The Administrative Officer will assemble the Student Hearing Panel, which consists of five students and a Panel Chair. Members of the Hearing Panel and the Chair are selected at the beginning of the Fall semester by a committee comprised of representatives from the Office of Student Affairs and the Student Faculty Court. The Administrative Officer will serve as an advisor to the panel. The hearing will consist of the following procedures:

The hearing will be closed, and all proceedings will be confidential. An exception will be allowed if both the charged student and the complainant agree to an open hearing.

The student charged may bring an advisor or legal counsel for assistance but must speak for himself or herself. The role of the advisor or legal counsel will be restricted solely to advising the student.

The complainant and the charged student will have the opportunity to call and examine witnesses and to present and question other evidence. The student is responsible for having his or her witnesses at the hearing. The University can assist in obtaining the attendance of students and University personnel.

The Panel Chair will exercise control over the hearing. Rules of evidence as used in courts will not be applied in this type of hearing. Any person who disrupts the hearing may be asked to leave the hearing. Repetitious or irrelevant evidence may be excluded. Witnesses (other than the accused) will be present only during the time they are testifying.

The standard of proof that will be used is the preponderance of evidence standard. In other words, a student will be found in violation of the Code of Conduct only when the evidence demonstrates that it is more likely than not that the student committed the violation. The weight and credibility of the evidence is considered.

The Student Hearing Panel will deliberate in closed session in order to render a decision.

The Panel Chair will be responsible for delivering the decision in writing to the accused student. The decision shall include a summary of the findings and the sanctions imposed.

The decision of the Student Hearing Panel shall be final unless the student files an appeal.