Frequently Asked Questions
Below we have listed answers to frequently asked questions received by the Office of Student Affairs. If your question is not addressed, please contact the office directly.
COVID-19 and Student Conduct
Currently all Student Conduct meetings are scheduled via Zoom. Students will be provided with both a link to attend the meeting through a video conference and a telephone number if they’d rather have a phone meeting.
Student Conduct Meeting
Your letter provides a day and time of the scheduled meeting. If you are unable to attend the scheduled meeting, you can reply to the letter and request to have the meeting rescheduled or you can reply to the letter with a written statement prior to the due date provided on the meeting notice.
The Dean of Student Affairs must meet with the student within ten (10) instructional days after the incident report has been submitted.
During the meeting between the Dean of Student Affairs and the student, the student
will:
- Have an opportunity to hear and view the alleged violations of the Standards of Student Conduct along with any supporting documentation and evidence
- Provide their side of the story, provide any relevant information, and offer any mitigating factors
If the student chooses to respond with a written statement rather than attend the meeting, the written statement must be received by the date and time of the scheduled meeting.
Students of the District have a right of reasonable access to any and all student records relating to them maintained by the District. Students seeking to review or obtain copies of Standards of Student Conduct records relating to their investigation and/or to the outcome must make a request in writing to the Office of Student Affairs. The Office of Student Affairs will provide copies to the student within five (5) instructional days after receiving the request.
Students have the option to bring a person(s) of their choice as support for them during a meeting and/or hearing. The proceedings will still be held between the Dean or Hearing Panel and the student. The person(s) may not speak on the student’s behalf unless they are their legal guardian or conservator.
The student must sign the Confidentiality Waiver Form in order for the person(s) to attend a meeting. The person(s) role is to provide support and the person(s) may not, in any way, disrupt, interfere, or try to present the student’s case within the meeting or hearing process. Any violation of this section shall result in the removal of the person(s).
If a student would like to appeal a sanction decision, not the type of findings, they may request a Discipline Sanction Appeal form from the Office of Student Affairs. The student has five (5) instructional days from the date on the resolution notice to submit the Discipline Sanction Appeal form, as well as, a written statement outlining one or more reasons for the appeal. In order to process the appeal, it must include both the Discipline Sanction Appeal form and the written statement. Within the written statement, the student must explain why they feel the sanction(s) is unfair and/or provide compelling new evidence to be reviewed.
The Dean of Student Affairs will send a written resolution notice to the student within five (5) instructional days from the date of the meeting between the Dean and student summarizing the meeting and sanction(s) imposed, if any. The Dean of Student Affairs will upload a copy of the resolution notice into the District-wide tracking system, add any notes, and then close the case.
Should a student fail to appear or to submit a written response for the meeting with the Dean of Student Affairs, that student may be considered as having waived their right to be present and the proceedings may continue without the student’s input. The Dean of Student Affairs may also place an Administrative Hold on the student’s account.
Sanctions
The Dean of Student Affairs will consider the Student Incident Report and all accompanying documentation and evidence, along with the information gathered during the meeting with the student and will review the student’s conduct history in determining what sanction(s), if any, is appropriate in accordance with Appendix C within the Student Handbook.
Consists of written notice to the student that they have violated the Standards of Student Conduct and that for a specified period of time (up to two (2) years), the student must meet certain conditions as imposed by the Dean of Student Affairs. Any subsequent violations by the student during the term of the probation or the student's failure to comply with any condition of the probation imposed will result in additional sanctions. A student who is on probation is described as a student who is not in good standing with Chaffey College.
In accordance with the Standards of Student Conduct Sanctions, a student may be on disciplinary probation or suspended for a specified period of time of up to two (2) years. After the specified period of time of probation is complete, a student will revert to the status of good standing with Chaffey College, unless a reoccurrence of a violation of the Standards of Student Conduct occurs.
A student's failure to comply with any condition of any sanction imposed may result in additional sanctions up to and including disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Appeals and Sanction Reduction Requests
Yes, students have the right to appeal a sanction decision, not the type of findings, for decisions other than a long-term suspension or expulsion, made by the Dean of Student Affairs within five (5) instructional days from the date on the resolution notice. For a long-term suspension or expulsion, students have the right to request a conduct hearing. If they do not choose to appeal within the specified time frame that student will be considered as having waived their right to appeal. In order to process the appeal, it must include both the Discipline Sanction Appeal form and the written statement. A student has the right to appeal the sanction given by the Dean of Student Affairs based on one of the following:
- Bad Faith – Any act of the Dean of Student Affairs, which negatively impacts the final sanction(s) rendered. Information provided will be used to determine whether the disciplinary process was conducted fairly in light of the charges and evidence presented or to determine whether the sanction(s) imposed was appropriate for the violation(s).
- New Evidence – New evidence, not available at the time of the originally scheduled conduct meeting, which is sufficient enough to alter the decision and subsequent sanction(s), or other relevant facts not brought out in the original conduct meeting, because such evidence and/or facts were not known to the student appealing at the time.
Merely disagreeing with the decision and sanction(s) is not sufficient grounds to
submit an appeal. Additionally, deviations from designed procedures or errors within
processed discipline documents or correspondence will not be a basis for sustaining
an appeal unless they significantly prejudice or effect the impartiality the process
or the parties involved; as determined by the Dean of Student Affairs.
