All complaints alleging violations of the Student Conduct Code are forwarded to Community Standards for review. Complaints that may implicate violations of the Terms and Conditions, Student Living Policies, and/or the Student Conduct Code or other University policies may be retained by Community Standards for further process or reassigned to Student Living for processing. Complaints that only allege violations of the Terms and Conditions or Student Living Policies may be forwarded to Student Living for processing, absent extenuating circumstances or significant repeat alleged violations.
Student Living will determine whether the complaint demonstrates sufficient information of wrongdoing to warrant further investigation and/or commencement of the Student Living Policies resolution process. Student Living reviews all filed complaints that it will resolve through its processes as well as the proposed charges; the office reserves the right to modify charges based on the information presented in the complaint or by the student(s) accused of the violation, also known as the “respondent.”
The standard of proof applied within the Student Living Policies resolution process is preponderance of the evidence, which requires a demonstration that it is “more likely than not” that the respondent has violated the policy(ies) in question.
4.1 Procedural Advisors
Student Outreach and Support maintains a pool of trained University community members who may be available to provide procedural advice and support to complainants and respondents. Assignment of a procedural advisor from Student Outreach and Support is based on availability and is not guaranteed. You may contact the Student Outreach and Support at studentsupport@syr.edu or visit the Procedural Advisement page on Community Standards webpage.
4.2 Requests for Accommodation
Requests for disability accommodations should be made to Student Living. Students may also work directly with the Center for Disability Resources (CDR). Since accommodations may require early planning and are not provided retroactively, students should contact Student Living regarding accommodation needs or the Center for Disability Resources at disabilityresources@syr.edu as soon as possible.
4.3 Informal Resolution Process
The process to resolve alleged violations of Student Living Policies will follow the informal resolution process as described in the Student Conduct System Handbook. Any decision made by the Student Living staff member in an informal resolution is considered final, unless the respondent files a petition for reconsideration of their case with the Senior Director of Student Living, or their designee.
A petition for reconsideration will only be reviewed if it meets one or more of the following criteria:
- new information not reasonably available at the time of the informal resolution, the absence of which can be shown to have had a detrimental impact on the outcome of the informal resolution;
- procedural error that can be shown to have had a detrimental impact on the outcome of the informal resolution;
- errors in the interpretation of University policy so substantial as to deny fair informal resolution;
- grossly inappropriate sanction having no reasonable relationship to the charges.
A petition for reconsideration must submitted by and signed by the respondent within of the date of the informal resolution meeting. In such a case, the student may submit a written petition for reconsideration of the case to the Assistant Vice President for Student Living of Student Living, or designee, within three (3) business days of the resolution outcome letter. If the sanction(s) from the resolution includes relocation from a current room assignment, the student may stay in his/her current room assignment during the appeal process, unless the situation warrants an immediate relocation. The decision of the Assistant Vice President for Student Living, or designee, upon reconsideration is final.
4.4. Student Living Sanctions
Sanctions for violations of Student Living Policies are issued by Student Living or Community Standards. They are designed to be educational in nature while also promoting student accountability. For students living in University housing, failure to comply with sanctions or with specific conditions related to the safety and security of any persons or property while a case is pending, may result in immediate suspension or expulsion from University housing without the benefit of further process.
Consistent with the Syracuse University Student Conduct Process, sanctions are assigned based on the context and nature of the behaviors and the status of the respondent. Student Living staff will consider the following:
- the extent of harm caused to or impact on individuals and the community (i.e., living environment, University community, and the surrounding community) including the level of intervention necessary;
- the potential for ongoing risk to the student, other individuals, the community, or property;
- a student’s disciplinary record and history of past conduct sanctions;
- level of intent, remorse, cooperation, and willingness to take responsibility for their actions;
- evidence that the student’s conduct was motivated by bias regarding an individual or group’s real or perceived race, color, creed, religion, political or social affiliation, sex, gender, reproductive health decisions, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, and/or veteran status;
- whether the student engaged in help-seeking behavior (i.e., calling for assistance, remaining with another student while help arrived); and,
- sanctions issued in prior similar University conduct/Student Living Policies cases.
The following sanctions, or any combination thereof, may be applied to any individual or group of students for violations of Student Living Policies, and may be combined with Disciplinary Statuses when violations of the Student Conduct Code have been determined to occur:
- Residential Warning. This status is a formal admonition that the student’s behavior in the residential environment has been deemed unacceptable.
- Residential Probation. This status indicates that a student is no longer in good standing in the residential environment . Further violations may result in the immediate loss of eligibility to live in or visit the University’s residence halls, apartments and/or dining facilities.
- University Housing Relocation. This status indicates that a student’s eligibility to live in or more of the University’s residence halls, apartments, and/or dining facilities is restricted. A University Housing Relocation involves the reassignment of a student’s living unit within University housing and usually prohibits the student from returning to the residential area associated with the former living assignment.
- University Housing Suspension/Expulsion. A University Housing Suspension or Expulsion involves the student’s removal from University housing. University Housing Suspension extends for a specific period of time, until the completion of specific conditions. This status may be limited to a specific facility or applied to several or all facilities. University Housing Expulsion is a permanent prohibition from living in or visiting all University residential facilities. A student suspended from University housing is prohibited from any presence in a specific residential facility or all residential facilities that are University-owned, operated, or controlled. A student placed on residential suspension is permitted, after a minimum period of separation, to submit a petition to return to University housing indicating how they will make positive contributions to the residential community.
