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Typically, you will receive a letter from us asking you to make an appointment to meet with a staff member in the Dean of Students Office. The letter may also describe any potential charges related to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. It is important to make an appointment and keep it. If you don’t respond, a decision may be made in the case without your input and/or a hold may be placed on your account. This decision could affect your status as a student.
*Note: the letter from us will come via email in which you’ll have to input your 900# to fully open.
You may have a support person with you throughout the process. The person serves in an advisory and supportive role, and they may not speak for you. Your support person should not be a witness related to the potential violation.
Please note, if your advisor is an attorney, you must notify the staff member in the Dean of Students Office in advance so that the University’s General Counsel (lawyer) can be notified.
If you fail to appear for a scheduled meeting after charges have been issued, a decision may be made in your absence without your involvement.
If you fail to complete the resolutions assigned to you, a hold may be placed on your records and registration. If a hold is placed on your account, please contact our office to talk about resolving the hold and incomplete resolutions.
Resolutions are determined using a variety of factors including the nature and severity of the violation, related circumstances, impact on the campus/community, past history, precedent, and educational value of the resolution. We also consider the student and reporter’s needs and ideas to repair the harm caused.
There are two types of resolutions that are determined. The first is called a status resolution, which can range from a warning or probation to suspension or expulsion.
The second type of resolution are educational. These resolutions are designed to help the student move forward successfully by getting connected to resources, addressing the impacts of the incident on others, reflecting or building skills. Educational resolutions may include referrals to the Tutoring Center, Writing Center or Student Care Center; reflection papers or exercises; meeting with Student Conflict Resolution Services for conflict coaching or other supports; or writing a letter of amends.
If you run into challenges completing your resolution, please contact the Dean of Students Office staff member you were working with to problem-solve.
In most cases, conduct violations, resolutions and other outcomes do not appear on academic transcripts.
Many graduate, and most law and medical schools, request information about a student’s disciplinary history. Students who receive resolutions through the University’s Student Code of Conduct process may have a disciplinary record at the University.
Keep in mind that your disciplinary history may or may not affect your admission. You will want to discuss your history with the admissions staff of the potential schools if you are concerned.
If you are charged with a Student Code of Conduct violation you will have an opportunity to meet with a Dean of Students Office staff member to review the charges and clarify your rights and responsibilities in the conduct process.
The University conduct system is separate and distinct from a criminal or civil court proceeding. Therefore, a student may experience both the University student conduct process AND off-campus legal proceedings.
The standard of evidence in determining whether a student is in violation of the Student Code of Conduct is not as high as that of the criminal process. At MSU Denver, we use a level called “preponderance of evidence,” as opposed to “beyond a reasonable doubt” that is used in the criminal justice system. Preponderance of evidence means that it is “more likely than not” (i.e. 51% likely) that a conduct violation occurred. Legal rules of evidence do not apply in campus conduct cases.
A student may be arrested and charged in the criminal justice system as well as be the respondent under the University’s Student Code of Conduct. Alternatively, charges can occur for alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct, which may not be violations of the law. If a case is going through the criminal justice system, and a report has also been made to the University, the University may not wait until the criminal justice case is completed before conducting its own review.
Findings of responsibility in the University’s conduct process will not result in any criminal record. Additionally, findings of “guilty” or “not guilty” in the criminal system often have no bearing on the outcome of University conduct proceedings.
The University conduct process is intended to be educational, not punitive. Our goal is to help the student to better understand the impact of their actions and to help them take steps towards repairing the harm done to the University community. Resolutions are not predetermined, but rather are developed with consideration given to the individual circumstances of the case and any previous disciplinary history. Overall, the University conduct process is much less formal than criminal proceedings.
In general, if the behavior adversely affects the University community or its members, the University may assume jurisdiction for the off-campus behavior and may contact you to initiate the conduct process.
If you withdraw and decided to return to MSU Denver in the future, you will need to resolve the student conduct issue with our office and a hold may be placed on your account, preventing you from registering for classes, until you do so.
You have the right to appeal the original decision. For more detailed information, see the Appeals section in the Student Code of Conduct and visit our Guide to Complaints & Appeals page.
A suspension from the University prohibits you from participating in your courses either in-person or online. The academic and financial impacts of a suspension will be specific to each individual case.
A suspension from the Auraria campus prohibits you from participating in courses at MSU Denver, Community College of Denver, and CU Denver either in-person or online and also prohibits you from being physical present on the Auraria campus. The academic and financial impacts of a suspension will be specific to each individual case.
Learn about RJ here. You may be referred to Student Conflict Resolution Services as an alternative to the student conduct process or as a resolution of the student conduct process. The staff member in the Dean of Students Office will discuss that possibility with you if appropriate.