Conduct FAQ

The purpose of a conduct meeting, or disciplinary conference, is to talk with you, about your experiences, your role on campus, and how you may have been involved in an incident. Our office is here to help you through the conduct process in hopes to better your success as a student while maintaining a campus community conducive to learning and upholding respect for all individuals.

A disciplinary conference is the opportunity to discuss with the investigating officer the allegations of misconduct, provide one’s own perspective on the allegations, and clarify or correct information in the incident or police report.

Our process is not a legal system and is focused on educating people and educational outcomes. The campus process does not use the same procedures, burdens of proof, or rules of evidence as local, state, or federal legal systems. At the core of our conduct process is education; paired with UWS Chapter 17 procedures, this ensures your rights as a student are met. In most cases, the conduct process uses apreponderance of the evidence, meaning “more likely true than not true.” In cases that could result in a student being removed from campus or course or program, a higher standard of evidence is used: clear and convincing evidence, which is information that would persuade a reasonable person to have a firm believe that the misconduct occurred.

Per UWS Chapter 17, the possible sanctions range from a written reprimand to expulsion from the university of Wisconsin system. Most sanctions are educational in nature and aim to help a student make better choices for their future.

When a student does not show up to their meeting, we are forced to make a decision based on the information available to us. It is always better if a student attends their conduct meeting so they can better explain their involvement in the incident, if any.

We expect that students who attending a disciplinary conference have an open and honest conversation about the misconduct that may have occurred. This includes telling the truth, answering our questions, cooperating with staff, and taking responsibility for personal behavior. We also expect students to ask questions and seek clarification on policy, if needed.

We encourage all students to read and understand UWS Chapter 17 prior to participating in the misconduct process. Students should experience a process that consistently follows the established procedures of UWS Chapter 17. The basics include:

• To be notified of the allegations against them.
• To have an opportunity to share their perspective on the incident.
• To be notified of the findings of the investigation.
• If responsible, to have educational outcomes that are reasonable to the behavior exhibited.
• To request a hearing to dispute the findings of an investigation or recommended sanctions, as provided in UWS Chapter 17.
• To the privacy of your student conduct records, except as permitted by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or written authorization for release by the student.