Procedures

The Conduct System Western Oregon University has a fundamental interest in the education and conduct of its students. The University and Student Conduct have designed a Student Conduct program which addresses the academic, social and personal development of a student through his or her University experience. Inappropriate or illegal behavior will be addressed through the Conduct program with the goal of educating the student on the skills necessary for successful living in the University community. The Code of Student Responsibility contains a full description of this program. The Code is available at https://wou.edu/studentconduct/resources/. Process Students are responsible for their actions and will be held accountable for violations of local, state and federal laws as well as for violations of university policies and procedures. Western Oregon University is committed to protecting individual rights, as well as the rights and interests of all community members. Reporting There are several different avenues for reporting.

1. Residence Halls or Campus Public Safety incident report
2. A police report
3. Any other type of University incident report or complaint
4. A signed and written complaint by any individual or group, whether members of the University community or not. The complaint may be in the form of an incident report, email, or letter.

In all cases where allegations exist, students will be provided a meeting to review the allegations and challenge any of the information supporting the allegations. Meeting with a Conduct Hearing Officer Each student has a right to schedule a meeting with a hearing officer within 5 business days of receiving notice of an alleged violation. On the notice, the student will be directed in how to set up an meeting with the hearing officer assigned to his or her report. At this meeting, the following will be determined:

• The degree of student involvement
• If a violation of the Code of Student Responsibility and/or The Guide to Residential Living has occurred
• The appropriate consequences (called sanctions) for said violation

Sanctions Sanctions are imposed as an educational means of holding students accountable for their actions. Sanctions are based off the information gathered in the conduct meeting, along with the report of alleged violation. Appropriateness and severity are taken into account when assigning a sanction(s). Multiple sanctions may be assigned. Students will be responsible for any applicable costs for carrying out sanctions. Appeals An appeal is not a new hearing and the hearing body has no obligation to meet with the student. Therefore, it is imperative that the student completes the appeal form accurately and with as much detail as possible. All appeals must be submitted within five (5) working days upon your notification of the hearing results. You may not appeal a decision about an appeal you have already made. The appeal body will review the case information to determine if one or more of the following conditions exist:

• The original hearing was not conducted in conformity with the Guide to Residential Living or the Code of Student Responsibility.
• The decision reached was based on less than a preponderance of the evidence.
• The sanctions imposed were not appropriate to the violation and the student’s previous conduct history.
• New evidence exists that was not available at the time of the hearing.

If you wish to appeal a decision, you may submit a written appeal form to the Office of Student Conduct within five (5) working days upon notification of the hearing results. Appeal forms are available in the Office of Student Conduct located in the University Housing Office (Lower floor of Ackerman Hall) and online. If one or more of these conditions exist, the appeal body will find that a basis for an appeal exists and may alter the decision or sanction, or send the case back to the original hearing officer to be heard again.