The Conduct Process

Preamble
The ability to organize in order to be recognized formally as organizations at St. Norbert College is a privilege, and with that privilege come a number of rights and responsibilities. Student organizations are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct at all times, and will be held accountable for failing to do so. Individual students may be held accountable for their individual actions (via the processes established in The Citizen) concurrently with organizations of which they are affiliated, where they can be held accountable as group. Organizations are held to the same policies noted in The Citizen and a comprehensive list of the violations can be found here.

Allegations of Misconduct
All members of the college community may report alleged violations of The Citizen. A charge shall be prepared in writing through an incident report and/or police report and directed to the assistant vice president for student life as soon as possible after the event or incident takes place, preferably within 24 business hours. The assistant vice president for student life shall issue the complaints and coordinate the student conduct process. The leadership of the organization may present any evidence upon his/her organization’s behalf after hearing the testimony and other evidence against the organization. He/she may also call any witness(es) on the organization’s behalf.

The director of student judicial affairs may be asked to conduct an investigation to determine if the charges have merit and/or if they can be disposed of administratively by mutual consent of the parties involved on a basis acceptable to the assistant vice president for student affairs and/or director of student judicial affairs.

The assistant vice president for student affairs also determines the type of student conduct process if violations of college policy occur before the academic year commences and during the final examination period, college breaks, or at other times when the college is not in academic session. The assistant vice president for student affairs has the authority to determine appropriate sanctions for violations of College policy during these periods.

Rights in a Conduct Hearing for Organizations

An organization has the right to:

• Receive notice of the charges against them
• Hear a description of the college’s evidence against present their side of the story
• Have one (1) adult from the St. Norbert College Community or external to the college present during their hearing and serve as a process advisor
• Appeal the outcome of the hearing 

Grounds for An Appeal 
The purpose of an appeal is not intended to re-hear or re-argue the same case. The appeal must contain a written statement which includes his or her reason for the appeal. This statement must be submitted to the office of student judicial affairs, Main Hall Suite 2, no later than three (3) business days after the organization has been notified of the hearing outcome. The organization has the right to appear before the appeal authority. Organization presidents and advisers will receive written notice of results of their appeal within fourteen (14) business days or shortly after. An appeal may result in supporting a decision, modifying a decision, or dismissing a decision from the hearing authority.

The appeal authority will limit its review of the original hearing record to the following three (3) issues:

• Procedural Error. The student must demonstrate that there was a material deviation or change from the procedures outlined in policy, and that had the proper procedures been followed, the outcome would likely have been different.
• New Evidence. The student must demonstrate that new evidence is available or was discovered after the hearing, and that had the evidence been known and reviewed during the investigation or hearing, it would have affected the outcome.
• Substantial Bias. The student must present facts that show prejudice, bias or other inappropriate or unlawful factors which improperly influenced the outcome.

Authorized Disciplinary Standings

• Administrative Warning
• Social Probation
• Deferred Suspension
• Revocation of the recognized status

The assistant vice president for student affairs has the authority to review an organization’s cumulative conduct file and, working through the student organization recognition committee of the Student Government Association, make a recommendation to the vice president for student affairs as to whether it is in the best interest of St. Norbert College for that specific organization to continue being recognized by St. Norbert College.

Should you have any questions regarding the student conduct process for organizations, please contact the Director of Student Engagement and Student Development, Shelly Mumma.