The Student Affairs team in the department of Student Life and Success is responsible for administering the Student Code of Conduct. Violations of the Student Code of Conduct are dealt with through the non-academic misconduct process.
Once an incident is reported by campus security or someone else, the student(s) believed to be involved in the incident are contacted by our office and the student conduct hearing procedures begin. Students will have a chance to state their case in front of the Student Conduct Council. If found responsible, the office administers restorative justice sanctions to the students. At all times, Student Affairs is here to help and support students.
Please review below for more information on the non-academic misconduct process.
The following steps are taken in the hearing process:
- An incident report is filed with the Director, Student Affairs.
- If you need to report a breach of the Code of Conduct, please contact Campus Security at ext. 4300.
- At the discretion of the Director, Student Affairs, the incident may be deemed appropriate for a hearing with the Student Conduct Council, or for Restorative Justice proceedings.
- The accused student will receive an email containing a letter that outlines:
- the alleged breach(es) of the Student Code of Conduct,
- the date and time of the hearing that provides reasonable notice. In most cases, the student will receive notification of a hearing within ten working days of the alleged incident, and at least five working days prior to the scheduled hearing.
- a copy of the Student Code of Conduct,
- contact information for the Students Ombudsperson, and
- an opportunity to view the incident report.
- Students are permitted to have one person acting in support at a hearing in addition to the Ombudsperson, who may also act as an advisor for the student at a hearing. Support persons may not participate in the hearing unless they are also a witness.
- Students may bring witnesses if the person has direct knowledge of the incident. Witnesses will be only be present for their testimony and questions from the Student Conduct Council.
- The accused will be given the opportunity to view the incident report and respond before the conclusion of the hearing.
- The accused will leave the room while the Student Conduct Council deliberates. After a decision has been reached, the accused student will be invited back into the room and informed of the decision.
- The Student Conduct Council shall seek consensus on the validity of an allegation and on appropriate outcomes. Student Conduct Council members may not abstain from a vote on appropriate outcomes.
- Recommendations of the Student Conduct Council will be implemented at the discretion of the Director, Student Affairs, or Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Students (or designate).
- The student shall be notified after deliberations regarding the decision, any outcomes to complete, and the appeal procedure.
- If a student fails to appear for a hearing, the hearing will be conducted in his/her absence. Normally, the student will be sent notification of the outcome of the hearing within five working days. Failure to appear is not a legitimate ground for appeal.
Appealing Outcomes that Include Suspension or Expulsion:
- Outcomes applied by the Associate Vice President, Students to suspend or expel or exclude student from University facilities, may be appealed to the Provost and Vice-President Academic.
- Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Provost and Vice-President Academic within 10 working days of the Student having received the decision from the Associate Vice-President Students.
- Within 10 working days of accepting the grounds for appeal, the Provost and Vice President Academic shall establish a University Appeal Board hearing panel and notify appropriate parties as outlined in the Policies and Procedures of the Non-Academic Appeal Board.
- The University Appeal Board may further investigate the matter prior to rendering a decision.
All outcomes that result in a suspension or expulsion may be appealed as outlined in 7.10 of the Student Code of Conduct. Students may appeal decisions that do not recommend suspension or expulsion, under the following circumstances:
- where evidence emerges that was not available at the time of the original hearing; 12 Brock University Student Code of Conduct
- there was clear evidence of bias; or
- where the disciplinary procedures were not followed, and where the outcome of the case at the original hearing was substantially affected thereby.
Appealing Outcomes that do not Include Suspension or Expulsion
- Students may appeal to the Director, Student Affairs (or designate) any outcomes applied by the Student Conduct Council or the Student Affairs Case Coordinator (or designate) that does not include suspension or expulsion.
- An appeal must be submitted in writing to the Director, Student Affairs (or designate) within 10 working days of the student having received the decision.
- An appeal must include the basis for appeal as listed in Section 7.9 of this Code.
- The Director, Student Affairs (or designate) will decide within 10 business days, or as soon as practicable, upon receipt of the written appeal, if sufficient grounds for appeal exist. If sufficient grounds for an appeal exist, an appeal
hearing date will be established. The Director, Student Affairs (or designate) may further investigate the matter prior to rendering a decision. Should an appeal be denied, the Student will receive in writing the reason the appeal has
been denied - The Director, Student Affairs (or designate) may uphold, amend, reduce, or overturn the outcome.
- The decision of Director, Student Affairs (or designate) will be provided to the student in writing and is final.
Frequently Asked Questions
Call Campus security so they can deal with the situation. Campus security can be contacted at extension 4300 during business hours or extension 3200 for after hours.
You will be notified of another panel under section 20 on the Student Code of Conduct: Failure to Comply. Automatically all outcomes will be doubled. The panel may add on more outcomes.
Only if you are suspended or expelled from the university is there a record on your transcripts about your conduct hearing.
Yes. Brock has a Code of Conduct that all students must adhere to and this operates separately from other judicial systems.
You are allowed one support person. This person can be a friend or family member. This person is to act solely as a support person and not as an active participant in the hearing, thus they will not address the panel nor will the panel address them. You cannot bring a lawyer to your hearing. You may, however bring a lawyer to your appeal of a suspension, expulsion or exclusion from any University facilities.
Student Affairs will not release details about your case with anyone other than yourself. Your file is confidential and will be destroyed four years after the date of the incident. If you wish your parents or another person to know about the case, you may sign a release of information.
General probation means that if during your period of probation you are found responsible for any further violations of the Student Code of Conduct, your sanctions will be increased.