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Student Conduct Review Board (SCRB)

Composition of the Board

The Student Conduct Review Board (SCRB) is comprised of the President, Vice President, and up to twenty elected members — up to five from each of the first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior classes. The Office of Student Conduct and Responsibility advises SCRB. If a SCRB member feels that they cannot hear a case objectively or without bias, that member shall recuse themselves from the hearing. Hearing panels are selected from SCRB membership. A Hearing Panel is comprised of a Hearing Chair (either the President or Vice President, or a designee)  and three members. Members may select (from within SCRB) a Hearing Coordinator, a Sanctions Coordinator, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.

SCRB may conduct hearings in the fall, prior to the election of new members, as long as (1), the Hearing Chair has served as a Hearing Chair at least once previously, (2) the three members serving on the Hearing Panel have served as Hearing Panel members at least once previously, and (3) only cases in which the accused students are returning students are heard.

Procedures for SCRB hearings:

  1. Prior to the SCRB hearing, the accused student is asked to attend a pre-hearing conference with an administrator. During the pre-hearing conference, available incident documentation is shared and the conduct process and procedures are explained.
  2. The SCRB President and/or Vice President receive the incident documentation and schedule the hearing.
  3. The accused student is contacted in writing about the scheduled date and time of the hearing.
  4. When the hearing is convened, all those in attendance introduce themselves by their name and their role in the hearing.
  5. The Hearing Chair reminds all present about adherence to the Honor Code, and about the standard of evidence used, which is preponderance of evidence.
  6. The Hearing Chair presents the incident documentation.
  7. The Hearing Chair reads the Code of Conduct charges to the accused student, who pleads “Responsible” or “Not Responsible” after each charge. (If the accused student pleads “Responsible” to all charges, the hearing may move directly into the sanctioning phase.)
  8. The accused student is invited to share their perspective of the incident, and to comment on any perceived errors or omissions in the incident documentation.
  9. The incident documenter (if present) and witnesses (if present) requested by SCRB relate their perspectives of the incident. The accused student and SCRB may question them.
  10. Witnesses (if present) requested by the accused share their perspectives of the incident. The accused student and SCRB may question them.
  11. The accused student is given the opportunity to hear all statements made by the incident documenter and by the witnesses.
  12. The Hearing Chair adjourns the hearing for deliberation. The Hearing Panel may recall any individual to question them further. The decision of the Hearing Panel is based on the incident documentation and on statements made during the hearing. A simple majority of Hearing Panel members present will determine whether the accused student is found “Responsible” or “Not Responsible” for each charge.
  13. The Hearing Chair reconvenes the hearing and the accused student (and their advisor, if present) and announces the Hearing Panel’s decision.
  14. If the accused student is found “Responsible” for one or more charges, the Hearing Panel adjourns to consider sanctions. Sanctions are based on the incident documentation, statements made during the hearing, educational questions asked by the Hearing Panel, and any prior violations for which the accused has been found “Responsible.” Hearing Panel members will reach a decision concerning sanctions by a simple majority.
  15. The Hearing Chair reconvenes the Hearing Panel and the accused student (and their advisor, if present) and announces the Hearing Panel’s decision. The accused student is reminded about their right to appeal the hearing.
  16. The Hearing Chair adjourns the hearing.
  17. The accused student is sent SCRB’s decision in writing.

The procedural steps outlined above typically occur in the order stated, but can occur in a different order or be repeated at the discretion of the Hearing Chair. For example, the Hearing Chair may recall a witness later in the hearing in order for the witness to be asked additional questions. Also, at the discretion of the Hearing Chair, a hearing may take place over two or more non-contiguous blocks of time. For example, the Hearing Chair may pause a hearing and reconvene it later the same day, or at a later date.