Organizational Conduct
Organizational Conduct Process
When concerns arise regarding the conduct of an organization and its members, Student Conduct and Community Standards partners with the organization to gather information, investigate any reports of misconduct, and develop educational responses as appropriate. The Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities applies to individual students and student organizations, and Student Conduct and Community Standards follows the policies described in the Code and the non-academic misconduct procedures when resolving complaints of organizational misconduct. Below is a brief description of the process for resolving student organization complaints.
SCCS receives a report of potential student organization misconduct. Reports may be received in writing or verbally.
SCCS will gather initial information to determine the credibility of the report and will gather additional information, if needed.
If the information contained in the initial report indicates that the student organization may have violated the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, SCCS will begin an investigation to learn more. The investigation phase is meant to gather information to better understand the initial report. No charges are filed during the investigation. It is in the organization's best interest to participate fully in the investigation in order to resolve the concerns as quickly as possible. SCCS will take the following steps in beginning an investigation:
- Notify the organization's advisor by phone prior to beginning an investigation.
- Notify the organization's president and advisor by electronic letter. For sororities and fraternities, SCCS will copy the inter/national headquarters organization.
- Meet with the organization's president and advisor to discuss the report and investigation process.
- Contact members of the organization and ask them to attend an individual interview in order to better understand the information contained in the report. SCCS may contact all members, new members, or a random selection of members. Members will meet with a trained staff investigator.
- Compile the investigation findings and share the information with the organization's president and advisor by electronic mail. If results of the investigation do not support a potential policy violation, SCCS will close the case at this stage.
If information gathered during the investigation suggests a potential policy violation, SCCS will meet with the organization's president and advisor to discuss the findings and resolution options. Cases may be resolved through a mutual agreement in which the organization accepts responsibility and seeks educational opportunities to address the policy violations, an administrative hearing, or a formal hearing. For more information on procedures for administrative and formal hearings, please refer to the Non-Academic Misconduct Procedures.
If the organization elects to pursue an administrative or formal hearing and is found responsible, they will be assigned educationally-focused sanctions designed to change the behaviors in question. If an organization is found not responsible, the case will be closed with no assigned sanctions.