Educational Conferences and Hearings are official parts of the University's Resolution Process for potential violations of University policies. Students participating in an Educational Conference or Hearing may have questions about what to expect and how best to prepare.

Educational Conference

Defining Educational Conferences

An Educational Conference is an informal resolution meeting where a student, called a Respondent, meets with a Resolution Facilitator to discuss potential violations of University policies. The goal of an Educational Conference is to provide an opportunity for the Respondent to work collaboratively with the Resolution Facilitator to mutually resolve the alleged violations.

Educational Conference Format

In general, Educational Conferences use the following format:

  • Sharing of the Incident Report and any information collected during fact-finding
  • Discussion of the incident with the Respondent
  • Review of alleged violations, including explanation of policy(ies)
  • Discussion of responsibility for each alleged violation
  • If there is agreement that the Respondent is responsible for a violation(s), discussion of outcomes.

Preparing for an Educational Conference

Students should consider the following when preparing for an Educational Conference.

  • Read the Meeting Notification Letter. The Educational Conference notice letter includes important information about the process, alleged violations and the incident in question. Read this letter thoroughly and reach out to the Resolution Facilitator if you have questions.
  • Review your Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students and Recognized Student Organizations have clear rights outlined in the process, including the right to have a support person present.
  • Consider a Support Person. Students and Recognized Student Organizations can bring a support person to a meeting to provide assistance and support. It is important to consider if you would like to have a support person present, and, if so, who you would like to bring. A support person can be anyone the student wishes including a friend, family member, professor, or mentor. The only exception is if the support person is also subject to fact-finding in the same incident. The Office of Community Standards can also assist a student or Recognized Student Organization in finding a support person.
  • Reflect on the Incident. Take time to think about what happened during the incident described in the meeting notification letter. Consider not only what happened, but also how it happened and what impact this has had on you and others since it occurred.

Hearings

Defining Hearings

Hearings are more formal in nature with a much more structured format than an Educational Conference. Hearings are facilitated by a Hearing Board Chair who will invite each participant to share what they know about an incident. This includes hearing from the Resolution Facilitator and the Respondent. Additionally, the Chair will facilitate having each participant, including hearing board panelists, ask questions to learn more about the incident. Hearings sometimes include other parties as witnesses, but not always.

 

The Hearing Board deliberates in private during a hearing about responsibility, and, if appropriate, outcomes for the Respondent. The Respondent may be asked during the course of the hearing what they believe would be an appropriate outcome for the board to consider.

Hearing Types

There are two types of hearings a Respondent may opt to participate in after an Educational Conference - an outcomes only hearing and a full-finding hearing.

An outcomes only hearing occurs when a Respondent and Resolution Facilitator agree upon responsibility for an alleged violation(s) during the Educational Conference, but do not agree on the outcomes. In this case, the Respondent decides to have a hearing board determine the outcomes.

A full-finding hearing occurs when the student and Resolution Facilitator cannot come to agreement about responsibility, and the Respondent wishes to have a hearing board decide the case.

Preparing for a Hearing

Similar to an Educational Conference, a student should consider several things before attending their hearing.

  • Read the Meeting Notification Letter. The notice letter includes important information about the process, alleged violation(s), and the incident. Read this letter thoroughly and reach out to the Resolution Facilitator with any questions.
  • Review your Student Rights and Responsibilities. Students and Recognized Student Organizations have clear rights outlined in the process, including the right to have a support person present.
  • Consider a Support Person. Students and Recognized Student Organizations can bring a support person to a meeting to provide assistance and support. It is important to consider if you would like to have a support person present, and, if so, who you would like to bring. A support person can be anyone the student wishes including a friend, family member, professor, or mentor. It is important to remember that a support person cannot represent the Respodent in a hearing. They are only there to provide support.
  • Prepare your Statements. The hearing includes opportunities for the Respondent to give an opening statement, ask questions of the involved parties, and give a closing statement. Take some time to prepare what you would like to say in advance to ensure your thoughts are clear.