Investigations
INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINATION OF REPORTED HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS
The university has a legitimate right and obligation to investigate reported Honor Code violations. This investigation is separate from any civil, criminal, or ecclesiastical proceedings. Reports of Honor Code violations are investigated applying the principles and procedures below.
PRINCIPLES
Interactions
In all interactions, Honor Code Office (HCO) personnel will treat people courteously, respectfully, and fairly.
Privacy Standards
Observance of privacy standards articulated in Honor Code policies and governmental guidelines relating to the obtaining of information will be maintained.
PROCEDURES
Violation Reports
Anyone may refer a student to the HCO for reported violations(s) of the Honor Code. The person submitting a report is required to identify himself or herself and is asked to provide a signed, detailed violation report. The HCO never investigates a report given by people who are unwilling to identify themselves by giving their names, phone numbers, social security numbers, and addresses. The university and HCO, however, will generally honor the request of people reporting the information not to disclose their identity.
Student Responses
When a violation report is received by the HCO and assigned to a counselor, the counselor will always request that the student come in to the HCO prior to making any final decision or recommendation. The student will be given an interview where the reported information is presented after which the student will be provided an opportunity to respond verbally and in writing to the report and the supporting information.
Investigations
The HCO will undertake an investigation of a reported Honor Code violation provided there is sufficient, reasonable, and credible information that an Honor Code violation has occurred. However, the university reserves the right to delay responding to matters that are presently the subject of civil, criminal, or ecclesiastical proceedings when such delay is in the interest of fairness and thorough investigation. Nevertheless, the university retains the right to conduct its own independent investigation and to reach a determination which may or may not be consistent with the civil, criminal, or ecclesiastical proceedings.
When there are contradictions between the supporting information and the student's response, the HCO investigates further. A determination is made regarding a student's involvement in a reported Honor Code violation based upon the standard of whether it is more probable than not that the violation occurred.
Typically, the counselor who has conducted the investigation and collected the information presents the report, the findings of the investigation, the counselor's determination, and a recommended action to HCO and Student Life personnel (which may include HCO counselors, the director of the HCO, the dean of students or a representative, and the vice president of Student Life). The group then confirms or modifies the counselor's recommended action.
