At UWRF, the Dean of Students Office is responsible for administering the University's conduct process. This process is outlined as follows:
1. The Dean of Students Office receives a report via https://www.uwrf.edu/ReportIt/ of possible nonacademic misconduct. This report may be received from multiple sources, including but not limited to:
- University Police
- UWRF Departments
- River Falls Police Department
- Other Community Agencies
- Other UW System Schools, Colleges and Universities
- Faculty, Staff, or Students
- Community members and businesses
Any complaint of sexual misconduct shall be directed to the Title IX Coordinator.
- Please file concern at https://www.uwrf.edu/ReportIt/ under the Sexual Misconduct dropdown.
- More information about the Title IX process can be found at https://www.uwrf.edu/TitleIX/
2. The Dean of Students Office reviews the report to determine whether it implicates a possible policy violation(s) under UWS Administrative Conduct Code Chapter 17 or 18.
- The Dean of Students Office determines whether to call together a core group meeting to review the report which shall consist of staff members from:
- University Center, including Student Involvement, Campus Recreation, and Dean of Students office
- Fraternity and Sorority Life staff, if applicable
- Faculty or staff from the sponsoring department of the student group, if applicable
- Other University stakeholders, if applicable
- RSO/student group officers/leaders receive communication to their UWRF email with a meeting invitation and information about the RSO/student group student conduct process.
- The Dean of Students Office may request a roster list or other pertinent information to assist with furthering its investigation.
- The RSO/student group officers/leaders meet with a member of the Dean of Students Office to discuss the incident, provide their account of what was reported, and offer any relevant information they would like considered in making a determination regarding responsibility.
- The Dean of Students Office determines what further investigation, if any, is needed.
3. If the Dean of Students Office determines that a policy violation may have occurred, the Dean of Students Office issues the students within the RSO/student group a formal letter to the student’s UWRF email account, providing notice of the alleged policy violation(s) and requesting the student schedule a meeting to discuss the incident with a Dean of Students staff member.
- It is the student's responsibility to check their UWRF email account regularly and retrieve/respond to any communications sent to the student.
4. The students meet with a member of the Dean of Students Office to discuss the incident, provide their account of what was reported, and offer any relevant information they would like considered in making a determination regarding responsibility. Dean of Students Office determines what further investigation, if any, is needed.
5. The Dean of Students staff will consider all information available to them, make a decision about the individual student's responsibility in the larger RSO/student group investigation case.
- NOT RESPONSIBLE: If the Dean of Students Office determines the RSO/student group is NOT RESPONSIBLE for prohibited behavior, the RSO/student group is informed via email and the case is closed.
- RESPONSIBLE: If the Dean of Students Office determines the RSO/student group is RESPONSIBLE for prohibited behavior, the Dean of Students staff will consult with relevant campus partner staff for assistance in identifying sanctions that will be meaningful and productive to the RSO/student group. Appropriate staff directly involved in the RSO/student group may be consulted.
- As a reminder, it is possible for individual students to be going through the individual student conduct procedures at the same time as the RSO/student group conduct process. A finding of NOT RESPONSIBLE for the RSO/student group does not inherently mean that individual students are not being found responsible/not responsible for their individual student conduct cases.
6. The Dean of Students Office sends a decision letter to the RSO/student group officers/leaders that includes findings, sanctions, and the option to appeal. The RSO/student group officers/leaders have 10 days to appeal the decision and/or the sanctions.
- NO APPEAL: At the expiration of 10 days, if NO APPEAL is filed, the findings and sanctions are final. Once sanctions are complete, the case is closed. If the RSO/student group fails to complete sanctions by the assigned deadline, they will be charged with non-compliance.
- APPEAL: If the RSO/student group APPEALS the initial decision and/or sanctions, a hearing will be convened. The Student Conduct Hearing Board will hear the case, determine responsibility and, if appropriate, will assign sanctions. These decisions are separate from the initial finding and resolution offered. Furthermore, these decisions may be the same or may be different, they may be more or less stringent based on the board's determination.
- Decisions of the Student Conduct Hearing Board are communicated to the RSO/student group via UWRF email within 14 days of the hearing.
- Once the conditions of the Student Conduct Hearing Board’s decision have been met, the case is closed.
7. The RSO/student group has the right to appeal Student Conduct Hearing Board’s decision based on the following grounds:
- The information in the records does not support the decision;
- Procedures were not followed fairly and appropriately;
8. Appeals must be made in writing within 14 days of the date of the outcome letter.
9. The Senior Student Affairs Officer reviews the case and responds with a decision within 30 days. The decision of the Senior Student Affairs Officer is final.
