
Student Conduct Process Overview
View a PDF flowchart outlining the Student Conduct Process by clicking the link below.
Monday - Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
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Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution Services 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016 United StatesThe information on this page is intended to help you prepare for a Student Conduct meeting, whether it is a Disciplinary Conference or a Disciplinary Hearing.
If you have any additional questions, please contact our office or refer to the Student Conduct Code.
Students accused of nonacademic offenses that will likely result in penalties less than removal from university housing, suspension, or dismissal are subject to a disciplinary conference with a hearing officer. The purpose of this meeting is to determine if there has been a violation of non-academic policy.
A disciplinary conference is your opportunity to provide your response to this incident. We offer students the ability to respond to alleged violations virtually and/or in writing. If you would like to provide a written statement and have not already submitted it electronically, we will provide you with a statement form (PDF). Additionally, people may provide a written statement on your behalf. They should submit the statement to conduct@american.edu from their AU email address. If the witness does not attend AU, please email conduct@american.edu.
If you choose not to attend your disciplinary conference, a decision will be made in your absence based on the information provided to our office.
Because we are trying to determine if you met the expectations of AU's community, our standard of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, meaning a measure of proof that a reasonable person would accept as "more likely than not" (51%) that a fact is true or an incident occurred.
Please review the Student Conduct Code for a more in-depth explanation of disciplinary conferences during the conduct process.
Students accused of non-academic offenses that will likely result in sanctions such as removal from university housing, suspension, or dismissal are subject to a disciplinary hearing convened by a hearing administrator before Conduct Council members.
Being involved in a disciplinary hearing is a situation that requires careful thought and preparation. Advance preparation for a hearing is time well spent, since the hearing panel members will best be able to understand your position, arguments, and evidence if you can clearly articulate your case. Because the hearing panel members are trying to determine if the respondent met the expectations of AU's community, the standard of proof is a preponderance of the evidence, meaning a measure of proof that a reasonable person would accept as "more likely than not" (51%) that a fact is true or an incident occurred.
Prior to a disciplinary hearing, students are required to attend a virtual pre-hearing meeting to review case materials, to review hearing procedures, and to ask questions about the hearing.
Please review the Student Conduct Code for a more in-depth explanation of disciplinary hearings during the conduct process.
The following honesty and confidentiality provisions apply to any disciplinary proceeding under the Student Conduct Code.
Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution Services accepts into its proceedings and records only statements that are sworn to be truthful. Individuals entering written statements into any proceeding or record must affirm the truthfulness of the statements in the presence of the director of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution Services, or designee. An individual who knowingly provides false information or testimony may be subject to disciplinary action.
The assurance of confidentiality encourages complainants, respondents, and witnesses to share freely all the information that is essential to achieving a fair case outcome. Therefore, participants in the disciplinary process are expected to treat all information disclosed at a proceeding as confidential. This expectation of confidentiality is not intended to imply or impose restrictions in the following situations:
Every student has a duty to understand and abide by the rules and regulations of the university. Ignorance of a rule or regulation will not be an acceptable reason to find a student not responsible for violating the Student Conduct Code.
Please review the Student Conduct Code for a more in-depth explanation of your rights and responsibilities during the conduct process.
Any disciplinary determination may be appealed within seven (7) calendar days after the notice of the case outcome. Appeals must be submitted in writing using the link provided in the decision letter for your conduct case.
An appeal may be submitted based on the following grounds: new information that significantly alters the finding of fact; evidence of improper procedure; or insufficient/excessive sanctions.
Appeals are reviewed by an appellate board of the Conduct Council to determine its viability. If your student conduct case was heard through a Disciplinary Hearing, the appellate board will consist of members who did not serve on the original hearing panel. The appellate board's determination about the viability of the appeal is made by majority vote and is final.
If the appeal is determined to be not viable, the appellate board will deny the appeal and affirm the findings of the original decision. If the appeal is determined to be viable, it will be forwarded to the vice president of Campus Life or designee for review and decision.
The following standards will apply when appeals are considered by the vice president of Campus Life or designee: sanctions may be increased or decreased; cases may be remanded for rehearing; or cases may be dismissed. Decisions rendered by the vice president of Campus Life or designee are final.
Please review the Student Conduct Code for a more in-depth explanation of appeals during the conduct process.
View a PDF flowchart outlining the Student Conduct Process by clicking the link below.