Hearing Board Structure

Upon referral of a case from the Investigating Officer (IO), the Executive Director and the Faculty Chair of the Honor Council will organize a hearing board and, in writing, notify the accused student of the hearing and the alleged offense. The hearing board will consist of 4 or 5 members, of which 1 is a dean (who will also serve as the hearing board chair). Usually, the hearing board will consist of at least 1 faculty member, and at least 2 students. 

The Executive Director and Faculty Chair will make a reasonable effort to construct a hearing board that also satisfies the following 5 conditions. 1) The Hearing Board Chair will be a dean from the accused student’s own school. 2) One student will be from the accused student’s own school. 3) One student will be from a different school than the accused student. 4) There will be a faculty member with an appointment in the accused student’s own school. 5) There will be a faculty member whose appointment is not in the accused student’s school.

If one member of the hearing board, other than the chair, fails to arrive at the hearing within 15 minutes of the scheduled starting time, then, at the discretion of the Hearing Board Chair, the hearing may proceed with 4 members. Whenever a hearing board has only 4 members, at least 3 out the 4 members must vote “in violation” to find the accused student in violation. At least 3 of the 4 members of the hearing board must agree on the imposed sanction, if the student is found in violation. 

Under no conditions will a hearing be conducted with 3 or fewer hearing board members.