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, as detailed below. 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.
Appeal Request of Administrative Handling Decisions
A charged student has the option of submitting one appeal request concerning violations found and/ or outcomes resulting from administrative handling based on one or both of the following grounds:
- New information not known by the charged student during the information-collection phase of the administrative handling that likely would significantly alter the case specialist’s understanding of the case; and/or
- Outcome(s) disproportionate to the severity of the violation(s). An appeal request concerning the outcome of administrative handling must be made in writing and submitted to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices within two weekdays (Monday-Friday) after the date on which the written notice of the outcome was sent to the charged student.
An appeal request concerning the outcome of administrative handling may include one letter from one character reference, regardless of whether a different character reference letter was submitted during the administrative handling. A character reference must be a current University of Lynchburg student, faculty, or staff member who did not participate in the administrative handling in another capacity
An appeal request concerning the outcome of Administrative Handling resolved initially by a representative of the Office of Residential Experience or a designee identified by the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices is typically resolved by the Assistant Vice President for Community Development (or designee). An appeal request concerning the outcome of Administrative Handling resolved by the aAssistant Vice President for Community Development is typically resolved by the Vice President for University Experience and Student Success (or designee).
When resolving an appeal request concerning the outcome of administrative handling, the review person may reference the written appeal request, all documents concerning the case, and all information collected by the initial case specialist, and interview the initial case specialist regarding decisions made. The appeal outcome may uphold all original decisions made by the initial case specialist, or the appeal outcome may reverse or modify the original decisions in any way.
Appeal Request of Board Hearing Decisions
A charged student has the option of submitting one appeal request concerning violations found and/or outcomes resulting from a board hearing based on one or more of the following grounds:
- New information not known by the charged student at the time of the hearing that likely would significantly alter the hearing panel’s understanding of the case;
- Outcome(s) disproportionate to the severity of the violation(s); and/or
- An incorrect procedure that substantially impacted the fairness of the board hearing.
An appeal request concerning the outcome of a board hearing may include one letter from one character reference, regardless of whether a different character reference letter was submitted during the hearing. A character reference must be a current University of Lynchburg student, faculty, or staff member who did not participate in the hearing in another capacity.
An appeal request concerning the outcome of a board hearing must be submitted in writing to the Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices within two weekdays (Monday-Friday) after the hearing ended. The Office of Community Expectations and Restorative Practices will forward the appeal request to the appropriate review person. In general, the Vice President for University Experience and Student Success (or designees) resolves appeal requests for Personal Integrity and Student Conduct Code policies. If the Vice President for University Experience and Student Success participated significantly in the address of the matter prior to a charged student’s submission of an appeal, the Vice President for University Experience and Student Success may designate an alternate review person. Appeals pertaining to academic integrity policies are typically resolved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee).
When resolving an appeal request concerning the outcome of a board hearing, the review person may reference the written appeal request, all documents concerning the case, the audio recording of the board hearing, and all information presented in that proceeding, as well as interview the chairperson of the hearing panel regarding procedures followed and decisions made. The appeal outcome may uphold or reverse all original decisions made by the board, modify the original decisions in any way, or return the case to a board for a new hearing.
