Section 132T-100-240 - Full adjudicative processThe student conduct board (SCB) will use the following full adjudicative process to determine responsibility for serious violations which include sanctions of suspension for more than 10 business days, expulsion, withholding or revocation of a degree or certificate, or loss of recognition of a student organization.
(1) The parties will be sent written notification of the SCB adjudication proceedings within 90 calendar days from the date of the filing of the appeal. The notification will contain the following:(a) The time, date, and location of the hearing, which shall not be less than seven business days from the date of the notice of the hearing;(b) The specific acts alleged and the provision(s) of college policy which those acts violated;(d) The name and contact information for the SCB and their advisor, if any, representing the college. The notice will include the official title, work mailing address, work telephone number of each member of the student conduct board, the complainant's advisor, and the respondent's advisor; and(e) A statement that if a party fails to attend or participate in a hearing or other stage of this adjudicative proceeding, they may be held in default in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW and/or the college may continue the student conduct process, including the hearing, despite the party's absence.(2) The respondent and complainant have the right to be assisted by one advisor of their choice and at their own expense. The advisor must be someone who is not employed by the college. If the respondent chooses to have an attorney serve as their advisor, the student must provide notice to the SCB no less than five business days prior to the hearing. (a) The SCB hearing may not be delayed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor and such requests will be subject to the discretion of the SCB chair.(b) If the student or their advisor is found to have tampered with witnesses or evidence, or destroyed evidence, the student will be held accountable in the conduct process for their acts and those of their advisor.(c) The respondent and/or complainant are responsible for presenting their own information, and therefore, during the hearing, advisors are not permitted to address the SCB, witnesses, the SCO, or any party or advisor invited by the parties to the hearing.(d) An advisor may communicate with their advisee and recesses may be allowed for this purpose at the discretion of the SCB chair. The advisor may not disrupt or interfere with any aspect of the proceeding. The SCB chair shall have the right to impose reasonable conditions upon the participation of the advisor.(3) The SCB and the parties will be provided reasonable access to the documentation and evidence which will be reviewed by the SCB, as well as the case file that will be retained by the SCO in accordance with applicable privacy laws.(4) Any SCB member who has a personal relationship with either party or any personal or other interest which would prevent a fair and impartial review and decision will be recused from the proceedings. A party may make a written request to the SCB chair for the recusal of a SCB member no less than five business days prior to the hearing. The request must be for good cause, which must be shown by the party making the request. The SCB chair will consider the request and notify the student of their decision regarding the recusal prior to the hearing. If the SCB chair grants the recusal, a replacement for the recused SCB member will be made without unreasonable delay.(5) The parties involved in the hearing will be required to submit their witness list and any evidence to be discussed at the hearing to the SCB chair no less than five business days prior to the hearing. (a) Each party is allowed a maximum of three character witnesses to appear on their behalf.(b) The parties must submit a witness list which contains a written statement from each witness that includes a brief description of the relevant information the witness will provide during the hearing.(c) Witnesses not listed will not participate in the hearing.(6) Discovery in the form of depositions, interrogatories, and medical examinations of parties are not permitted in student conduct adjudications. Other forms of discovery which ensure the prompt and thorough completion of the adjudication process may be permitted at the discretion of the SCB chair.(7) Hearings will be closed to the public except if consented to by all parties and at the discretion of the SCB chair. Witnesses may be allowed in the hearing room only during the time in which they provide their statements to the SCB. The complainant and respondent, depending on their preference and subject to orders of a court of law, such as protection orders, may be present for and observe the entire hearing. At the discretion of the SCB chair, and where the rights of the parties will not be prejudiced, all or part of the hearing may be conducted by telephone, video conference, or other electronic means. Each party shall have the opportunity to hear and, if technically and economically feasible, to see the entire hearing while it is taking place. At all times, however, all parties, their advisors, the witnesses, and the public will be excluded during the deliberations of the student conduct board (SCB).(8) The SCB chair will exercise control over the hearing to avoid needless consumption of time and to prevent the harassment or intimidation of witnesses. Any person, including the respondent and complainant, who disrupts a hearing or who fails to follow the directions of the SCB chair, may be excluded from the proceedings and may be subject to disciplinary action.(9) Questions posed by any party to be answered by each other or by witnesses must be appropriate and respectful. The SCB chair may require any participant of the hearing to provide all questions in writing to the SCB chair. The SCB chair, if appropriate and at their sole discretion, will read the question to the individual to whom it is directed. Any question which the SCB chair has chosen not to read will be documented on record and kept within the case file. The SCB chair will decide matters related to the order of the proceedings.(10) In order that a complete record of the proceeding can be made to include all evidence presented, hearings will be recorded or transcribed, except for the deliberations of the SCB. The record will be the property of the college.(11) After weighing and considering the evidence, the SCB will decide by majority vote whether the respondent is responsible or not responsible for a violation of the student code of conduct. If there is a finding of responsibility for a violation, the SCB shall impose sanctions as set forth herein.(12) The SCB's decision is made based on a preponderance of the evidence standard of proof, that is, whether it is more likely than not that the respondent violated the student code of conduct.(13) The notice of decision of the SCB will be issued pursuant to WAC 132T-100-070. A copy of the SCB's decision will also be filed with the office of the SCO.(14) Disciplinary action taken by the SCB is final unless the student exercises their right of appeal to the college president as provided herein.Wash. Admin. Code § 132T-100-240
Adopted by WSR 22-18-029, Filed 8/29/2022, effective 9/29/2022