WAC 504-26-401   Complaints and student conduct process.  (1) Any member of the university community may file a complaint against a student for violations of the standards of conduct for students. A complaint is prepared in writing and directed to a student conduct officer. Any complaint is to be submitted as soon as possible after the event takes place, preferably within thirty days.

     (2) A student conduct officer, or designee, may review and investigate any complaint to determine whether it appears to state a violation of the code of conduct. If a conduct officer determines that a complaint appears to state a violation of the student code of conduct, she or he considers whether the matter might be resolved through agreement with the accused or through alternative dispute resolution proceedings involving the complainant and the accused. The complainant and the accused are informed of university options for alternative dispute resolution and may request that the matter be addressed using alternative dispute resolution techniques. Generally, the accused and complainant must agree to the use of alternative dispute resolution techniques. If the accused and the student conduct officer reach an agreed resolution of the complaint, the disposition is final; there is no right to appeal from an agreed disposition.

     (3) If the conduct officer has determined that a complaint has merit and if the matter is not resolved through agreement or alternative dispute resolution, the matter is handled through either a conduct officer hearing or as a university conduct board hearing.

     (a) When the allegation involves harm or threat of harm to any person or person's property and the accused disputes the facts and/or denies responsibility, the matter may be referred to the university conduct board for resolution.

     (b) If the possible or recommended sanction is expulsion or suspension, the matter is referred to the university conduct board.

     (c) Matters other than those listed in (a) and (b) of this subsection are heard by a conduct officer, unless the conduct officer exercises his or her discretion to refer the matter to a conduct board at any time before a decision is issued. A student may request that a conduct board hear the case, but the final decision to refer the matter to the university conduct board for hearing is made by the university conduct officer and such decision is not subject to appeal.

     (4) The student conduct officer provides complainants who have been targets of alleged misconduct or who feel victimized thereby with names of university and community advocates or resources who may be able to help the complainant address his or her concerns about the behaviors and provide support to the complainant throughout the conduct process. Due to federal privacy law, the university may not disclose to the complainant any sanctions taken against the accused student, unless the complainant was the victim of a violent crime for which the accused was found responsible as defined under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99), or the accused student consents to such disclosure.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.30.150. 08-05-001, § 504-26-401, filed 2/6/08, effective 3/8/08; 06-23-159, § 504-26-401, filed 11/22/06, effective 12/23/06.]