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Student Conduct Appeal

NOTE: THIS IS FOR STUDENT CONDUCT APPEALS ONLY.  APPEALS FOR ACADEMIC CHEATING/PLAGIARISM HEARINGS ARE LISTED BELOW.

Appeal of a decision from a student conduct hearing must be submitted by the respondent(s) or complainant(s) using the Office of Student Conduct Appeal Form to the Office of Student Conduct within seven (7) calendar days from the conclusion of the hearing (or the next available business day after seven calendar days – for example holidays or recesses).  

The Office of Student Conduct compiles the submitted appeal and documentation from the respondent(s), complainant(s), law enforcement/investigator(s), the student’s or student organization’s disciplinary file(s), the digital recording of the hearing, and any additional information provided by the hearing officer(s) and submits these materials to an appeal panel for a recommendation to the vice president for student affairs (or designee). 

Appeals may be made on the basis that:

• Procedural irregularity that affected the outcome of the matter; and/or
• New evidence that was not reasonably available at the time the determination regarding responsibility or dismissal was made, that could affect the outcome of the matter; and/or
• The hearing officer(s) had a conflict of interest or bias for or against complainants or respondents generally or the individual complainant or respondent that affected the outcome of the matter; and/or
• For decisions resulting in separation from Kent state university only (including but not limited to suspension, dismissal, removal from university housing, and persona non grata): sanction(s) imposed were not appropriate for the conduct violation for which the respondent(s) was found responsible.

If the Office of Student Conduct receives an appeal that does not meet any of the criteria listed above, it may reject the appeal.

The director of student conduct (or designee) has the discretion to extend the date to appeal process timelines for extenuating circumstances.

An appeal panel is composed of at least two 5XÉçÇø faculty, staff, and/or student hearing officers appointed by the vice president for student affairs who are trained by the director of student conduct (or designee).

The vice president student affairs may:

• Accept or deny an appeal depending on the basis of the appeal, and/or
• Alter an assigned accusation, and/or
• Alter or reverse a finding of responsible/not responsible, and/or
• Alter or reverse any sanction decision, and/or
• Remand the case to another hearing.  A case may not be remanded more than once.

Timeline

An appeal panel will provide a recommendation to the vice president for student affairs (or designee) within 15 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.  The vice president for student affairs (or designee) shall provide a written decision within 15 calendar days of receipt from an appeal panel.  The decision will be provided to the respondent(s) and complainant(s) in writing from the office of student conduct.

Appeal decisions made by the vice president for student affairs (or designee) are final.

Academic Cheating/Plagiarism Appeal

Appeals of an Academic Hearing Panel decision should be submitted to Manfred Van Dulmen, Interim Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, at mvandul@kent.edu.