Request for an Appeal
A student may appeal the verdict and/or sanction determined by the Honor Board. A formal typed appeal must be submitted to the Dean of Students within five days of receiving the Honor Board decision. In the appeal letter, the student must state whether they are appealing the verdict and/or the sanction or raising a question of fair process, and must provide substantive reasons and/or evidence to support the appeal, including any issues relating to the fairness of the Honor Board process. If the sanction is suspension or expulsion, the appeal must be submitted to the Dean of Students within 24 hours of receiving the Honor Board decision.
Appeals Board Members
The Appeals Board is composed of the Dean of Students (Chair), five members of the faculty appointed by the President of the University, two students from each class year appointed by the Executive Committee of the SGA, and an Academic Dean or Associate Dean.
Appeals Hearing
The Dean of Students (or Associate Provost in case of a conflict of interest) will review the appeal and determine if the appeal meets the criteria for a hearing. If it is determined that evidence warrants review, the Chair will notify the Board members of a hearing, will coordinate the timing of the hearing and will notify the student who requested the appeal.
Members are expected to remove themselves from the proceedings if a conflict of interest occurs. Quorum for appeals hearings must include an academic Dean or Associate Dean, four students, and two faculty members. If one member of the Board cannot participate, the Board will proceed. If two members of the Board cannot participate, the case will be rescheduled.
The proceedings of the hearing will be recorded but deliberations will not.
The Chair of the Honor Board/Civitas and one other Honor Board/Civitas member, or a designee in the case of a special hearing, will present needed information from the case to the members of the Appeals Board. The student who requested the appeal is encouraged to be present to hear all evidence presented.
Following the presentation of the Honor Board members, the student who requested the appeal will have the opportunity to present their case to the Appeals Board members. The decision of the Board will be based on a simple majority vote. The Appeals Board has the authority, when reviewing a case, to either uphold or overturn the verdict, and to modify any sanctions. The decision of the Appeals Board will be the final decision regarding honor violations. It will be the responsibility of the Chair of the Appeals Board to notify the student and the Honor Board, and other pertinent person’s (e.g. faculty member, Registrar) of the Board’s decision.