handbook - Judicial Policy
Overview
Humboldt State University's Community Guidelines are designed to promote a quality living and learning environment for all residents and to set forth the conditions governing residents’ eligibility to remain part of the residence hall community. The department has designed the judicial process to address violations of guidelines outlined in the Residence Hall Life and You Handbook and the Housing + Dining License Agreement. It is important to note that any Housing judicial process may take place prior to, or concurrently with, University, violation or criminal processes. Also important to understand is that the judicial process will take precedence over any request to vacate the residence halls.
The judicial process begins with an information report, indicating an alleged violation of guidelines. While housing staff members are instructed to document apparent violations of guidelines, not all information reports result in judicial action or sanctions. The information report provides the Residence Life Coordinator with information to determine if judicial action is necessary. Information reports are kept for a period of seven years.
Residents will receive notification concerning the alleged violation of guidelines. This notification may request your attendance at a conference with one of the following: a Residence Life Coordinator, another Housing administrator or the Campus Student Judicial Officer in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs.
In most cases, you will be given 48 hours advance notification of the time and date of your conference. If you are unable to attend a scheduled meeting due to a class conflict or employment, you may contact the Residence Life Coordinator to reschedule (note: you must contact the RLC at least 24 hours prior to your scheduled meeting time). During this meeting you will have the opportunity to discuss the incident. Following the conference, a decision will be rendered and accountability sanctions may be imposed if you are found to be responsible for a community guideline violation. Please note that if you fail to attend a conference the judicial process will proceed without your participation. Also note, failure to receive notice of the conference due to not checking your mail is not a valid excuse for missing the conference.
The use of attorneys is not permitted in the judicial process.
Depending on the violation and judicial history of the resident, a variety of sanctions may be imposed. This list gives some examples of potential sanctions:
- Community Service
- Research/Reflection Paper
- Written Warning
- Educational Module(s)
- Fines
- HSU probation through Student Affairs
- Removal of personal property creating the violation
- Removal from the residence halls without release of financial obligation (this includes the loss of eligibility to return to the halls the next year)
- University suspension or expulsion through Student Affairs
Judicial Educator
If you have been assigned the Judicial Educator, refer to www.judicialeducator.com. Enter the username and password you were given and complete the module you were assigned. After you have successfully completed the module, an e-mail notification form will appear. Place the e-mail address for your RLC into the notification form and he/she will be notified that you have fulfilled your sanction.
Community Service
If you have been assigned community service hours you may complete them within the housing department. See the RLC for Student Conduct in the Housing Office on the second floor of the JGC. You can set up an appointment by calling 826-3012 and leaving a message.
Requesting A Judicial Decision Review
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of a residence life disciplinary conference, a request for a judicial decision review may be entertained if one or more of the following conditions exist*:
- The outcome of a conduct hearing was determined without sufficient information/insight.
- The department did not provide due process. Due process in a University administrative proceeding essentially means that:
- The Department has followed the judicial process as presented in the Residence Hall Life and You Handbook and the Student Housing License Agreement
- Notice of the alleged violation(s) has been provided
- Sufficient time to prepare thoughts/information for a conference has been provided; and
- An opportunity to present thoughts/information at a conference has been provided.
- The assigned accountability sanction is inappropriate in relation to the resident's judicial record and/or the nature of the violation.
- New information/insight becomes available that would have likely made a substantive difference in the outcome of the conference.
Requests for a judicial decision review must be submitted in writing. Requests should outline how the specific circumstances meet one or more of the conditions listed above. Requests should be submitted to the Housing Office (Attn: Assistant Director of Housing) within 48 hours of a resident receiving written notice of the outcome of the conduct hearing in question.
Once a request is submitted, the Assistant Director of Housing will review the request and determine if grounds for a judicial decision review exist. Generally, you will be notified whether or not you have been granted a review within 3 working days of submitting a request.
Submitting a request does not grant an automatic judicial decision review. Additionally, a review does not guarantee a less severe sanction, and could result in a more severe sanction. Questions about this process should be directed to your Residence Life Coordinator or the Assistant Director of Housing.
Removal will generally take place 5 business days from the date of notification. In cases where the immediate safety and security of residents is threatened, removal could take place in less than 5 business days. Residents are notified via campus mail and in some cases notifications are hand delivered (please note that failure to check your mail is not an acceptable reason to request an extension of removal date).
* Please note that simply disagreeing with a judicial decision made by a Residence Life Coordinator is not sufficient to make an appeal. One of the four criteria listed above must be met.