The Office of the Dean of Students may refer allegations of violations of the Code of Student Conduct to one of the following options for resolution. Additional information, policies, and procedures for each of these hearing types is expanded in individual sections to follow.
*Any and all hearing types may be conducted virtually, via Zoom. When scheduling hearings, we will consider your class schedule. Your Letter of Allegation and/or meeting request will contain details and instructions on how to access Zoom, if applicable.
Non-Disciplinary
Mediation
Mediation is an informal, voluntary process that allows the reporting party and responding party involved in an alleged complaint of discrimination or harassment to discuss their respective understandings of the incident with each other through the assistance of a trained mediator. Mediation is designed to encourage each person to be honest and direct with the other and to accept personal responsibility where appropriate. Mediation is only offered as an option if both the reporting party and responding party are students at SXU. If either student is less than 18 years of age, the University may require that the minor student's parent consent in writing to the student's participation in the mediation. Mediation is not appropriate for certain cases, such as alleged sexual assaults, even on a voluntary basis.
Disciplinary
Administrative Hearing
An administrative hearing is a formal hearing conducted by one or more hearing officer(s). Normally, the disciplinary actions that can be taken at the administrative hearing level are sanctions D-P. If the incident occurs outside of the regular academic year (defined as the fall semester or the spring semester), all sanctions are available in the administrative hearing. Additionally, if a student is currently sanctioned with disciplinary probation, or is otherwise not in good standing with the Dean of Students, all sanctions, including suspension and expulsion from the University, are available to the administrative hearing officers.
University Conduct Board Hearing
Incidents that could result in suspension or expulsion from the University or may be of a controversial or sensitive nature are referred to the University Conduct Board by the Dean of Students. When the University Conduct Board is not in session (semester breaks, exam periods or summer recess), cases may be heard as administrative hearings. In these instances, the hearing officer(s) have the authority to impose the full range of sanctions available to the University Conduct Board, sanctions A-P. The University Conduct Board is comprised of a board convener and two additional representatives from the faculty and staff. The members of the University Conduct Board are appointed at the beginning of the academic year and normally serve for three academic years.
The Convener of the University Conduct Board is appointed by the Dean of Students from the members appointed to serve on the University Conduct Board. A hearing before the University Conduct Board will include the hearing coordinator, board convener and two additional members of the board, the reporting party, the responding party, witnesses, and advisors. The deliberations by the board will be conducted in private. The outcome of the case is communicated to the student in writing.
Registered Student Organization (RSO) Hearing
A student organization hearing is a hearing conducted by one or more hearing officers or, in serious cases, the University Conduct Board. A case is considered serious when it is possible that the student organization could be suspended or terminated. The hearing officer(s)/board chair will review all of the evidence and interview the appropriate members of the organization, and, if necessary, appropriate witnesses. The hearing officers will deliberate in private and make a decision about the organization's responsibility for the alleged misconduct and issue appropriate sanctions. An organizational hearing differs from an administrative hearing or a University Conduct Board hearing in that: (1) the organization's advisor is invited to attend the hearing and participate in the proceedings; (2) the organization's president and executive officers usually will officially represent the organization at the hearing, although additional officers and/or members of the organization may be invited to the hearing; (3) the organization will be asked to submit a written statement about the incident and its involvement that will be used during the hearing; and (4) the hearing officer(s) will determine sanctioning organizationally or individually as appropriate. The disciplinary actions that can be taken by hearing officer(s) as a result of a student organization hearing are the same sanctions outlined above.
