Overview of the HEC Hearings and Procedure
HEC hearings are held in person, barring extenuating circumstances, and all hearings are recorded in their entirety, whether in person or virtual.
The Hearing Chair will facilitate the hearing judiciously, moving the proceedings forward without rushing to a conclusion.
The accused student is expected to be present for all parts of the hearing, with the exception of the panel’s deliberation. Students may request a short break if needed (though if a question has been asked, it should be answered before a break begins). The instructor is present during the full hearing.
Hearings are private, and all participants should not share or discuss what happens during any and all hearings with anyone not immediately involved in the case.
HEC hearings are held in person, barring extenuating circumstances. If extenuating circumstances exist, the student must request a virtual hearing in writing through the Student Academic Conduct Coordinator, and the Co-Chairs will make those decisions.
- Regular
- The accused student participates in a hearing heard and adjudicated by a panel composed of one Co-Chair, two faculty panelists, and two student panelists. Regular, full-paneled hearings can only be held during the Fall and Spring semesters
- Expedited
- The accused student participates in a hearing heard and adjudicated by both Co-Chairs without a panel of faculty and student panelists. Expedited hearings may be held throughout the academic year, including during University breaks and the summer sessions.
All HEC hearings are closed – only the parties directly involved in the case are permitted to attend.
Typically, hearings will proceed as follows:
- Hearing Chair opens the hearing and proceeds to
- explain the purpose and tone of the hearing,
- introduce the participants
- briefly review the student’s rights and responsibilities
- briefly review the procedures of the hearing
- read the charge against the student
- invite student to enter a plea (Responsible or Not Responsible)
- Student enters plea
- Chair invites the student to make an opening statement
- Chair invites the instructor to make an opening statement
- Panel asks questions of the student and instructor
- Chair invites the student to ask questions of the instructor
- Chair brings in any witnesses (individually) for questions from the panel, student, and/or instructor
- Instructor is invited to make a closing statement
- Student is invited to make a closing statement
- Hearing concludes and panel begins deliberation
- Panel reconvenes with the student to announce its finding and any resulting sanctions
- In some instances, when the panel may require more time to deliberate, the Chair may dismiss the student and share the outcome through a formal letter within 72 hours.
- Panelists are dismissed and the Chair invites the student to remain and ask any questions they may have.
All hearings are recorded in their entirety, with the exception of the panel’s deliberation, and become part of the case file upon completion. Participants are expected and directed not to make their own recordings. Should they need to do so, they must request this in writing with reason in advance of the scheduled hearing, and also disclose that fact at the beginning of the hearing.
Students requesting an appeal must follow these procedures:
- Requests for an appeal from an Honor and Ethics Council hearing must be submitted within 14 calendar days via this Appeal Request Form to the Secretary of the Judicial Council.
- Appeal requests should set forth the reasons why the decision of the HEC hearing should be reversed or modified and must address one or more of the following grounds for an appeal: (1) sufficiency of the evidence to support the decision, (2) appropriateness of the sanction, (3) germane new evidence, (4) procedural error that significantly impacts the outcome.
- Students who have received a sanction of suspension or expulsion are automatically granted an appeal hearing if the request is made within 14 calendar days of receiving notification of the outcome and sanction. Students who have received a sanction other than suspension or expulsion are not guaranteed an appeal hearing. In cases where an appeal hearing is held, the Judicial Council will set a date for the appeal hearing and notify the student in writing of the hearing date.
- The Secretary of the Judicial Council is prepared to talk or meet with a student to explain the details of how an appeal hearing works and, if one is granted, address any questions before the hearing.