Guidance for Students in the Case Resolution Process

The staff member will likely want to get to know you and also hear details of the incident reported from your perspective. This is your opportunity to share your side of what occurred. The staff member will likely ask you questions about what happened during the incident, and be taking notes during the meeting.  You will also have the opportunity to see the report and any other information gathered related to the case. If you want to, you are allowed to bring a support person of your choice to the meeting. That person is only there to observe and cannot participate in the meeting.

A support person is someone who sits in the meeting with you to observe and help offer you advice.  A support person is not permitted to speak on your behalf or participate directly in the meeting.  They can be an person of your choosing (i.e. parent, academic advisor, coach, attorney) as long as they are not involved in the case in another capacity, like a witness. Please let your Case Resolution Manager know if you are bringing a support person, at least one business day in advance.  If you choose to have an attorney as your support person, you are responsible for the cost and Mines Legal Counsel may also join the meeting.

There are various sanctions that can be assigned to students as a result of being found responsible for violating a policy. Those can include educational workshops and activities, loss of campus privileges, and/or suspension/expulsion. Consult the Student Code of Conduct for a more complete list. Sanctions are chosen to fit the situation, and are designed to prevent recurrence, repair harm, and restore trust within the community.

Additionally, when students are found responsible, they have a disciplinary record with the Department of Community Standards.

Many factors are considered in making determinations on what educational sanctions are assigned as a result of a policy violation. These include different roles or circumstances for students (even students involved in the same incident), and a student’s disciplinary history. Education is our goal, and not all people learn in the same way, so while we are committed to fairness and consistency, we are also committed to examining the role of each student and what will be best for them individually.

Students can appeal some decisions made in the Case Resolution Process.  An appeal is not appropriate for the simple reason that one disagrees with the decision. 

Grounds for an Appeal – The four items listed below are the only acceptable grounds for an appeal. 

• New Information: To consider information or other relevant facts sufficient to alter a decision because such information and/or facts were not known to the person appealing at the time of the original administrative conduct meeting. 
• Appropriateness of Sanctions: To determine whether the sanctions were appropriate for the violation(s) of the Student Code of Conduct the Responding Party was found responsible to.  
• Due Process: To determine whether the conduct process respected the rights of the student involved. This can include how the administrative conduct meeting and process was conducted, if the student was provided a reasonable opportunity to prepare and provide their perspective, and that the prescribed conduct process was followed. Minor process deviations that do not materially affect the outcome are not a basis for requesting an appeal. 
• Unsupported Decision: To determine whether the decision reached regarding the Responding Party was supported using the preponderance of evidence standard to establish that a violation of the Student Code of Conduct or Residence Life Handbook occurred.  

Submitting an Appeal Request – Decisions reached by a Case Resolution Manager may be appealed by the Responding Party. The individual may file an appeal by completing a Student Conduct Appeal Request Form and submitting it to the Dean of Students via email to DeanOfStudents@mines.edu by the date stated in the original decision letter.

For information please see the Student Code of Conduct.

In cases where a student was suspended for academic misconduct or expelled for violations of the Student Code of Conduct/Residence Life Handbook it is notated on your official Mines transcript. In all other cases where a student is found responsible for a policy violation it becomes a part of a student’s “disciplinary record.” A future graduate school or employer can require you give us permission to share your disciplinary record.

In your final semester you can request your disciplinary record be expunged, which transitions a disciplinary record to an administrative archive via this form. This means that the Department of Community Standards will not release the record, unless required by law, if it is expunged. Please note the requests are considered and granted at the discretion of the Director of Community Standards or their designee.