Office of Student Life and Alumni Relations
Disciplinary Hearing Procedures
Notification of Charges and Disciplinary Hearing
Students are formally notified in writing by the Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations or their representative that charges have been filed. A copy of the written charges is provided to the student along with any supporting evidence that has been provided. As charges of academic dishonesty or misconduct, and the subsequent disciplinary process, can compound feelings of stress or anxiety, students are urged to speak with a counselor at Psychological and Counseling Services to help them deal with their feelings and the process.
Preparation for the Hearing
After being notified by the Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations of the charges, the student should arrange to pick up any material relevant to the charges. Students are required to prepare a written statement in response to the charges to submit, along with any relevant supporting materials, within 48 hours of the scheduled hearing date and time. This statement is read by the disciplinary committee in advance of the hearing. Every effort is made to schedule hearings within three weeks after the student is notified of the charges by the Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations. Dates and times for disciplinary hearings are scheduled in consultation with students so that they do not conflict with classes or work. If a student fails to attend a scheduled hearing, the committee reserves the right to adjudicate the case in the student's absence. Students should arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled hearing, bringing with them copies of the charges and relevant materials. A student may not be accompanied by another person during the hearing, with the exception of a friend, family member, or other supporter is welcome to wait for the student in the reception area.
The Disciplinary Hearing Process
The hearing is not an adversarial process but rather an important educational opportunity designed to get to the truth through the facts while understanding the student's particular situation that led to the charges. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss the allegations with the student, determine whether the student is culpable, and, when necessary, to determine appropriate sanctions. Even when a student admits to the charges in advance, a hearing is held in order to understand better the circumstances and gravity of the breach as well as the student's intentions so that the sanctions dispensed are in line with other disciplinary responses by the committee.
The hearing committee is a subcommittee of the SCE Committee on Academic Standing. The hearing begins with a brief statement by the chair about why the committee has convened. The student is then invited to make an opening statement. Members of the committee proceed to discuss the charges with the student and may pose questions to clarify or understand the charges as well as the student's perspective on the context, incident, and/or circumstances. In cases of plagiarism, the committee often asks the student about his or her understanding of plagiarism, how the student researches papers, takes notes, and cites sources. The student may at anytime during the hearing ask questions of the committee. At the conclusion of the hearing, the student is invited to make a final statement. The student and advisor are then excused so that the committee may deliberate.
On the strength of the evidence and the student's response, as well as with consideration about how similar cases have been adjudicated by the School, the committee reaches a determination and notifies the student of its decision after the hearing. If more deliberation is warranted or other evidence needs to come forward, the Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations, or their delegate, will advise the student about a delay in the decision-making. In some cases, the subcommittee will decide to take the case to the full committee for discussion and a vote. All decisions of the subcommittee are ratified by the full Committee on Academic Standing. A student can be exonerated or found guilty; in some instances where the evidence is insufficient, the committee may take no action and warn the student.
The student is notified by the Associate Dean of Student Life and Alumni Relations either at the conclusion of the hearing or within a week's time of the findings of the committee. Any oral communication is followed up by a letter to the student summarizing the response of the committee and any sanctions, if pertinent. A copy of this letter as well as a summary report of the hearing prepared for the Committee on Academic Standing are kept in the student's confidential educational file.
Sanctions
For students found guilty of academic dishonesty or misconduct, the sanctions range from warning to probation, suspension, or dismissal. The committee may require a student to fulfill certain probationary requirements pertinent to the causes of the violation. A student may also be barred from certain University facilities or activities. In cases of academic dishonesty, the disciplinary response is deliberately separate from the decision an instructor makes concerning how the breach of the academic contract affects a student's grade. While a student can be dismissed for a single violation, a student who is found guilty of a second violation of University regulations, academic dishonesty, or inappropriate behavior, faces mandatory dismissal.
Appeal Process
Students have the right to appeal the decision of the disciplinary committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing within two weeks of the date of the letter informing the student of the disciplinary action taken. Appeals concerning suspensions or dismissals must be addressed to the Dean of the School; all other appeals should be addressed to the Committee on Academic Standing. A student should expect to have a response to an appeal within to two to three weeks of submission.
Confidentiality
In general, under University policy and federal law, information about dean's disciplinary proceedings against a student is confidential and may not be disclosed to others. In general, under University policy and federal law, information about dean's disciplinary proceedings against a student is confidential and may not be disclosed to others. In cases involving allegations of gender-based misconduct (including sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender-based harassment, stalking and intimate partner violence), students should consult the Gender-Based Misconduct Policies for Students at: http://www.essential-policies.columbia.edu/gender-based-misconduct-policies-students.
A copy of the charges and disciplinary hearing response are kept in the student's confidential educational file within the School. Any changes in academic status resulting from the disciplinary process are noted on the internal transcript not the external transcript.
