Student Conduct Process
The primary goal of the student conduct process is the growth of the student, not a penalty. We believe that each student is an individual with unique needs and at different growth stages. It is our hope that students learn through their time at IWU to hold themselves personally accountable and help hold their peers accountable. In the event these forms of accountability go unutilized or the offense is severe enough that peer accountability is not effective or appropriate, the conduct process will be initiated. The Office of Student Conduct will be consistent in the findings on a case based on the violation.
The Office of Student Conduct strives to handle each violation of policy individually and at the lowest level of accountability necessary. Some cases will be investigated and decided by Resident Directors (RDs) and others by the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards. A case is assigned to either an RD or the Director based on the nature and severity of the violation and the student’s conduct history with the institution. Once the determination is made, a student can expect the following process:
- The University Official will contact the student via their IWU student email and provide a scheduled meeting time. The scheduled conduct meeting is an opportunity for the following:
- To provide the student an opportunity to hear the reported concerns, ask any questions they may have, and present any information or context that may be helpful.
- To allow the student to respond to questions from University Officials that may be necessary in response to the report.
- After initial meetings conclude, all of the information will be considered, and a decision will be made. The student will receive a decision letter outlining any assigned sanctions sent to their IWU student email.
Students may request a review of a decision made by the RD or Director. Instructions for this process can be found under the Student Conduct Case Review Process.
Occasionally, due to new information or level of cooperation of a student, a case may be elevated from the Resident Director to the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards or Dean of Students before a decision is made. The Director will determine which steps in the above process are necessary to repeat in order to provide a fair and timely process.
Alleged violations that fall under the university Title IX policy may follow a different process as outlined in the Title IX policy.
