Conduct FAQs | Office of Student Support and Accountability

Referral and Account Hold Questions

Why would someone be referred to the Office of Student Support & Accountability?

There could be a service indicator (hold) on a student's account
It could be to resolve a matter concerning student conduct or academic integrity If someone wishes to file a complaint/grievance
If a student is interested in making a request within the Medical Leave and Return Process

What service indicators (holds) does the Office of Student Support & Accountability place on student accounts and why?

Student Conduct (used for appearance holds or sanction holds)
Academic Integrity (used when a student has not completed a sanction)
Medical Leave (used when a student is on Medical Leave and needs to complete the Return from Medical Leave process before reenrolling)

What are the procedures to follow for each type of service indicator (hold)?

Complete the sanction, whether it is for student conduct or academic integrity
Call the office if you need to schedule a meeting (i.e. appearance hold)
If you completed the Scholarly Spartans Course with an 80% or higher, notify conduct@msu.edu.
If you completed the Spartan Smart Program, evidence you completed the course must be submitted to the Office of Student Support & Accountability in order for the hold to be removed. This can be done via email or in person.
If you are on Medical Leave and ready to return to MSU, begin the Return from Medical Leave request process by completing the Student Request Form, available under the "Make A Request" section of the Medical Leave tab.

General Questions

What are common terms I should know about the student conduct process?

Below are some commonly used terms:

Advisor: Any individual chosen by a party to advise, support, and/or consult with throughout a resolution process.
Class Day: A day on which classes are being held at the University, including the days of Final Exam Week but excluding weekends and break periods.
Complainant: A reporting party or member (of a group) of the University Community who initiates proceedings against another member (or group) of the MSU community by submitting a report detailing an incident or concern.
Complaint: An allegation of a violation of University regulation, ordinance, or policy filed by a member of the University community.
OSSA: The Office of Student Support and Accountability
Preponderance of the Evidence: Standard of evidence meaning that an individual will be found in violation of a University policy if the evidence demonstrates that it is more likely than not that the alleged violation occurred.
Respondent: An individual or group against whom a complaint is filed
Student: A person enrolled or participating in a collegiate-level, university-sponsored program or course, regardless of program level; this person includes a person who is on a leave of absence, recess, has withdrawn, or graduated after an alleged violation of student conduct policies.
Student Rights and Responsibilities: Set of guidelines, expectations, and adjudication procedures to support student rights and responsibilities as a Michigan State University student.
University Community: All university students, Trustees, administrators, faculty and staff
Witness: A person who observes an event, situation, or occurrence and can provide firsthand information regarding the concern/issues.

How do I know whether to report something, and what is the reporting process?

Anyone can file a report with the Office of Student Support & Accountability (OSSA), whether the person is an impacted party, witness or observer. Reports should include specific details of the violation that occurred. They can be submitted using the Public Reporting Tool. Please be advised that anonymous reports will limit OSSA's ability to respond. Individuals wanting to talk through the reporting process may also call the Office of Student Support and Accountability during business hours at 517-884-0789.

Can an incident or concern be resolved outside of the formal disciplinary process?

Yes. Informal resolution is encouraged, prior to filing a report (when appropriate). Informal methods of resolution including restorative justice, shuttle diplomacy and conflict coaching can be used when an impacted party prefers an informal resolution as opposed to a formal investigation or wishes to maintain anonymity. Reports of academic dishonesty should also attempt to be resolved through informal, direct discussions with the professor.

How does MSU address retaliation against those who report incidents/concerns?

Retaliation is defined as an act or attempted act, motivated by a person’s participation (or anticipated participation) in a protected activity that is intended to discourage a reasonable person from engaging in the protected activity. Protected activities include aspects of the student conduct process such as opposing prohibited conduct, reporting prohibited conduct to the university, and participating in investigations or hearings.

MSU takes retaliation seriously and has policies in place to address and prevent it, including encouragement of immediate reporting of alleged retaliation. Specific procedures are in place to address and resolve cases of retaliation, with an emphasis on ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all students. More information on protected activities and retaliatory actions can be found in the Student Rights and Responsibilities.

