Sanctioning

The Hearing Officer and/or hearing committees have the prerogative to require that students perform specific activities as a learning experience, as well as the authority to impose restrictions, expectations of, or required changes in behavior as sanctions and expectations. The following are examples of the more frequently applied sanctions. This list is not exhaustive and examples are not listed in any rank order. The Hearing Officer and/or hearing committees may create other sanctions to better respond to particular referrals.

1. A written warning or reprimand.
2. Written letters or verbal apologies presented to individual(s) and/or groups inconvenienced by the misconduct.
3. Required counseling.
4. Required interventions, evaluations, or assessments (e.g. referral to a treatment center or administration of an alcohol assessment).
5. Probation:
   • University Probation: This is the basic form of probation and can be applied for a minimum of one month to a maximum period equal to the student's academic career. Students placed on University probation who are again referred and found accountable for other conduct violations during their probation will minimally receive an extended or more restrictive probation and more severe sanctions than in their first hearings.
   • Residential Probation: This is a probation which can be applied only to students living in the residence halls for a period of one month up to the student's academic career (while still living on campus). Students placed on residential probation who are again referred and found accountable for other conduct violations during their probation will minimally receive as a sanction the immediate relocation to another assigned space or the immediate loss of the privilege to live on campus. In cases of removal, the residence hall contract terms will remain in effect while the students will be required to immediately vacate the premises; they will still pay the termination fee and the remainder of their Residence Hall contract.
6. Community service (e.g. 50 hours assigned to grounds crew for littering or to the Library for resale of stolen books, etc.).
7. Observing court proceedings pertinent to misconduct.
8. Research papers of specified length and quality and/or verbal presentations to the hearing committee.
9. Restriction from all residential areas.
10. Eviction from residence halls.
11. Financial restitution and/or administrative fees (e.g. replacement/repair costs and charges for work and time spent by University personnel resulting from a referral; fees associated with attending a stipulated workshop, course or activity, etc.).
12. Required attendance at specified activities, events, programs, and written/oral summaries given to Committee chair.
13. Required relocation of on campus residence.
14. Suspension (separation from the institution for a specified period of time).
15. Dismissal/expulsion from the institution or MnSCU System. In the event that a sanction of suspension or removal from the University or eviction from the residence halls for a period of 10 days or more, or dismissal from the institution is imposed, the student has the right to further appeal beyond the campus level per the conditions set forth in Minnesota State Statute Chapter 14, a copy of which is available in the offices of the Director of Student Conduct, or the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs for review.

Factors Effecting Sanctions:

1. A student’s prior conduct or discipline history can have an influence on the sanctions or expectations imposed by a hearing committee. Once a hearing officer or committee has determined a student’s accountability in a hearing, the hearing officer or committee can review and consider written documents of past history to assist in determining the most appropriate sanctions. Such history can include being on a continued sanction of judicial probation, prior incident reports that resulted in documented administrative meetings or warnings or confrontations by RA’s, other staff or students.
2. If such documentation exists it may be submitted to the Director of Student Conduct who will inform the student of its receipt and will review it with the student upon his or her request prior to the hearing. The information will then be given to the Committee Chairperson who will share it with the Committee only if and when the student is found accountable in the hearing.