When the university is notified of an incident allegedly involving a student organization, there may be an investigation. The investigation may include preliminary meetings with student organization leaders, individual interviews with general members or other witnesses, and the collection of any other relevant information. Upon completion of an investigation, information will be reviewed by the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards or designee and the following process will begin: 

  • The Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards or their designee will serve as the conduct officer and will schedule a conduct meeting with a student representative from the organization. A notice of the time, date and location of the meeting will be sent to the student representative via university email prior to the meeting. This notification will also include a brief incident description and the specific policies to be addressed in the conduct meeting. 
  • A request for postponement of up to five additional days for a conduct meeting may be made. Quinnipiac students are responsible for checking their Quinnipiac email account at all times including during examination and vacation periods. Excuses of not checking an email account are not acceptable reasons for postponement. If an organization does not attend the conduct meeting, a decision will be made in their absence, and they will forfeit the right to appeal. 
  • At the conduct meeting, the organization representative may be joined by the organization’s official adviser and/or a representative from the inter/national headquarters or designee. Advisers serve as a support person during conduct meetings, and can assist with meeting preparation; however, advisers cannot advocate or speak for an organization.
  • The procedural rights for student organizations will be reviewed, followed by a review of the alleged violations of university policy. The organization representative is then asked to declare if the student organization and/or the individual member(s) are responsible for any of the alleged violations. 
  • The organization representative may present relevant information, which may include witness statements acquired by the student(s). 
  • The conduct officer will question the organization representative. 
  • The conduct officer will decide if the student organization is responsible or not responsible for the violation(s) based on a preponderance of the evidence. 
  • The conduct officer will find an organization responsible if the violation is proven by a preponderance of the information presented; that is, based on the information the conduct officer finds credible and convincing, it is more likely than not that the organization is responsible for the violation. 
  • The sanction(s) may be delivered at the conclusion of the meeting or following the meeting. At the time the decision is rendered, the organization representative will receive the conduct outcome letter, which includes the finding and any sanction(s). 
  • A copy of the conduct meeting outcome and any formal sanction letters are kept on file. The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards does not permit the release of any organization conduct records. 
  • At the discretion of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, individual students involved in organizational violations of university policy may be investigated and addressed through the Student Conduct Process. 

Procedural Rights 

  • Notice - The right to be informed in writing of the specific alleged violation(s) in which the organization is suspected of involvement. 
  • Procedures - The right to be informed verbally and/or in writing of the organization conduct procedures. 
  • Information - The right to know the nature of the alleged violations prior to the meeting and to object to information being heard that is unrelated to the incident. 
  • Witness Statements - The right to present written witness statements in a conduct meeting. 
  • Adviser - The right to have the organization’s official adviser and/or at the discretion of the conduct officer a representative from the inter/national headquarters attend the meeting. The individual(s) may not address the conduct officer but may consult freely with the student organization representative. 
  • Meeting - The right to request a postponement, subject to the availability of the conduct officer, of up to five business days from the original conduct meeting date. 
  • Written Decision - The right to have a written response reporting the results of the meeting. 
  • Appeal - The right to request an appeal of a conduct meeting, if found responsible. Student organizations who fail to attend their conduct meeting forfeit their right to request an appeal. 

Sanctions

Student organizations found in violation of university policy will have one or more of the following sanctions imposed on them: 

