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UCI Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct

Student Conduct Process

Section 1

Student Conduct Procedures

What Happens When I’m Reported for a Student Conduct Violation?

You can view a flowchart of the Process for Resolving Student Conduct Policy Violations (also known as Non-Academic Violations) here. 

When the Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct receives a report of an alleged code of conduct violation, the student(s) involved are contacted and provided with a Notification Letter regarding the incident. The Notification Letter instructs the student to contact a Student Conduct Officer to attend an Administrative Meeting.

Students who have been reported for Code of Conduct violations are encouraged to reach out to the resources available to them:

Office of the Ombudsman: The Office of the Ombudsman provides a safe place to discuss complaints, concerns, or problems. The Ombudsman acts as an independent, informal, impartial, and confidential resource. The intervention of the ombudsman may be requested by any party involved in the process. The office can assist both parties by:

  • Helping the individual understand his or her rights.
  • Explaining or clarifying policies and procedures.
  • Advocating for a fair process.

For more information about the Office of the Ombudsman, please visit www.ombuds.uci.edu.

Disability Services Center: If you have disability-related needs and wish to request reasonable accommodations, please let our office know and we will connect you to the Disability Services Center (DSC), or contact DSC at Voice: (949) 824-7494 or TTY: (949) 824-6272 or in-person at 100 Disability Services Center, Building 313, Irvine, CA 92697-5250.

Academic Integrity & Student Conduct Peer Advisors: Peer Advisors assist students in navigating the process for resolving student conduct violations. They are available to provide proactive education to students who have been notified of an alleged policy violation. Peer Advisors can explain the components of the Student Conduct process including the notification letter, the administrative meeting process, the standard of evidence used in investigations, and an overview of possible sanction options. Please note that the Peer Advisor’s role is to help, assist, and support the student. The role of the Peer Advisors is not to act as a spokesperson, advocate, or defense counsel for the student. To schedule a meeting with an Academic Integrity & Student Conduct Peer Advisor, please click here.

Advisors

Students are allowed an advisor. An advisor can be an attorney, parent, friend, etc. During student conduct related meetings, advisors may act as consultants for the student, however, advisors may not speak on behalf of the student. If a student chooses to have an attorney as the advisor, the student shall pay all fees, costs, and expenses for the retention of an attorney. If the student chooses to be accompanied by an advisor or attorney during an administrative meeting, the student must sign a FERPA waiver, to grant access to the information. If an attorney or advisor is to be present at a Student Conduct Review Board hearing, the Office of the Dean of Students must be notified of this fact at least ten (10) business days prior to the hearing. In the interests of expediency, as a general practice, hearings shall not be delayed due to the unavailability of an advisor/attorney. Students and their advisors should refer to the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students for more information about the role of the advisor(s) in the process. 

Administrative Meeting

During the administrative meeting, the Conduct Officer and student will discuss the student’s involvement in the incident. Specifically, the student will be:

(1) Informed of the specific allegations made against them (or incident);
(2) Informed of the University policy(ies) or campus regulations allegedly violated and;
(3) Provided the opportunity to give their response to the report(s), and offer additional information that might help with the resolution of the case.

Based on the discussion in the meeting, the Student Conduct Officer must investigate the student’s involvement in the incident, and determine if the student(s) is responsible for violating the policy(ies). The Student Conduct Officer may choose to take no action if it is determined that the initial report lacks information, is unsupported based on new information, or falls outside the purview of the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students. If after discussion it is determined that the student was responsible for a polic(ies) violation, the student will be notified in writing of the sanction(s). After being notified of the decision, the student(s) may either consent to the decision and imposed sanction(s) or proceed to one of the following options:

(1) Appeal to the Dean of Students (or designee) or;
(2) (For cases resulting in a Suspension or Dismissal) The student has the right to ask to have the case reheard by the Student Conduct Review Board.

For more information about the campus student conduct procedures, refer to the Code of Conduct Section 103.10. For more information about the formal hearing and appeal process, please refer to the Appeals page.

Sanctions and Educational Outcomes

The Student Conduct Process is primarily focused on providing opportunities for education. These educational opportunities typically occur through discussion with a Student Conduct Officer and the sanctioning process. Sanctions are imposed only if a student has been found responsible for a policy violation. The primary goals of sanctions are to protect the safety of the University community, to educate students about the concerns related to the inappropriateness of their misconduct, and to provide opportunities for students to learn new behaviors. Sanctions are designed to allow the individual student to reflect upon the impact of the violation(s) on the community. Sanctions are typically compromised of two parts: a) an administrative sanction (warning, disciplinary probation, suspension, dismissal from the university, etc.), and b) an educational outcome requiring students to engage in an activity that will allow them to reflect upon the incident and/or assist in repairing the affected community (restitution, attending classes or workshops, community service, writing a reflection, etc.)

Sanctions for issues of misconduct vary on a case-by-case basis. More than one sanction may be imposed, depending on the severity of the violation. Previous violations are taken into consideration when imposing sanctions violations. Examples of possible sanctions include, but are not limited to the following: written warning, disciplinary probation, restitution, restriction from areas of campus, attending classes or workshops, educational projects, community service, relocation or removal from housing in accordance with the housing contract, removal from specific courses or activities, no contact provisions, suspension or dismissal from the university.

Records Keeping

The Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct maintains the confidentiality of student records in accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).

Academic Integrity:
Academic Integrity records are confidential and, in most cases, are maintained for seven (7) years from the date that the incident was reported, unless the Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct determines in any particular case that there is a good reason to extend the period of retention. Minor (refers to anything below a suspension) and non-recurring infractions will be expunged upon reward of degree. 

Student Conduct:
Student Conduct records are confidential and, in most cases, are maintained for five (5) years from the date that the incident was reported. At the end of five years, records concerning most cases are purged. Cases resulting in an outcome of dismissal or revocation of degree are maintained for fifty (50) years. 

In cases involving acts of violence, the complainant may be notified of the outcome of the proceedings, when appropriate. Otherwise, no information will be released without the written consent of the student who is alleged to have violated policy, or by court order or subpoena. Sanctions of Suspension or Dismissal will be noted on your academic transcript (suspensions will be noted only for the duration of the suspension). Additionally, any entity, schools or companies, to which you give permission to inquire about your academic records will be notified that you have a conduct record. Many graduate schools request your academic records, as do many government agencies for employment purposes (FBI, CIA, DHS, etc.).