What is the purpose of the Student Conduct system?
The student conduct process is designed to enforce college policy and residence hall regulations while reinforcing the College’s educational mission. Community living requires standards of conduct, cooperation, negotiation, and respect for all community members, including students and staff.
What will happen if I am accused of violating a law or SUNY Broome policy?
You will receive an email with the date, time, and location for you to meet with the Student Conduct Administrator (SCA). At that meeting, the SCA will discuss the incident report for the violation(s) in question and ask you to explain your perspective on what happened. The SCA will then, based on the report and your meeting, determine whether you will be held “Responsible” or “Not responsible” for the violation(s) in question. If there are multiple violations, you can be held responsible for some and not responsible for others. If you are found responsible, the SCA will determine appropriate sanctions.
What is a Student Conduct Administrator or SCA?
The Student Conduct Administrator, or SCA, is the person that will be listening to your explanation of events and weighing that information with the written report, in order to determine responsibility and, potentially, assign sanctions. The SCA is a professional affiliated with the College, including a SUNY Broome staff/faculty member or an intern with the Dean of Students.
What will happen if I am responsible for a violation?
If the Student Conduct Administrator determines you are responsible for a violation, they will determine appropriate sanctions, based on the nature of the violation and any prior violations you may have.
What is a sanction?
A sanction is a consequence that a student receives upon being found responsible for violating SUNY Broome policy. There are a variety of sanctions, including but not limited to disciplinary probation, fines and restitution, educational projects, referral to campus resources, suspension, and expulsion.
Can I receive more than one sanction at a time?
Yes. Sanctions are designed to reflect the nature and severity of an incident, as well as any prior violations. In all cases, education is the primary goal of any sanction applied. Generally, the hope is that students will reflect on their choices and decisions to realize the impact of their actions on themselves and the SUNY Broome community.
Can I bring counsel to my conduct meeting?
You are allowed to bring an advisor at any point throughout the student conduct process. The advisor is not permitted to actively participate in the meeting; if you would like to speak to your advisor, you may ask for a moment to confer.
What happens if I do not attend the meeting?
If you fail to appear for a student conduct meeting, the hearing will be held “in absentia,” meaning without you being present. The Student Conduct Administrator (SCA) will make a determination of responsibility and assign sanctions based on the information from any reports associated with the case. This is not preferred because the student being charged will not be able to share their side of the story.
How will I find out what the Student Conduct Administrator decided?
You will be notified via email, which will include whether you were found responsible or not responsible and, if responsible, what sanctions have been assigned.
If I am found responsible, can I appeal the results of my conduct hearing?
Everyone has the right to appeal. Appeals are reviewed by the Dean of Students. Appeals will only be granted for three specific reasons:
- New evidence has been found since your original hearing,
- There was a violation of due process, or
- The sanction includes suspension or expulsion.
New evidence means that there is new information relevant to the case that arose after the original meeting with the SCA. A violation of due process would arise from not being informed about the allegations or not given the opportunity to discuss the incident before sanctions were determined. Students who were assigned suspension or expulsion as a sanction have the right to an appeal hearing without providing cause. Requests for appeal must be made in writing within 48 hours of the notification of decision, at DOS@sunybroome.edu.
Are off-campus violations reported to the College student conduct system?
Yes, SUNY Broome can be notified of legal violations that occur off campus. In the Student Code of Conduct, you agree to abide by the laws of the United States, New York State, Broome County, the City of Binghamton, and the Town of Dickinson. Taking part in the trial process off campus does not mean you are exempt from the Student Conduct process.
Will my parents find out?
In most cases, no. There are certain instances in which the College may notify your parents.
Can I be held in violation if something is posted online?
SUNY Broome does not actively seek out online policy violations. However, if a member of the SUNY Broome community brings forward information about a policy violation, further investigation may take place.
How can I report a violation of the rules of Student Conduct?
If there is an emergency that requires immediate response, please dial 911. If the violation happened previously or is not an emergency, you can contact the Office of Public Safety at +1 (607) 778-5083 or online at Reporting a Student Conduct Violation.
Who can help with questions about hearings and the student conduct process?
If you are a resident in the Student Village, your Hall Director is a good point of contact for learning more about the process. The Dean of Students office is another important resource for learning about the Student Conduct process.
- New evidence has been found since your original hearing,
- There was a violation of due process, or
- The sanction includes suspension or expulsion.
New evidence means that there is new information relevant to the case that arose after the original meeting with the SCA. A violation of due process would arise from not being informed about the allegations or not given the opportunity to discuss the incident before sanctions were determined. Students who were assigned suspension or expulsion as a sanction have the right to an appeal hearing without providing cause. Requests for appeal must be made in writing within 48 hours of the notification of decision, at DOS@sunybroome.edu.
