OUR COMMUNITY STANDARDS PROCESS

We have provided a step-by-step guide to the community standards process. Items with a check box (☐) indicate something that may help you along the way.  A printable, quick reference guide is available. Use the outline for the academic integrity process for incidents related to cheating, plagiarism, etc.

1.  An incident has been reported, listing you as potentially violating our community standards.

We (the Center for Community Standards) review the report and decide whether or not to proceed with initiating the community standards process. At any time, we can take immediate, interim action to support you, or anyone involved, in and out of the classroom. Examples may include re-assignment of a student's residence hall room or changes in academic schedules or assignments. 

If we determine there is no reason to further investigate the incident, the report is documented and the matter is closed. If we do not initiate the community standards process at the request of the complainant, the complainant has the opportunity to challenge that decision and will be provided with instructions.

If we believe there is a potential violation, we will begin the community standards process. 

2.  Your community standards process begins.

We will send you an email with information about the community standards process, including your hearing date, time, and location (or a link so that you can schedule your own appointment) and available resources. You will receive this email at least 10 calendar days prior to the hearing and it will state whether your hearing is with a Conduct Officer or the Conduct Board. We will use your WSU email address to contact you throughout the process.

When engaged in the process, we want you to know your rights and responsibilities every step of the way. Until a decision is made at your hearing, you are assumed not responsible for the reported incident. It is possible that your Conduct Officer will schedule a meeting to gather more information prior to a hearing being scheduled. These next steps will help you prepare to meet with your Conduct Officer or the Conduct Board.

⬜ Attend an information session. These sessions are led by Center for Community Standards staff members and are intended to clarify the community standards process and answer any questions you may have. These sessions help you understand your rights and responsibilities and what you can expect moving forward. Information sessions are generally held one on one and are facilitated remotely using Microsoft Teams. You can sign up for an information session here. When signing up for an appointment, you have the ability to choose to have your information session with someone other than your assigned conduct officer.

This is a good time to reach out for support from friends, family or campus resources. A few resources you may find useful are outlined below:

⬜Request your conduct file Select an advisor. An advisor can help you throughout any stage of the process. This is not the same as your academic or career advisor. For your benefit, we have selected and trained WSU faculty and staff members who have volunteered to serve as advisors. You can find a list of those trained advisors here. You may also choose to have any WSU faculty or staff member, or community member serve as an advisor, as long as they are not a witness to the reported incident.

Your advisor can support you by providing advice, clarifying the process, and attending meetings and your hearing. They can contact us to get information about meeting dates, your status in the process, and assigned sanctions (if any). It’s important you know that your advisor cannot speak on your behalf or represent you as an attorney.

☐  Request disability or medically related accommodations. If you would benefit from accommodations, please contact us.

☐  Request a language interpreter. Contact us if you need an interpreter to attend meetings, your hearing, or review documents. You can request a language interpreter at any stage throughout the process

3.  Prepare & attend your scheduled hearing.

• Conduct Officer Hearings

  Prepare for your Conduct Officer hearing.

  ☐  Gather your information. Sharing your information ensures that your experience is part of the conversation and recorded in the conduct file. You can provide a written statement, submit additional documentation (such as text messages, emails, phone logs, videos etc.), provide witnesses, and/or ask witnesses to contact your Conduct Officer.

  ☐  You may request a new Conduct Officer if you feel there is a conflict of interest. 

  ☐  Review all the materials and documents in your file. You can schedule an appointment to review your file by contacting us.

  ☐  If you are unable to attend your scheduled hearing, you can discuss changing your date and/or time with your Conduct Officer, preferably 24 hours prior to your hearing.

  Attend your hearing.

  A Conduct Officer hearing is held on Zoom or on the Pullman campus and is generally between you and your Conduct Officer. These meetings are closed to the public and usually last no more than one hour. Although attending your hearing is optional, this is your opportunity to provide input before any decision is made. Together, you and your Conduct Officer will review the information that has been gathered and submitted, and discuss the reported incident and possible outcomes. If you choose not to attend your hearing, a decision will be made (based on the information available) in your absence.

