The purpose of a hearing before a university disciplinary committee is to provide all parties with an opportunity to present evidence and argument before disciplinary sanctions are imposed on a student. Based on the evidence presented at this hearing, the committee shall determine whether the student has engaged in the alleged misconduct. If there is a finding of misconduct, the committee shall then determine the appropriate sanction to be imposed.
| (1) | When a hearing is scheduled before
a university disciplinary committee, the chair of the appropriate committee
shall provide the student with written notice of the following
information: |
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| (a) | The time and place of the
hearing; |
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| (b) | The allegations of misconduct against the
student; |
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| (c) | A list of all witnesses who may be called to
testify; |
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| (d) | A description of all documentary and real evidence
to be presented at the hearing, including a copy of his or her disciplinary file;
and |
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| (e) | The sanctions that may be imposed at the hearing
if the allegations of misconduct are found to be true. |
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| (2) | The chair of the committee shall adhere
to the following procedures at all disciplinary hearings: |
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| (a) | The student shall be provided with a reasonable
opportunity (at least seven days) to gather evidence, contact witnesses, and
prepare a defense for the hearing. |
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| (b) | The student may be accompanied by an advisor
of the student's choice. |
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| (c) | The student is entitled to hear all testimony and
examine all evidence that is presented at the hearing. In response, the student
may present evidence and witnesses on his or her own behalf and may ask questions
of any other witnesses. |
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| (d) | No student shall be compelled to give
self-incriminating evidence. |
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| (3) | Evidence shall be admissible at the
hearing if it is the type of evidence that reasonably prudent members of the
university community would rely upon in the conduct of their affairs. |
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| (4) | The initiating officer (the appropriate
dean, or at the University of Washington Bothell and Tacoma campuses, dean or director of
the program in which the student is enrolled, the vice-president and vice-provost for student life,
the chancellors of the University of Washington Bothell and Tacoma campuses, or
their delegates) must prove by a preponderance of the evidence presented at the
hearing that the student has engaged in the alleged misconduct. The committee
shall base its factual determination solely on the evidence presented at the
hearing. |
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| (a) | Decisions of the university disciplinary committee
will be made based on a simple majority vote of the committees. |
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| (b) | If a university disciplinary committee cannot
reach a decision by simple majority vote, an order shall be entered referring
the matter to the faculty appeal board. Where exceptional circumstances exist,
the student shall be notified of the right to request a formal hearing.
Otherwise, the faculty appeal board shall conduct an administrative review as
provided under WAC 478-120-100 (1) and
(2). |
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| (5) | If at any time after a matter has
been referred to a university disciplinary committee the appropriate chair
determines that the matter should properly be before the faculty appeal board,
the chair may refer the matter to the faculty appeal board and shall provide
the student with written notice of the referral and of the opportunity to
request a formal hearing if exceptional circumstances exist.
(See WAC 478-120-100 (3)(b)(i).) |
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| (6) | If the committee determines that
the student has violated the university's rules, regulations, procedures,
policies, standards of conduct, or orders, it shall then determine the
appropriate sanction to be imposed. When determining the appropriate sanction,
the committee shall review the evidence presented at the hearing and the
student's past record of conduct at the university. |
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| (7) | The chair of the appropriate
university disciplinary committee shall provide the student with a written
statement of the committee's decision within ten days of the conclusion of
the hearing. This written statement shall include the committee's factual
findings, the conclusions that have been drawn from those findings, the
reasons for those conclusions, and the sanctions, if any, to be imposed.
If sanctions are imposed, the student must also be informed of the
appropriate procedures for appealing the committee's decision to the
faculty appeal board. In a case involving an alleged sexual offense, both
the accuser and the accused shall be informed of the outcome of the hearing.
In a case where the student is a minor, the written statement of the
committee's decision may be reported to the student's parents or legal
guardian at the discretion of the chair of the appropriate university
disciplinary committee. |
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| (8) | This written statement of the
committee's decision shall be the committee's initial order. If the student
chooses not to appeal, the initial order of the appropriate university
disciplinary committee becomes the final order at the end of the appeal period
set forth in WAC 478-120-075(1), except that
orders of dismissal shall be referred to the president. |
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| (9) | The student may choose to present
evidence to the chair of the appropriate university disciplinary committee
rather than at a hearing before the full committee. The student's waiver of
the right to a hearing before a university disciplinary committee must be
submitted in writing to the chair of the appropriate committee. The chair
will submit the student's evidence and arguments to the full committee and
the committee will make its decision based on the chair's report. |
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| (10) | All proceedings
of the committees will be conducted with reasonable dispatch and be terminated
as soon as possible, consistent with fairness to all parties involved. The chair
shall have the discretion to continue the hearing. |
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| (11) | An adequate summary of the proceedings
will be kept. Such a summary shall include all documents that were considered by
the appropriate committee and may include a tape recording of the testimony and
any other documents related to the hearing. |
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| (12) | A report of a university disciplinary committee shall, upon written request and release by the student or students involved, and subject to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, be made available to members of the university community through the vice-president and vice-provost for student life, or the office of the chancellor at the University of Washington Bothell or Tacoma campuses, whichever is appropriate, or their delegates. | |
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.20.130 and University of Washington Board of Regents Standing Orders, Chapter 1, Section 2. 10-23-039, § 478-120-095, filed 11/10/10, effective 12/11/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.20.130 and 28B.10.900 through 28B.10.903. 07-23-068, § 478-120-095, filed 11/19/07, effective 12/20/07; 96-10-051, § 478-120-095, filed 4/29/96, effective 5/30/96.]