The Formal Resolution Process

The student conduct process is initiated with the reporting of an incident to Student Conduct and Community Responsibilities (SCCR) or University Housing Services. A case manager shall be assigned to review the information available to determine if SCCR or UHS will pursue a formal or informal means for resolving the case. If the case manager determines that the case should be resolved through the formal conduct process, the student will be notified by email to attend a case management conference with the case manager.

Case Management Conference

The case manager and the student meet to review the incident report and determine the University regulations that may have been violated, as well as any sanctions that would be imposed as a result of the behavior. The case management conference is also used to identify affected parties of the behavior. In cases where a party has been granted aggrieved party rights, the aggrieved party will be provided with the option to meet with the case manager prior to the respondent’s case management conference.

 The following outcomes may result from a case management conference:

a)      The student and case manager may agree on the University violations for which the student is responsible and the sanctions to be imposed. In this case, a decision letter is generated within five University business days and the case is resolved. There is no right to appeal, unless the student has agreed to a disciplinary suspension or disciplinary dismissal, in which case the student maintains limited appeal rights. In cases where multiple students face possible violations, no agreement is considered final until all involved students have attended case management conferences and reached decisions about their cases.

b)      In cases where there the student acknowledges University violations and where the student and the complainant or aggrieved party have expressed a desire to jointly bring resolution to the incident, the case will be referred to a restorative conference. Any inactive sanctions will be imposed by the case manager, but the active sanctions will be determined as an outcome of the restorative conference.

c)      The student and case manager may not agree on the University violations and/or sanctions to be imposed. The case will then be forwarded to a formal hearing.

d)      If a student fails to attend a required case management conference, the case manager may make a decision on the information provided, and may add an additional charge of University Regulation Section VI, A, 11, Abuse of the Conduct Process. A student failing to appear at a case management conference retains the right of appeal.

e)      If a student fails to attend a required case management conference and the case manager believes that the case may result in disciplinary suspension or disciplinary dismissal, the case may be referred to a formal hearing.

f)       In cases where a resolution can be reached between the student and the case manager, and there is an identified aggrieved party, the case manager will consult with the aggrieved party to review the proposed outcome. If the outcome is satisfactory to all involved parties, a decision letter will be generated and the case will be resolved. If the aggrieved party does not support the proposed outcome, the case will be referred to a formal hearing.

Formal Hearing Process

Should a student determine that they are dissatisfied with the resolution offered to them in their case management conference, or if the case manager is unable to determine what occurred in the situation, then the formal hearing process is necessary.  It is up to the discretion of the case manager to determine the format of the hearing - either administrative or with the University Hearing Panel (UHP). 

In either case (administrative or UHP), information and witnesses on behalf of the complaint will be presented in the hearing.  Then, the student is afforded the ability to provide information, including witnesses, in response to the charge(s) of alleged violations of the Code of Student Conduct.  Once all of the information has been presented, the UHP or administrator will move to closed session for determining whether a violation(s) occurred and the appropriate response.

Contact

Phone: (309) 438-8621
Email: SCCRHelp@IllinoisState.edu

Please note that all email communication from Student Conduct and Community Responsibilities will be through university email accounts only.

Code of Student Conduct

For full understanding of the conduct process, please view the Code of Student Conduct.