  ☐  If you choose to have an advisor, invite your advisor to your hearing. They cannot speak for you, but you can take breaks during your hearing to consult with them.

  A decision is made.

  You will be notified of the decision at the end of your hearing or by email, within 10 calendar days of your hearing. Possible outcomes include:

  1. You are found not responsible for the reported incident. No further action is needed on your part.
  2. The reported incident is dismissed. You have not been found responsible, but the review of the incident can continue and can be reopened at a later date.
  3. The Conduct Officer decides that more investigation is necessary before a decision can be made. 
  4. The reported incident is referred to the Conduct Board for further review.
  5. You are found responsible and educational/disciplinary outcomes (sanctions) are assigned. A range of possible sanctions can be found here.  Remember that Conduct Officers cannot assign sanctions that suspend or expel students, revoke degrees, or revoke university recognition from a group. Only the University Conduct Board can assign those outcomes.

• Formal Hearing

  Prepare for your Formal Hearing.

  ☐ Gather your Evidence. Gather all the evidence you would like to share during the Formal Hearing (i.e., documents, videos, pictures, witness statements, reports, etc.).  You will receive a Notice of Hearing to your WSU email account from the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) once your hearing is scheduled. The notice of hearing from OAH will include dates/times you must meet when submitting evidence to OAH for review at your Formal Hearing.   OAH is the state agency which assigns a Presiding Officer who will determine your responsibility and sanctions. Sanctions are only assigned if you are found responsible by the Presiding Officer.

  ☐ Request a new Presiding Officer. To request a new Presiding Officer due to a conflict of interest, you must submit this request 3 days before your first scheduled hearing. Instructions for making this request are outlined in your notice of hearing from OAH. 

  ☐ Review your conduct file. You can request a redacted copy of your file by submitting this form: Request your conduct file. You can schedule an appointment with the Center for Community Standards (CCS) to review your unredacted file. CCS can be reached via email community.standards@wsu.edu or phone 509.335.4532.

  ☐ Request a new Formal Hearing Date. You may contact OAH to request a reschedule of your Formal Hearing. Contact information for OAH is included in your notice of hearing from OAH. 

  ☐ Notify OAH of legal representation. If you have retained legal representation provide their contact information (i.e., name, address, phone number, etc.) to OAH. Contact information for OAH is included in your notice of hearing from OAH.

  ☐ Reach out to a Conduct Advisor. Conduct advisors are specifically trained in how the conduct process works and can attend your Formal Hearing but may not speak on your behalf. You can review the conduct advisor list here: Conduct Advisor List.

  ☐ Reach out to a Student Care Team Member. The Student Care Team can help facilitate relevant resources to support you through this process. They can be reach via email: deanofstudents@wsu.edu

  ☐ Reach out to CCS with questions. The Center for Community Standards can help answer any of your questions. CCS can be reached via email community.standards@wsu.edu or phone 509.335.4532.

  ☐ Review Campus Resources. You can find potential campus resources to support you here: Campus Resources.

  Attend your Formal Hearing.

  Formal Hearings are generally facilitated remotely (via Zoom or Teams), and they are closed to the public. Although attending your hearing is optional, this allows you (or legal representation) the opportunity to present any testimony (statements) or evidence you would like the Presiding Officer to consider when deciding responsibility or sanctions. 

  If you choose not to attend your Formal Hearing, a decision will be made (with the evidence submitted) in your absence.

  Receiving your Formal Hearing Decision Letter.

  You will receive your Formal Hearing decision letter to your WSU email account within 10 calendar days of your Formal Hearing. Possible outcomes include:

  1. Not Responsible: you are found not responsible for the reported incident. No further action is needed on your part.
  2. Dismissed: The reported incident is dismissed. You have not been found responsible, but the review of the incident can continue and can be reopened at a later date.
  3. Responsible: You are found responsible and educational/disciplinary sanctions are assigned. You can review possible sanctions assigned here: Sanctions List.