? • Be on time • Dress appropriately and professionally
• Reflect on the incident before your meeting. You will get to share your version of the events in question, so think about what information you would like to convey. If it is helpful for you, make notes about the incident. • Conduct yourself in a professional manner during your hearing. It generally does not help to blame others for your behavior or compare yourself to other students. • Before the meeting, think about whether there are charges for which you think you are responsible. You can let the hearing officer know if you take responsibility for one or all the charges.
How does the hearing officer determine if I am responsible? • Your hearing officer will consider all available information, including your side of the story. • He or she will determine whether you are responsible for each charge using the preponderance of evidence standard. • Preponderance of evidence means that the hearing officer will need to determine if it is more likely than not (51%) that you violated the Code of Conduct.
What if I’m found responsible? • You will have the opportunity to share what you believe are fair sanctions based on the violations. • We recommend that students have some sanctions in mind. • Sanctions are determined based on the student’s conduct record, the student’s demeanor, and the seriousness of the incident, among other factors.
Types of Sanctions Effective sanctions generally have two components: status and educational. Sanction options for pre-hearings are listed below. For a full understanding, see the Code of Conduct online at tulane.edu/conduct
Status
Educational
¤ Admonition
¤
BASICS (required for alcohol and drug violations)
¤ Warning Period
¤
Referral for Case Management
¤
Essay, Letter to self, Letter of apology
¤
Behavioral contract
¤
Restitution
¤
Community Service
¤ Residential Relocation
¤
Integrity @ Tulane course
¤ Residential Suspension
¤
Interview, film or TedTalk review, article or book review
¤ Disciplinary Probation ¤ Deferred Suspension
*Not an exhaustive list. Other sanctions may be created or imposed
What if I don’t agree with the findings or sanctions? At the end of the pre-hearing, you will be given the following options to resolve the matter: 1. You could accept the findings and sanctions as the officer has proposed. You would then complete sanctions by the assigned deadlines. OR 2. You can request an administrative hearing, a formal meeting with another conduct officer to review the matter.
Will my parents find out? Tulane will only notify your parents under the following conditions: • If you are under 21 and found responsible for a violation of the alcohol policy • If you are found responsible for a drug violation • If your health or safety is at risk
In most cases your parents will not be notified about potential violations until after you have had an opportunity to be heard and found responsible for the violation.
Conclusion We hope this presentation has been helpful to prepare for your pre-hearing. If you have any questions or feedback about this presentation, please contact the Office of Student Conduct at
[email protected] or 504-865-5516
