Frequently Asked Questions
My RA asked me to sign for a letter that said I have an Informal or Administrative Hearing, now what?
- If you have received a letter signed by the Judicial Coordinator or a Residence Coordinator (RC), it means that you have been charged for violating university policy. The letter will list the charge(s) against you, and the page in the handbook that defines the charge.
- If you received the letter from an RC, you must call their office immediately to schedule an appointment.. If you do not call to schedule an appointment by the date listed in the letter, you may receive an additional charge of non-compliance with an official request.
- If you received a letter from the Judicial Coordinator, you must attend the hearing that has been pre-scheduled. If you cannot make the hearing, please let the Judicial Coordinator know ahead of time.
- Arrive on time (if not a few minutes early) to your scheduled appointment. Missing your appointment, or being late, will result in an additional charge of non-compliance.
- Several things will happen at your appointment with the RC (called an Infomal hearing, explained in the student handbook) or Judicial Coordinator (called an administrative hearing, explained in the student handbook). Your student rights and violation of University policy will be explained, to you. After documentation of incident is presented and you have had the opportunity to explain, the hearing officer will determine responsibility.
- If you are found responsible you can accept or reject the decision of the hearing officer. If you accept the decision, that means you agree to the sanction(s) assigned. If you reject, the Judicial Coordinator (in the case of Informal Hearings) will hear your case. If you reject the Judicial Coordinator’s decision (in the case of Administrative hearings) the Residence Hall Judicial Board will hear your case. Your hearing officer will explain this procedure further.
What do I do if I am called to be a witness against a student at a Judicial Council hearing?
Make sure that you are familiar with the IR (Incident Report). If you need to read it, just come by the Judicial Coordinators Office and we would be happy to let you look at a copy of it. Ask any questions that you feel are necessary.
What do I do if I am called to be a witness for a student at a Judicial Council hearing?
If you are a witness to the event, make sure that you are familiar with the events from that incident. If you are called as a character witness, you need to only speak about the character of the person, not about the incident in question.
Under what circumstances would I be called to be a witness?
If a student comes and has a Judicial hearing, they have the option of rejecting that officer’s disciplinary decision and taking their case to a Judicial Board. The Board is a board made up of up to 15 students. They will hear the case as if it was never heard by a hearing officer. This is the student’s chance to question the witness(es) against him/her and also bring witnesses of his/her own. If you are somehow involved in the case by writing the IR or witnessing the event, then you will likely be called as a witness. Your testimony about the events, or about the person’s character, is critical in determining responsibility and sanctioning of the student’s behavior.
What happens once I arrive at the hearing?
Once you arrive, a staff member will escort you to a room with other witnesses. After the hearing begins, once it is your turn to testify, the Board Advisor will come and bring you into the hearing room. The Board will ask you about the details of the event. It is your responsibility to answer honestly and provide as much information as possible. The accused student will then have the opportunity to question you about the incident. The Chair will not allow any inappropriate questions. Remember that you are not the one being accused. Your presence is only to clarify details of the incident.
Am I required to show up as a witness against a student? What might happen if I do not appear?
If you are a Resident Advisor or Hall Coordinator, it is part of your job obligations to serve as a witness for the Residence Hall Judicial Board if needed. Failing to appear for a hearing will result in the notification of your supervisor that you did not appear for a Judicial Board hearing and they will determine the appropriate action from that point. Also, if you do not appear as a witness against a student, it could be cause for the case to be dropped and the student to be found “not responsible."
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