What does "preponderance of the evidence" mean?

Preponderance of the evidence is the standard of evidence used in the university conduct process to determine responsibility for violating policy. A student or student organization will be found responsible for violating policy if it can be demonstrated that it is "more likely than not" that the student violated policy.

Individual Student Conduct

I received an email from conduct@msu.edu. The letter says there is an administrative meeting I'm supposed to attend. What does this mean?

The university has received a report claiming that you violated university policy. This email was sent:

To notify you of the allegations (i.e., what you are being accused of).
To provide you with an opportunity to learn about your rights and responsibilities.
To respond to the allegations, if desired.

You should read the email, follow the given instructions, attend the meeting, and respond accordingly. Failure to do so may result in a hold on your account, which will prevent you from registering for classes or adding/dropping classes.

May I have someone accompany me to any part of the conduct process?

Yes. You may designate one individual to act as an advisor (parent, guardian, mentor, advisor, friend, attorney, etc.) as long as they are not involved in the process in some way. Advisors are individuals selected by either a respondent or complainant to support them throughout the student conduct process. Advisors may support you by providing counsel throughout the process and may be present at all meetings (including formal hearings). It is important for them to be familiar with the conduct process and understand that the advisory role does not have a speaking role in the adjudication process, but rather, they are there only in a support capacity for the involved party. Please be aware that advisors cannot speak on a student’s behalf.

All advisors will need to complete the OSSA FERPA Release Form before participating in the conduct process. You can obtain this by emailing conduct@msu.edu.

What will be discussed in the administrative meeting?

In the meeting, you will meet with an OSSA-designated administrator who will help you learn about your rights and responsibilities as a respondent. Together, you will review the incident report and the policies you are alleged to be in violation of during the incident. You will then have the opportunity to share your perspective on the incident. The meeting will conclude with you having the opportunity to make decisions regarding how and when they would like to respond to the incident. Options for response may include:

Accepting Responsibility – You will choose whether you would like to receive your assigned sanctions from the administrator leading the meeting or from a hearing board. In either case, you will be asked to reflect on what happened, what you were thinking at the time, what you have thought about since, who has been affected and how, and what you can do to make things right. If you have a prior record of misconduct, that will also be discussed before sanctions are determined. If you accept responsibility, you are waiving your right to a hearing.
Denying Responsibility - You will choose whether you would like your case to be heard in a formal hearing by an OSSA-designated administrator or a hearing board. A formal hearing will be scheduled, where the complainant and respondent will provide information to allow the hearing body (administrator or board) to determine if the regulations in question were violated.
5 Class Day Decision Period – If you need additional time to consider and weigh your options, you will have 5 class days from the meeting to share with the OSSA-designated administrator how you would like to respond.

If an incident/case goes to a hearing, how long does that process take?

From the time a respondent decides to have a hearing to the time when a final decision is rendered varies depending on a number of factors, including whether an administrator or board hearing was selected, when an appropriate administrator or board can coordinate its schedule with the complainant, respondent, and board advisor (only in the case of board hearings), what time of year it is, and other factors. This process typically takes about one month after requesting a hearing. Hearings by board typically take longer to coordinate than hearings by administrators.

Written decisions are delivered within five class days of a formal hearing and include both the rationale for the decision and notification of the right to appeal. Appeals, if filed, are reviewed within an additional 10 class days.

What happens if I leave the university before this is resolved?

The process may continue without you. In addition, a hold may be placed on your registration, which will prevent you from seeking reenrollment prior to conclusion/resolution of the case.

What is the individual conduct appeals process and who can appeal?

A respondent may appeal any decision based on one or more of the following:

The information presented does not support the decision reached.
The sanction recommended is not commensurate with the seriousness of the offense.
Applicable procedures were not followed.
There was a conflict of interest involving a member of the hearing body.

A complainant may appeal based on one or more of the following:

Applicable procedures were not followed.
There was a conflict of interest involving a member of the hearing body.

A written appeal must be filed in the manner outlined in the decision letter within five class days of the date of the decision.

