Reporting
Any member of the Spelman College community may file a written Incident Report regarding the
misconduct of a student, group, or student organization. A report must be prepared in writing and
directed to the Office of the Dean of Students. Incident Reports should be submitted immediately,
preferably within 24 hours, though complaints may be possible some time after a violation, depending
on the circumstances. The dean of students, housing and residence life staff and Public Safety will
determine if the case requires further investigation. In cases involving more complex behaviors, the
dean of students will consult with the behavioral intervention and risk assessment team to determine
the process for addressing student behaviors.
Investigation
Upon receipt of a report or other information about an alleged violation of the Community Standards
and Code of Conduct, preliminary investigations may be conducted by Public Safety, Dean of
Students, and/or housing and residence life staff to determine the following:
•
If the report has merit
• If there is a need for a formal violation notice to be filed
• If the alleged behavior can be appropriately resolved by an informal meeting
• If the information is insufficient to a degree that no formal violation notice will be filed.
Formal Notice of Violation
Students will receive a formal written notification of a violation and asked to appear before a hearing
body when there is reasonable basis to believe that the student may have committed a violation of the
Community Standards and Code of Conduct.
Notice of conduct proceedings and related materials will be expediently sent to the student’s email address
and/or local address which is listed in the Office of the Registrar. It is the student’s responsibility to provide
accurate information to the college and to update this information when appropriate.
Major Violations
Incidents involving serious misconduct that potentially or actually endanger the health, safety, and
general well-being of others, that damages property, that interferes with the Community Standards
Review Board process, and/or that involves the possession, use, sale, manufacture or distribution of
drugs shall be treated as major violations of the Community Standards and Code of Conduct. In such
cases, the responsible student will typically receive a sanction that includes probation, suspension, or
expulsion/dismissal, any of which may be issued following a single occurrence.
Responsibility for Addressing Conduct Violations
A time will be set for a hearing, not less than three (3) to fifteen (15) college business days after the
student has been notified of the violation of the Community Standards and Code of Conduct.
After reviewing an incident report, the dean of students or other hearing officer will determine how the
incident will be addressed. The incident may be addressed as follows:
a. The case may be dismissed or discharged
b. The dean of students or other hearing officer may request to meet with the parties involved to
obtain more information
c. A hearing with a hearing officer or hearing board may be assigned
The time limits for the scheduling of hearings may be changed for reasonable cause at the discretion
of the hearing officer. On occasion, as a result of the timing of a report or the College calendar, it may
not be possible for the dean of students or other hearing officer to convene a hearing or the
appropriate hearing board. On such occasions, the dean of students will determine the appropriate
alternative hearing format to be used.
48