During the discipline sanction appeal process and until a final sanction decision is made the original sanction(s) will remain in effect.
No, you will not appear before the individual or group reviewing the appeal.
Within ten (10) instructional days of receipt of the Disciplinary Sanction Appeal form and the written statement, the Superintendent/President of Chaffey College or their designee, shall review the appeal and render a final sanction(s) decision to accept, modify, or reject the Dean of Student Affairs’ sanction(s). The Superintendent/President of Chaffey College or their designee may decide to have the incident brought to a conduct hearing.
The sanction(s) decided upon by the Superintendent/President of Chaffey College or their designee shall be final and are not subject to appeal.
Student Academic Integrity Meeting
The School Dean must meet with the student within ten (10) instructional days after the incident report has been submitted.
During the meeting between the School Dean and the student, the student will:
- Have an opportunity to hear the alleged violations of the Student Academic Integrity Code along with any supporting documentation and evidence
- Provide their side of the story, provide relevant information, and offer any mitigating factors
The meeting with the School Dean is not an evidentiary hearing.
Be prepared and bring copies of any supporting documentation. Focus on being honest, fair, respectful, responsible and trustworthy in your meeting with the School Dean.
Should a student fail to appear or to submit a written response for the meeting with the School Dean, that student may be considered as having waived their right to be present and the proceedings may continue without the student’s input. The School Dean may also place a place an Administrative Hold on the student’s account until they are able to meet with the student or a written response is received.
The School Dean will send a written resolution notice to the student and faculty initiator within five (5) instructional days from the date of the meeting between the School Dean and student summarizing the meeting and sanction imposed, if any. The School Dean will upload a copy of the resolution notice into the District-wide tracking system, add any notes, and then close the case.
The School Dean will consider the Student Incident Report and all accompanying documentation, the information gathered during the meeting with the student, and review the recommendation of the faculty initiator in determining what sanction, if any, is appropriate in accordance with the academic integrity sanctions. The School Dean may also conduct interviews with appropriate parties to determine the accuracy of the statements and other evidence for consideration. Then they will decide if the student is Not Responsible or Responsible for the alleged violations.
- Not Responsible – In cases where it has been determined that insufficient evidence exists, by the Preponderance of Evidence standard, for a finding of Responsible for the alleged violation(s). The case is closed and a record is retained within the Office of Student Affairs via the District-wide tracking system.
- Responsible – In cases where it has been determined that sufficient evidence exists, by the Preponderance of Evidence standard, for a finding that the student is Responsible for the alleged violation(s).
In all cases involving alleged violations of the Standards of Student Conduct, the
standard of proof for determining whether a student is Not Responsible or Responsible
is the Preponderance of Evidence standard (e.g., more likely than not).
If a student is found Responsible for violating the Student Academic Integrity Code, the School Dean will impose sanctions, as they deem reasonable and appropriate. The School Dean may impose the following sanctions: written reprimand, failing grade for an assignment, failing grade in the course, and removal from class.
Grade Grievance
A Student has the right to challenge the final grade given by the Instructor based on the Instructor demonstrating one of the following:
- Mistake – unintentional error on part of the instructor
- Fraud – intentional misrepresentation of any or all facts, which lead to a negative outcome
- Bad Faith –any other intentional act of the instructor, which negatively impacts the grade of the student
- Incompetency – there is evidence that the instructor does not have the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities to conduct and fairly grade the course. Incompetence is usually pervasive, and not restricted to one student or one incident
If the issues with your grade do not fit within the options listed above under A-D, please contact the School Dean and schedule a meeting with them to discuss your complaint.
Any student who believes they has a grade grievance may contact the Office of Student Affairs via email at student.discipline@chaffey.edu with any questions regarding the grade grievance process. The Dean of Student Affairs shall appoint a Grade Grievance Facilitator, to assist with all administrative matters related to the grade grievance process. The Facilitator will work with the student and schedule an initial meeting, to provide necessary forms and documents, and outlining the entire grade grievance process. They will also be available to the student to answer questions and address any concerns throughout the process.
The student must submit Form A within six (6) months following the end of the semester or session in which the grade is recorded to file a grade grievance.
After six (6) months following the end of the semester or session in which the grade is recorded, the grade may not be grieved and is no longer subject to the grade grievance process.
Failure to submit Form A within the specified time frame shall constitute the student as having waived their right to file a grade grievance for that complaint.
The student must contact, in writing, the appropriate instructor against whom the complaint exists, and attempt, in good faith, to schedule a meeting to present their grade grievance and resolve the concern through the consultative process. If the instructor does not resolve the grade grievance or if the instructor does not meet with the student or respond within ten (10) instructional days, the student grievant may proceed to the next step within the informal level by submitting an Informal Grievance Complaint (Form A) to the School Dean.
Within ten (10) instructional days from receiving Form A, the School Dean will convene a meeting with the student and the instructor to whom the grade grievance was filed against and attempt, in good faith, to resolve the grievance through the consultative process. At the conclusion of the meeting with the School Dean, the School Dean will complete and sign the bottom portion of Form A for the student.
