Appeal Form
The respondent may appeal decisions reached at a hearing. The appeal must be filed within five (5) working days following the date the Office of Student Conduct sends notice of the adjudication results. Appeals may be delivered, in writing, to the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs or the Office of Student Conduct, via email to studentconduct@wou.edu, or by filling out the online form. An appeal form must include a specific justification for the appeal as listed in the Code of Student Responsibility as a reason for appeal.
In hearings involving a complainant or survivor of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct, the survivor may appeal decisions reached at a hearing if the survivor believes the decision is not in compliance with University standards. The appeal must be filed within five (5) working days following the date the Office of Student Conduct sends notice of the hearing results. An appeal form must include a specific justification for the appeal as listed in the Code of Student Responsibility as a reason for appeal.
Except as required to explain the basis of new information, an appeal will be limited to a review of the accurate record of the initial adjudication and supporting documents for one or more of the following purposes:
- To determine whether or not the original hearing was conducted in conformity with the procedures described in the Student Code of Responsibility;
- To determine whether or not the decision reached regarding the respondent was based on a Preponderance of the Evidence;
- To determine whether or not the sanction(s) imposed were appropriate to the respondent’s previous conduct history and the present violation(s) of the Code of Student Responsibility;
- To consider new evidence, sufficient to alter a decision, or other relevant facts not brought out in the original hearing, because such evidence or facts were not known to the person appealing at the time of the original hearing.
The Appeals Body may make the following decisions:
- That evidence, not available at the time of the adjudication, exists sufficient to alter the original decision. In this case, the Appeals Body remits the case to the original adjudicating body for a supplemental adjudication;
- The appeal is denied. In this case, the entire decision of the original hearing body, including sanctions, remains effective. New violations cannot be found through the appeal process;
- The appeal is upheld. In this case, the Appeals Body renders a new decision, including reducing or removing sanctions, or replacing the findings and sanctions of the original adjudicator or hearing panel.
The Vice President for Student Affairs will hear appeals of hearings with the Student Conduct Committee and appeals of adjudications with the Director of Student Conduct, Dean of Students, or designee.
The Director of Student Conduct will hear appeals of adjudications with the University Housing Resident Directors and Residential Conduct Board.
The Appeals Body must consider the appeal based on the record, with no new evidence considered, except new evidence that meets the requirements noted above. If new evidence becomes available, the Appeals Body must remand the case to a new hearing with the original hearing body. The Office of Student Conduct must provide a complete and accurate record of the original hearing to the Appeals Body. The Appeals Body may, but is not required to, meet with the person appealing the decision.
Upon receipt of the appeal, the Appeals Body may suspend any or all sanctions pending its decision.
Within ten (10) working days following receipt of a complete appeal, the Appeals Body will notify the student submitting the appeal in writing of the results of the appeal.
A respondent and complainant are each allowed only one route of appeal, specified in the Code of Student Responsiblity. Once an individual has submitted an appeal and a decision has been reached regarding that appeal by the Appeals Body, the individual cannot submit an additional appeal regarding the same case.
