Conduct Officer
Responsibilities
This section outlines the responsibilities of the Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards.
The Coordinator may address any alleged violations are brought to their attention by Keuka College officials, employees, students, or members of the general public. The Coordinator may then:
- Dismiss the referral.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may dismiss a referral, if upon careful review, they determine that no violation of the Student Code of Conduct has occurred, or that the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards has no standing to hear the referral.
- Ban a non-student from the college.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may ban a non-student from the college and all college-sponsored events, if upon careful review, they determine that the non-student’s behavior is a detriment to the safety or well-being of the college community.
- Request informal mediation/support.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may request that on-campus or off-campus partners reach out to a student or group of students to support, guide, or mediate between students in cases where the referral does not violate the Student Code of Conduct.
- Send the student a warning and notification of policy.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may, at their discretion, forgo formal charges and instead send a student a warning and notification of policy for certain policy violations.
- Assign the referral to a Resident Director or the Student Conduct Panel for adjudication.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may assign a referral to a Resident Director or the Student Conduct Panel for adjudication. Please note that Resident Directors and the Student Conduct Panel do not have the authority to residentially suspend, suspend, or expel students from Keuka College.
- Charge the alleged student directly with violations of the Student Code of Conduct and hold a hearing.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may directly apply alleged charges and hold hearings for students who have allegedly violated the Student Code of Conduct.
- The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards may, after careful review, request immediate interim measures, including but not limited to Interim removals from the Residence Halls or the Campus to the Associate Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students and the Dean of Student Success & Chief Retention Officer. Please see the Student Development policy on Interim Measures for more details.
Hearing Before the Conduct Officer
Hearings are conducted between an alleged student and a Resident Director, the Student Conduct Panel, or the Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards. During the hearing, no party may be represented by legal counsel. The student may be accompanied by an advisor who may be their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), but have a non-speaking role, and must sign a FERPA release form.
The hearing officer or board may hear and consider any relevant information. Efforts will be made to obtain the most reliable information available. The following may not be considered in the hearing process:
- Information obtained through a search of the student’s person, effects, or room without their consent or appropriate notification, unless obtained through a warrant or through conditions stated in Keuka College policies.
- The alleged student’s refusal to consent to a search or to give information concerning the alleged facts, if a criminal prosecution relating to the same violation is pending, independent of the conduct hearing. The hearing officer or board will notify the student in advance of the right to remain silent and will draw no inference from the student’s refusal to give information.
Disposition
After formulating a decision, the hearing officer or board will inform the student via email of their decision and outcome for all alleged violations.
Not Responsible
If the hearing officer or board issues a finding of “Not Responsible” for a violation, then this alleged violations shall not be on a student’s disciplinary record, will not be accompanied by an appropriate sanction, and will not be used for sanctioning purposes if a violation is alleged at a later date.
Responsible
If the hearing officer or board issues a finding of “Responsible” for a violation, then this violation shall be on a student’s disciplinary record, will be accompanied by an appropriate sanction, and may be used for sanctioning purposes if a violation is alleged at a later date, with the exception of policy violation reviewed under the Good Friend Policy.
Suspension & Expulsion
The Coordinator of Student Conduct and Community Standards also considers all matters that may involve the suspension or expulsion of a student. Behavior that would warrant such separation includes that which is of a recidivist nature or that which poses a significant threat to the well being of the College students, or personnel