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- Individual student petitions are required to include a personal essay that includes the following: (1) evidence of the learning the student has gained from the incident(s) that led to the residential suspension; (2) the ways in which the student has contributed to the living community of which they were a part during their residential suspension; and, (3) the commitments they will make to contribute positively to the residential community if offered the opportunity to return to University housing. The petition is reviewed by the Assistant Vice President for Student Living, or designee, who will determine whether and under what conditions the student may apply for University housing for a future semester.
Cases resulting in a finding of responsibility may have an educational project or assignment, guest or visitor restriction, or University Housing Relocation included as requirements.
Educational. Student Living staff may design sanctions that are specific to an individual case when it is determined that educational value may result and the interests of the residential community are maintained. Examples of educational sanctions include, but are not limited to: community service, community involvement assignments; decision-making assignment; residential community activity development; restitution; and research and writing assignments.
Guest/Visitation/Entry Restrictions. This indicates that a student has had their privilege of hosting guests, visiting others in University housing, and/or entering another University housing facility restricted for a specified period of time, up to and including permanent restriction.
University Housing Location Restriction. This restriction prevents a student from entering a specific residential building(s) and/or residential area of campus for a specific period of time, up to and including permanent restriction.
4.5 Student Living Sanctioning Guidelines
Student Living Sanctioning Guidelines have been adopted by Student Living to respond to behavioral concerns that disrupt the living environment and/or pose risks to the safety and well-being of the individual student and/or the community as a whole. Student Living Sanctioning Guidelines are intended to alert students and other members of the residential community to the seriousness of community disruptions and safety violations; provide meaningful consequences for violations of University expectations; and, ensure that students are provided opportunities to access education, counseling, and support.
In all cases the appropriate sanctions will be determined on a case-by-case basis in light of all the circumstances. The presence of substantial mitigating or other appropriate circumstances may result in the reduction or augmentation of sanctioning guidelines; similarly, aggravating circumstances may result in the increase of sanctioning guidelines.
Substance-Focused Violations
| Category | First Violation | Second Violation | Third Violation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol Paraphernalia | Residential Warning and educational activities including: Reflection paper and/or other educational projects | Residential Probation and educational activities including: Decision-Making Assignment, Community Involvement, Options Education, and/or other educational project(s) | Student Conduct Code charges and educational activities |
| In the presence of alcohol | Residential Warning and educational activities | Residential Probation and educational activities including: Decision-Making Assignment/ Workshop, and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation or Student Conduct Code charges, University Housing Relocation and other educational activities |
| In the presence of drugs | Residential Warning and educational activities | Student Living Probation and educational activities including: Decision-Making Assignment/ Workshop, Options Education, and/or other educational project(s) | Student Conduct Code charges and educational activities |
| Smoking | Residential Warning and educational activities including: Reflection paper on community impact | Residential Probation and educational activities including: Fire Safety Video/Paper and/or other educational project(s) | Student Conduct Code charges and educational activities |
| Storage of Empty Alcohol Containers | Residential Warning and educational activities | Residential Probation and educational activities including: Options Education and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation or Student Conduct Code charges, University Housing Relocation, and educational activities |
Individual- and Community-Focused Violations
| Category | First Violation | Second Violation | Third Violation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guests/Visitors | Residential Warning and educational activities including: Decision-Making Assignment and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation, guest/visitor privilege restriction and other educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Guest Privilege Restriction and other educational activities; University Housing Suspension |
| Unapproved Room Change | Residential Warning, relocation to original housing assignment, and educational activities | Residential Probation, relocation to original housing assignment, and educational activities | Student Conduct Code charges and educational activities |
| Pets | Residential Warning, additional periodic health and safety inspections, and educational activities | Residential Probation, additional periodic health and safety inspections, and educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Additional Periodic Health and Safety Inspections, or University Housing Suspension and educational activities |
| Quiet Hours/ Courtesy Hours/ Noise | Residential Warning and reflection paper on community impact | Residential Warning or Residential Probation and educational activities including: Decision-making workshop/assignment, residential community program development/ assistance, and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, and other educational activities |
Facility-Focused Violations
| Category | First Violation | Second Violation | Third Violation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appliances | Residential Warning and educational activities | Residential Probation and educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Additional Periodic Health and Safety Inspections, and educational activities |
| Candles (not burning) | Residential Warning; Fire Safety Video and Paper | Residential Probation and additional educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Additional Periodic Health and Safety Inspections, and educational activities |
| Extension Cords/Light Strands | Residential Warning and reflection paper | Residential Probation; Fire Safety Video and Paper and/or and additional educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Additional Periodic Health and Safety Inspections, and educational activities |
| Grills (not burning) | Residential Warning and educational activities including: Fire Safety Educational Program/Project and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation, additional periodic health and safety inspections, and other educational activities | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation from apartment to residence hall for South Campus residents, and educational activities including: Decision-Making assignment and/or other educational project(s) |
| Wall Coverings | Residential Warning and educational activities including: Fire Safety Video/Paper and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation and educational activities including: Decision Making Assignment/Workshop and/or other educational project(s) | Residential Probation, University Housing Relocation, Additional Periodic Health and Safety Inspections, and educational activities |