Wash. Admin. Code § 132H-126-130 - Appeal from disciplinary action

(1) The respondent may appeal a disciplinary action by filing a written notice of appeal with the conduct review officer within 21 days of service of the student conduct officer's decision. Failure to timely file a notice of appeal constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal and the student conduct officer's decision shall be deemed final.

(2) The notice of appeal must include a brief statement explaining why the respondent is seeking review.

(3) The parties to an appeal shall be the respondent and the student conduct officer. If a case involves allegations of sexual misconduct, a complainant also has a right to appeal a disciplinary decision or to intervene in the respondent's appeal of a disciplinary decision to the extent the disciplinary decision, sanctions or conditions relate to allegations of sexual misconduct against the respondent.

(4) A respondent, who timely appeals a disciplinary action or whose case is referred to the student conduct committee, has a right to a prompt, fair, and impartial hearing as provided for in these procedures.

(5) On appeal, the college bears the burden of establishing the evidentiary facts underlying the imposition of a disciplinary sanction by a preponderance of the evidence.

(6) Imposition of disciplinary action for violation of the student conduct code shall be stayed pending appeal, unless the respondent has been summarily suspended.

(7) The student conduct committee shall hear appeals regarding:

(a) The imposition of disciplinary suspensions in excess of 10 instructional days or, for a student group, suspensions in excess of two academic quarters;

(b) Dismissals or, for a student group, deprivation of recognition or approval granted by the college; and

(c) Discipline cases referred to the committee by the student conduct officer, the conduct review officer, or the president.

(8) Student conduct appeals from the imposition of the following disciplinary sanctions shall be reviewed through a brief adjudicative proceeding:

(a) Residence hall dismissals;

(b) Residence hall suspensions;

(c) Suspensions of 10 instructional days or less;

(d) Disciplinary probation;

(e) Written reprimands;

(f) Sanctions against a student group, other than those set forth in subsection (7)(a) and (b) of this section;

(g) Any conditions or terms imposed in conjunction with one of the foregoing disciplinary actions; and

(h) Appeals by a complainant in student disciplinary proceedings involving allegations of sexual misconduct in which the student conduct officer:

(i) Dismisses disciplinary proceedings based upon a finding that the allegations of sexual misconduct have no merit; or

(ii) Issues a verbal warning to the respondent.

(9) Except as provided elsewhere in these rules, disciplinary warnings and dismissals of disciplinary complaints are final actions and are not subject to appeal.

(10) In cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct, the complainant has the right to appeal the following actions by the student conduct officer following the same procedures as set forth above for the respondent:

(a) The dismissal of a sexual misconduct complaint; or

(b) Any disciplinary sanction(s) and conditions imposed against a respondent for a sexual misconduct violation, including a disciplinary warning.

(11) If the respondent timely appeals a decision imposing discipline for a sexual misconduct violation, the college shall notify the complainant of the appeal and provide the complainant an opportunity to intervene as a party to the appeal.

(12) Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, a complainant who timely appeals a disciplinary decision or who intervenes as a party to respondent's appeal of a disciplinary decision shall be afforded the same procedural rights as are afforded the respondent.

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 132H-126-130

Adopted by WSR 19-01-082, Filed 12/17/2018, effective 1/17/2019 Amended by WSR 21-01-008, Filed 12/2/2020, effective 1/2/2021 Amended by WSR 23-04-040, Filed 1/25/2023, effective 2/25/2023