Additional Information

Reasonable accommodations with respect to the Community Standards process shall be provided to students who are registered with the Office of Student Disability Services ³ and who submit sufficient and appropriate documentation of their disability to the University prior to the process for which such accommodations are requested. Students must contact the Office of Student Disability Services for assistance. The University will not retroactively provide disability accommodations and will not affirmatively provide disability accommodations that have not been specifically requested by a respondent or complainant, even where the parties may be receiving accommodations in other institutional programs and activities.

³ The Director of Student Disability Services is Director, Patricia Greg, Bellarmine, B-10, Telephone: 610-660-1774.
 

To the extent it is appropriate to review student discipline records during the Community Standards process, only the complainant (in cases of crimes of violence or retaliation of the aforementioned), respondent, and the appropriate University officials may do so. Advisors may not review these records. Notes may be taken regarding the disciplinary records, but no copies may be made nor may any photographs of the records (whether via camera, iPhone, etc.) be taken.

For more information regarding access to student record information by respondents and complainants (including the ability to review process documents, the notification of outcomes, and the opportunity to appeal an outcome), please reference the Community Standards - Access to Student Record Information document.

The Office of Community Standards, in consultation with the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students, may reopen a closed report/complaint for further review when relevant, subsequent information becomes available. This review may result in a different outcome.

The respondent shall be notified in writing of the outcome of a Community Standards hearing, in most cases within five (5) business days after the hearing process concludes. Students are solely responsible for monitoring University email for information on the outcome of a Community Standards hearing.

The University does not disclose information regarding a student record, other than to the respondent; unless expressly permitted by law, for example:

• School Officials: Information may be shared with school officials whom the University has determined have a legitimate educational interest (e.g. for purposes of student support, assistance with the Community Standards process, sanction compliance, interim measure enforcement, student status).
• Parents/Guardians: Parents/guardians of dependent student respondents may be informed of Community Standards outcomes and sanctions, consistent with applicable considerations (e.g. nature of violation, outcome, sanctions, student status). Parents/guardians of dependent student respondents under age twenty-one may be informed of Community Standards outcomes and sanctions with respect to the use or possession of alcohol or controlled substances.
• Crimes of Violence, Sexual Harassment, or Retaliation: The alleged victim of a crime of violence, sexual harassment, or retaliation of the aforementioned, or the victim’s next of kin (if the victim dies as a result of the crime or offense), will be notified of the Community Standards outcomes and sanctions (e.g. contact restriction) of the complaint related to the victim, in writing. The final results of these proceedings may also, in rare cases, be disclosed to the University community.
• Interim Measures and/or Sanctions: In some cases, information regarding a Community Standards matter may be shared with other students for the purpose of interim measure and/or sanction enforcement.

For more information regarding access to student record information by respondents and complainants (including the ability to review process documents, the notification of outcomes, and the opportunity to appeal an outcome), please reference the Community Standards - Access to Student Record Information document.

The University may disseminate student disciplinary information to officials at other schools without prior consent if (1) prior misconduct poses a significant risk to others and (2) officials at the other institution have a “legitimate educational interest” in the behavior of the student.

Community Standards violations and sanctions shall not be made part of the student’s permanent academic record, but shall become part of the student’s educational record. Student discipline records not relating to expulsion from the University are kept for seven years after the conclusion of the semester last attended by the student. Student discipline records relating to expulsion from the University are kept permanently⁵. Case notes shall not be made a part of the student’s educational record⁶, and will be destroyed upon the conclusion of the appeal period. Records are maintained by the Office of Community Standards and are generally confidential except in the case of subpoena, student consent (including background checks), or as provided above. 

Community Standards records involving student organizations, not relating to suspension or expulsion from the University are kept for seven years after the conclusion of the semester during which the alleged conduct was reported.

⁵ The University will retain conduct records of former USciences students that existed prior to June 1, 2022, and were subject to the indefinite retention policy. Any new records will follow the current SJU record retention policy, including not retaining suspension records.

⁶ Student transcript notations (e.g., suspension, expulsion) placed on the academic record before June 1, 2022, will be retained for former USciences students.

Any question of interpretation regarding the Community Standards shall be referred to the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students(or designee) for final determination.