GENERAL QUESTIONS

Students have the right:

  • To be notified about these rights and responsibilities
  • To be notified at least three (3) business days prior to the conduct meeting ("hearing") of the alleged violation(s) of the Code of Student Conduct or other policy and to be notified of the date, time, and location of the meeting
  • To respond to the allegations in the complaint or report and provide relevant information
  • To identify witnesses who have first-hand knowledge about the alleged incident and to submit witness statements in advance of the integrity formation meeting
  • To have an Advisor who is a Seattle University faculty, employee or currently enrolled student present during any proceedings
  • To be notified of the conduct determination, including any sanctions, in writing
  • To be informed about the appeal process and given the opportunity to file a request for appeal within 5 business days of the date of the conduct decision letter.

More information about students' rights can be found in Section 3.1 of the  Code of Student Conduct.

Meetings could include the Conduct Administrator or Review Board, Students ("Respondent(s)"), their selected Advisor, and Witness(es). Section 3 of the Code of Student Conduct and the Definitions page describe who is involved in Integrity Formation processes.

See the Step-by-Step process page of the Office of the Dean of Students website.

Integrity formation ("Student Conduct") records are generally maintained for seven (7) years from the date of the final disposition of a case. Records related to suspension, dismissal, and sexual misconduct are retained permanently. See Section 4 of the Code of Student Conduct for more information.

Meetings (Hearings)

An Integrity Formation meeting is a student’s opportunity to respond to any allegations outlined in their notification letter. Meetings are confidential, generally non-adversarial, and are not analogous to a court or other legal proceedings. Most meetings feel like a conversation, and your Conduct Administrator (the staff member you meet with) is interested in you as a student and member of our community. They will ask you questions about your experiences, time at the University, and ways that we can support you in your continued journey with us. If the meeting is with a Review Board, at least three other members of the University community will be present in addition to the Review Board Chair.

In the meeting, the Conduct Administrator of Review Board Chair will advise a student of their rights in the process. The student will have an opportunity to provide their perspective about the incident, as well as review documents related to the incident. If Witness(es) are present, they will have an opportunity to share their first-hand perspective. Throughout, the Conduct Administrator or Review Board Chair and the student will be able to ask each other questions about the incident and the Seattle University experience. You can review the meeting process on the Step-by-Step Summary on our website or in Section 3 of the Code of Student Conduct.

Absolutely, though we ask that this be the exception rather than the rule. Conduct Administrators and Review Board Chairs will schedule meetings around a student’s class and/or lab schedule. Meetings can be rescheduled for exigent circumstances. We ask that you contact your Conduct Administrator by email at least 24 hours with your request to reschedule and the reason (or as soon as possible in an emergency) before the meeting is scheduled to occur. This will give us enough time to find a new appointment time, as well as make sure we are available to support others in the community.

If a student does not attend the meeting, the Conduct Administrator or Review Board may conduct the meeting in a their absence and make a decision about responsibility based on the information available. The Conduct Administrator or Review Board typically will not reschedule a missed meeting.

No. The integrity formation process is not a legal proceeding, and attorneys are not permitted to participate in conduct hearings held at Seattle University.

Witness(s) with first-hand knowledge of the incident and a student’s selected Advisor can be present for the meeting. An Advisor should be a member of the Seattle University community. The Advisor may not be as attorney unless this person is a faculty member or staff at the University. A Witness is not permitted to be an Advisor. Students must notify their Conduct Administrator or Review Board Chair at least 24 hours before a meeting if they plan to bring either an Advisor or Witness(es).

Sanctions

  • A reflection, interview, or research paper
  • Fine, fee, restitution
  • Alcohol/drug education or off-campus professional assessment
  • Disciplinary Warning or Probation for a specific period of time
  • Suspension or dismissal from a residence hall or from the University
  • More information regarding Sanctions can be found here.

Students will contact their Conduct Administrator or Review Board Chair before the fine/fee due date to inquire about alternative sanctions or payment plans. Generally, a Conduct Administrator or Review Board Chair may be able to offer a combination of a reduced amount along with an educational assignment or project. Conduct Administrators or Review Board Chair cannot negotiate fine/fee alternatives after the due date.

A Conduct Administrator or Review Board Chair will contact the student to issue a $50 fine. If sanctions are not done one week after a student receives an incomplete sanctions fine, the Office of the Dean of Students places a hold on the Student's student account. This hold could prevent registration or other University business until the sanctions are completed successfully. Most Students will not reach this step.

While not all cases will result in monetary sanctions, they are imposed for some violations. A fine is most often for failing to complete sanctions on time. A fee is incurred when an educational program or activity has an associated cost. Restitution is paid to an individual or organization for damages.

Fines and fees can be paid by debit/credit card, cash, or check. Debit and credit card payments are subject to a $1.50 transaction fee. If you have an outstanding payment, you can come to Student Center 140, Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm to make your payment or send an email to integrity@seattleu.edu to make arrangements to pay your fine. If a student would like to pay by check, the check can be brought to Student Center 140 or mailed to Dean of Student, 901 12th Avenue, Student Center 140, Seattle, WA 98122. If you have concerns about payment given current circumstances, contact integrity@seattleu.edu for accommodations and/or alternatives.

Money from fines and fees is used for programs, events, and student support. Examples include:

  • Materials for alcohol and other drug education programs
  • Registration for 3 students to attend the National Jesuit Student Leadership Conference
  • Sponsor student presentation at Creating Change Conference
  • Co-Sponsored "Can I Kiss You", "Drag Show", and "Intersectionality Picnic" programs
  • Support for basic needs emergencies.

Sexual Misconduct

The University has established a separate process for receiving and resolving allegations related to sexual misconduct. More information is available on sexual misconduct resources.