Recommended sanctions will generally not go into effect while under appeal. The University Student Appeals Board (USAB) will issue a written decision within 10 class days of convening to review the appeal. Decisions of the USAB are final and effective immediately, except suspensions and dismissals, which are subject to implementation by the Dean of Students.

What are potential sanctions I can be assigned?

Sanctions can include status and educational sanctions that support student growth and wellbeing as well as community safety. Some examples of possible sanctions can be found in the Student Rights and Responsibilities, Section 4.II.M.

What happens if I don't complete a sanction by the deadline given?

A hold will be placed on your registration, which will prevent you from registering for classes or adding/dropping classes.

Don't see your question answered? Please call us at 517-884-0789 to discuss your questions during business hours or email conduct@msu.edu with your question.

Student Organization Conduct

What is a temporary restraining action (TRA)?

A Temporary Restraining Action (TRA) is a restriction on some or all operations of a student organization. A TRA may be placed against a student organization pending the outcome of the disciplinary complaint if the student organization's continued operation or conduct threatens immediate and irreparable harm to the health or safety of persons or property. Prior to a TRA being implemented, the Dean of Students (or their designee) will meet with the president (or another executive board member, if the president is unavailable) of the organization.

What is a petition to remove a TRA? How do I submit one?

Any organization placed on a TRA may submit a petition to have their TRA removed. This petition should be submitted in writing to OSSA and will be reviewed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Vice President or their designee will meet with at least one representative from the student organization (president or another executive board officer) within five class days after the receipt of the petition for the sole purpose of determining if the TRA should continue or be removed. The decision will be emailed to the organization.

A letter was emailed to me asking me to schedule an administrative meeting. Who can attend with me? What should I expect?

As the president of your group, you may have the following individuals present: a risk manager (or equivalent), your advisor, and/or a representative from a headquarters or district/regional staff, if applicable to the structure of your organization. For any questions specific to your organization's structure, please do not hesitate to ask about who may attend prior to the scheduled meeting occurring by emailing ossa.soconduct@msu.edu.

On average, administrative meetings last approximately one hour per report/case. Where possible, an organization with multiple reports will be scheduled in a larger time block to address all reports in a single meeting.

I have been emailed to schedule an interview. What do I need to do? What should I expect?

Please follow the directions in the email to schedule your interview. You should expect to have a 30–60-minute interview with a small number of individuals present. These individuals may be MSU staff and/or representatives of your student organization (district/regional/headquarters volunteers or staff). You should expect to be asked questions about your student organization and your experiences. Some questions may focus on specific events and/or activities relevant to the investigation.

What are common sanctions an organization may receive if found responsible?

Sanctions an organization may receive if found responsible for one or more violations include but are not limited to: disciplinary reprimand, educational sanction(s), attainment of standards, restitution, student organization probation, revocation or restriction or privilege(s), or a loss of registration.

How can my organization appeal an outcome letter from a student organization case?

An appeal must be submitted in writing to OSSA within five class days of the outcome being issued. The director of OSSA, or their designee, will review submitted appeals on one or more of the below:

The information presented does not support the decision reached;
The information presented does not support the sanction imposed;
The procedures described in the Student Organization Conduct Policy for adjudicating the case were not followed.

Any sanctions issued will not go into effect while the appeal is pending. Any TRA in effect for the organization will remain in place until an appeal decision is issued. The director of OSSA, or their designee, will do one of the following:

Affirm the decision (maintain the finding of responsibility and/or the sanction(s) issued);
Reverse the decision (change either the finding of responsibility and/or the sanction(s) issued, or both);
Remand the case to the investigator for future investigation;
Modify the decision as deemed appropriate.

Don't see your question answered? Please call us at 517-884-0789 to discuss your questions during business hours or email ossa.soconduct@msu.edu with your question.

Disciplinary Record

Who has access to my disciplinary/conduct record without requiring my permission?

University officials with a "legitimate educational interest" may review your records without your written permission. Most commonly those individuals are conduct administrators, hearing boards, appeal officers/boards, and the Office of the Registrar.

Will my family or guardians be informed about my involvement in the student conduct process?

No, unless there is a related health and safety emergency. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law that prohibits educational institutions from disclosing certain information from a student's educational record without the student's consent.