  1. Closure - A permanent separation of the student organization from the university without the possibility of return. 
  2. Suspension - A fixed period of time (at least one semester) during which the student organization may not participate in any university activities and is not recognized by the university. At that time, the organization’s events/trips/fundraisers are canceled, budget (if they have one) is frozen, and they are restricted from functioning as a student organization. At the end of the suspension period, the student organization may regain recognition upon the recommendation of and the completion of any sanctions assigned by the conduct officer. 
  3. Deferred Suspension - A notice to a student organization that their actions are of such a serious nature that removal of university recognition is being considered. The university will defer the suspension as long as the student organization meets all requirements. Deferred suspension will last a minimum of one semester. Any future violations during this time may result in immediate removal of university recognition for a period of time and the possibility of additional sanctions. While on deferred suspension, the organization may lose privileges including but not limited to: 
    1. events/trips/fundraisers
    2. budget access (if they have one)
    3. ability to reserve space 
    4. use of Quinnipiac University name
    5. other restrictions at the discretion of the conduct officer 
      All organization business must be approved by the university while on deferred suspension. At the end of the deferred suspension period, all lost privileges and eligibility shall be restored.  
  4. Conduct Probation - A serious encumbrance on the student organization’s good standing in the university community. Conduct probation will last a minimum of one semester and any subsequent violations during the probationary period may be viewed as both a violation of university policy and a violation of the probation. While on disciplinary probation, the organization may lose privileges including but not limited to: 
    1. events/trips/fundraisers
    2. budget access (if they have one)
    3. ability to reserve space 
    4. use of Quinnipiac University name 
    5. other restrictions at the discretion of the conduct officer

      At the end of the disciplinary probation period, all lost privileges shall be restored. 

      A student organization placed on disciplinary probation three times within a five-year period shall be suspended as an organization, as described above, for at least one semester. 
  5. Student Organization Warning - A notice to the student organization, which creates an organizational conduct file. Additional violations may result in more serious disciplinary action. The reprimand becomes part of the student organization’s permanent file. 
  6. Substance Restriction - The student organization is to have only alcohol-free events through the date specified. The organization is encouraged to have as many substance-free events as they would like; this is in no way meant to limit their members’ experience. Only organizations that are authorized to host events with alcohol can be placed on substance restriction. 
  7. Loss of Privileges - Organizations may be restricted from participation in university awards, recognition and events. 
  8. Restitution - The student organization and/or member(s) are required to make payment to Quinnipiac and/or other persons, groups or organizations for damages incurred as a result of violations of university policy. 
  9. Educational Sanctions - Additional sanctions such as facilitating a program, writing a paper, attending a program/class, or completing an online program that are given for violations of university policy in conjunction with student organization warning, conduct probation, deferred suspension or suspension. 

Note: Quinnipiac staff may partner with inter/national organizations and/or governing bodies when establishing conduct outcomes. 

Sanctions for Athletic and Club Sports teams will be determined in partnership with Quinnipiac University Athletics and Quinnipiac University Recreation. 

Appeals 

Student organization conduct decisions may be appealed. Appeals are accepted for the following reasons: 

  • Additional and/or new relevant information not available at the time of the conduct meeting 
  • An error in the conduct process, as outlined in the Student Organization Conduct Procedures, which materially affected the outcome of the meeting

A formal appeal specifying the grounds upon which the appeal is based and supporting information must be submitted within two business days after receipt of conduct meeting decision. Sanction(s) imposed by the conduct officer may be held in abeyance until the appeal is acted upon by the appeal officer at the discretion of the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards. The appeal specifies the grounds upon which the appeal is based, and how those grounds materially affected the outcome of the original meeting. 

Once the appeal is submitted, the Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards will assign an appeal officer. Student organizations who fail to attend their original conduct meeting forfeit the right to request an appeal. 

The appeal officer determines whether there are grounds for an appeal meeting. If the appeal officer determines that it should be granted, they may conduct a formal appeal meeting. Similar to their conduct meeting, the student organization may bring the organization adviser and/or a representative from the inter/national headquarters to their appeal meeting. Representative(s) from the initial conduct meeting may be called to attend the appeal meeting. 

The appeal officer may decide: 

  • To concur with the conduct officer. In this case, the initial decision is final. 
  • To modify the finding(s) and/or sanction(s) decided by the conduct officer. The appeal decision is final. 

Student organization members will be notified of the appeal decision in writing. The appeal decision is final.