Investigation Route
- Incident Report Submitted & Reviewed by CERP:Once an incident occurs, the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices receives a report detailing the incident. Our job as CERP is to look at the incident to see if there are any possible policy violations that took place. From there we make decisions on how to move forward and investigate the incident.
- Investigation Meeting:Investigation meetings take place when it is deemed appropriate to do so by CERP. Investigations include the collection of information pertinent to the alleged misconduct from the student(s) reportedly involved in the incident, other witness(es) with relevant first-hand knowledge of the incident, and/or other sources. However, such review is not an exhaustive search for every detail directly or indirectly related to the incident. Students who provide information about an incident are expected to provide honest, accurate, and complete information. Providing information that is false, incomplete, or misleading may result in disciplinary action.
- Charges:Once an incident has been investigated, charges are then assigned. It is possible that the investigator sees no policy violations in the incident, which means that there will be no charges assigned. If there is a policy violation, then there are charges assigned.
Correspondence Concerning Charges:Once charges are assigned, all students that have charges will be notified. These notifications are made through a student’s Lynchburg email. These messages will come from the Maxient system directly, and the email address will reflect that. - Charges Resolved through CERP:Once charges have been issued to students, there are several ways to go about resolving charges. They can be resolved through Admin Handlings, Student Judicial Boards, and Administrative Boards. The type of resolution is determined by the charges issued. Disciplinary Process Advisors (DPAs) are encouraged in all forms of resolution.
- Decisions & Outcomes:Once a student goes through a resolution process, they are then sent correspondence about the decisions that were made in the resolution and the outcomes that have been assigned to them. Decisions are dependent on the determinant of the responsibility that a student has for policy violation. In our process, it is the preponderance of incident information and evidence that determines responsibility. Outcomes are based on the type of policy violation, the severity of the policy violation, and potential prior violations.
- Appeal (optional):Regardless of whether an incident is resolved through administrative handling or a board hearing, a charged student found responsible for violating the Honor and Student Conduct Codes has the option of submitting one written appeal request. The lack of an appeal by the charged student is interpreted as the student’s acceptance of the original decisions. If no appeal is submitted, the original decisions become the final outcome of the student disciplinary process.When an appeal request is submitted, the charged student is typically not afforded a meeting with the person resolving the appeal request. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal request, the charged student is notified in writing of the appeal outcome. Appeal outcome decisions are final decisions in the disciplinary process. An additional appeal is not available through the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations.
Administrative Handling Route
- Incident Report Submitted and Reviewed By CERP:Once an incident occurs, the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices receives a report detailing the incident. Our job as CERP is to look at the incident to see if there are any possible policy violations that took place. From there we make decisions on how to move forward and evaluate the incident.
- Correspondence Concerning Incident:Once reviewed and assigned to an appropriate hearing officer, a pre-adjudication letter is sent out to the alleged student(s) involved. This letter is sent to the student’s Lynchburg.edu email address. The student will have the option of meeting in person or submitting a written statement. If a student requires a form of accommodation to attend or engage in the disciplinary process, please communicate that need directly with the assigned hearing officer.
- Administrative Handling Meeting/Written Statement:Once a student receives their pre-adjudication invitation, they then are welcome to meet in person with their assigned hearing officer or submit a written statement. These options help the hearing officer decide appropriate next steps in the disciplinary process. Responsibility of actions and outcomes are part of these next steps. If a student decides to not participate, then the hearing officer renders a decision regarding any alleged policy violations without the benefit of input from the alleged student.
- Charges & Determination of Responsibility:After the incident meeting has concluded, or a written statement has been submitted, charges are then assigned by the hearing officer. It is possible that the officer sees no policy violations in the incident, which means that the alleged student will be found not responsible. If there is a policy violation, then responsibility is determined.
- Decisions & Outcomes: Once a student goes through the administrative handling process, they are then sent correspondence about the decisions of their hearing officer. Decisions are dependent on the determinant of the responsibility that a student has for policy violations. In our process, it is the preponderance of incident information and evidence that determines responsibility. Outcomes are based on the type of policy violation, the severity of the policy violation, and any potential prior violations.
- Appeal (optional):Regardless of whether an incident is resolved through administrative handling or a board hearing, a charged student found responsible for violating the Honor and Student Conduct Codes has the option of submitting one written appeal request. The lack of an appeal by the charged student is interpreted as the student’s acceptance of the original decisions. If no appeal is submitted, the original decisions become the final outcome of the student disciplinary process.When an appeal request is submitted, the charged student is typically not afforded a meeting with the person resolving the appeal request. Regardless of the outcome of the appeal request, the charged student is notified in writing of the appeal outcome. Appeal outcome decisions are final decisions in the disciplinary process. An additional appeal is not available through the Honor and Student Conduct Codes and Regulations.
Board types
- Administrative Board:The Administrative Board is authorized to resolve charges of any type of alleged violation of the Honor and Student Conduct Codes. Hearings assigned to the Administrative Board by Community Expectations and Restorative Practices include all matters when the Student Judicial Board is not in session, any matter that SJB is unable to resolve in a timely manner, and hearings involving students nearing degree completion who reportedly violated University policies during the last weeks of classes, exams, or the period between course completion and the awarding of a diploma. Community Expectations and Restorative Practices will select members of the University of Lynchburg staff and faculty to serve as hearing panel members on the Administrative Board. An Administrative Board hearing is conducted by a panel of three staff and/or faculty members. A chairperson facilitates the hearing. At the chairperson’s discretion, a University representative may attend, observe, facilitate, and/or assist the Administrative Board during a hearing, including during private deliberations.
- Student Judicial Board (SJB):The Student Judicial Board (SJB) resolves charges of alleged violation of the Honor and Student Conduct Codes as assigned by the Community Expectations and Restorative Practices. SJB members are selected through application and interview processes. A Student Judicial Board hearing is conducted by a panel of five student members. A Student Judicial Board chairperson (or designee) facilitates the hearing. At the chairperson’s discretion, a Student Judicial Board advisor or other University representative may attend, observe, facilitate, and/or assist SJB during a hearing, including during private deliberations. During the fall and spring semesters, the Student Judicial Board resolves student appeal requests related to traffic and parking violations.
