Disciplinary Appeals Policy and Procedure

Bethel has adopted the following appeal procedures to ensure that a fair process for review is available to any student facing the imposition of a disciplinary response to the student’s conduct. When a disciplinary response is made, the student is informed, verbally and in writing, of the nature of the conduct that constitutes the violation in question, the disciplinary response that will be made, and the student’s right to appeal that response to the appropriate Student Life personnel. Appeals will be considered on one or more of the following grounds:

1. New information or evidence, not available or not previously considered in the disciplinary process, suggests that the student did not commit the acts in question.
2. The disciplinary response taken by the Office of Student Life is disproportionate to the behavioral violation.
3. Disciplinary procedures were not followed as outlined in the written disciplinary policy.

Appeals of disciplinary responses made by the Dean of Student Life and or/through the Student Care and Concerns processes in Student Life will be addressed to the Associate Vice President for Student Life or the Judicial Advisory Committee (JAC, comprised of two faculty and Bethel Student Government president and vice president, all of whom are current members of the Co-Curricular Advisory Committee).

If a student chooses to appeal a disciplinary response, the student must submit, in writing before 4:30 p.m. on the business day following written notification of the university’s disciplinary response, a letter to the Associate Vice President for Student Life stating: (1) the student’s desire to appeal the decision; (2) specific objections to the previous decision; and (3) any material relevant to the objections (see the three grounds for appeal listed above). The Associate Vice President for Student Life may respond in one or more of the following ways:

• Deny the appeal if it does not meet the grounds for appeal
• Review documentation in student’s Student Life file
• Request a meeting with the student to gather additional information
• Meet with the staff member that made the initial decision
• Make an appeal decision based solely on the merits of the appeal as presented in the student’s letter
• Refer the appeal process to the JAC

Appeal decisions made by the JAC may be appealed to the Associate Vice President for Student Life on the same three grounds for appeal listed above. The Associate Vice President for Student Life is the final authority for all Student Life disciplinary appeals, with the exception of dismissal or expulsion from the university, which may be appealed to the Vice President of Student Experience.

In order to appeal a dismissal or expulsion for disciplinary purposes from the university, a student must first follow the above appeal process with the Associate Vice President for Student Life. If the student chooses to appeal the decision made by the Associate Vice President for Student Life, the student may submit, in writing before 4:30 p.m. on the business day following written notification from the Associate Vice President for Student Life upholding the dismissal or expulsion decision, a letter to the Vice President of Student Experience stating: (1) the student’s desire to appeal the decision; (2) specific objections to the previous decision; and (3) any material relevant to the objections (see the three grounds for appeal listed above). The Associate Vice President for Student Life shall transmit to the Vice President of Student Experience the record of the case maintained by the Office of Student Life, as well as other materials deemed relevant to the appeal. The Vice President of Student Experience shall decide the appeal on the basis of the written materials submitted by the student and the record submitted by the Office of Student Life.  The Vice President of Student Experience may also interview the student in the their sole discretion.  Upon deciding the appeal, the Vice President of Student Experience shall notify the student and the Associate Vice President for Student Life of the decision in writing within a reasonable time after receipt of the record of the case. The decision of the Vice President of Student Experience is final and not subject to further appeal.

Pending final appeal decisions, the student may continue to attend classes and reside in on-campus housing, unless one of the student life deans determines that to do so, would be detrimental to the health or safety of members of the Bethel community.