Frequently Asked Questions
The following FAQ section is applicable to the student conduct process under the Code of Student Conduct only.
For information on Title IX and Non-Title IX sexual misconduct reporting, resources, and process, please refer to Miami's Sexual Misconduct Protocol for Students.
I would like to report an incident; what should I do?
- Read detailed information about filing a report.
- Report a general incident.
- Report sexual misconduct.
- Report Hazing.
I submitted an incident report and have not heard back; how do I know my submission went through?
- The Office of Community Standards typically processes incident reports within five university working days of receiving a report. This timeframe can vary depending on the amount of information received, the number of parties in a report, etc.
- Not all reports will require a follow-up with the individual who originally filed the report. If you have a question about a report that you submitted, you may contact the Office of Community Standards at 513-529-1417 or CommunityStandards@MiamiOH.edu.
I received a notice from the Office of Community Standards; what does this mean?
- The Office of Community Standards sends out a variety of notices to students; most often, these are hearing notices designed to notify a student that they are alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy, provide the student with the evidence that is available, and describe the process.
- Occasionally, students may also receive notices from the Office of Community Standards indicating that they have been invited to participate in an investigation interview. This is most typical in student organization investigations.
I believe I was involved in an incident but have not received a notice; when will I be notified?
- The Office of Community Standards typically processes incident reports within five university working days of receiving a report. This timeframe can vary depending on the amount of information received, the number of parties in a report, etc.
- Oftentimes, the Office of Residence Life, Miami University Police Department, Oxford Fire Department, or other reporting parties cannot submit reports immediately after an incident occurs; the Office of Community Standards cannot notify students until a report has been received and processed.
Why am I listed as a respondent? A complainant? A witness?
- A respondent is the individual who is alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy.
- A complainant is an individual who has alleged that a violation of the Code of Student Conduct has occurred, or an individual who has been harmed as a result of the actions of the respondent. Not all cases have a complainant.
- A witness is an individual who has factual knowledge of the incident that occurred and can participate in a hearing to provide details about that knowledge. Witnesses are only permitted to be present in a hearing when they are providing testimony.
What type of hearing have I been assigned?
- There are two types of hearings for Code of Student Conduct violations: Administrative Hearings and Community Standards Boards.
- Administrative Hearings involve the student(s) meeting with one hearing officer to determine the outcome of the case. These hearings are scheduled in the following instances:
- Cases in which suspension or dismissal are not potential outcomes.
- Cases in which suspension or dismissal are potential outcomes, if the student chooses this hearing option after a Procedural Review.
- All cases in which a student organization is alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy.
- Community Standards Boards involve the student(s) meeting with a three-person panel to determine the outcome of the case. The panel will consist of two professional staff and/or faculty members, and one student. These hearings are scheduled in the following instances:
- Cases in which suspension or dismissal are potential outcomes, if the student chooses this hearing option after a Procedural Review.
- Administrative Hearings involve the student(s) meeting with one hearing officer to determine the outcome of the case. These hearings are scheduled in the following instances:
What is a procedural review?
Procedural Review meetings occur when a student is facing a charge that could result in suspension or dismissal. In this case, the student will receive a Procedural Review notice that will include the charges alleged, along with a meeting date and time.
At the Procedural Review meeting, the Office of Community Standards staff member reviews the following with the student:
- The alleged charges.
- The option to accept responsibility and proceed to a hearing to discuss sanctions only.
- The option to request an Administrative Hearing or Community Standards Board hearing if the student disputes the charges.
When and where will my hearing be held?
- Hearings are typically held in the Office of Community Standards in 009 Warfield Hall.
- Hearings are scheduled no sooner than five university working days from the time a notice is sent to a student. On rare occasions, a student may request in writing that they would like to have their hearing held sooner than five university working days.
Who can I bring to my hearing? Can I bring a lawyer?
- The respondent and complainant have the right to be accompanied by one advisor and one support person to any student conduct hearing. The role of the advisor and the support person is only to be present; they will not be provided documentation or permitted to speak on behalf of the student during the interview, meeting or hearing. If an advisor or support person is determined to be unreasonably interfering with the interview, meeting, or proceeding, they may be asked to leave.
It’s been a couple of days since my hearing; when will I know the result?
- Hearing officers send hearing outcome letters to the involved parties within ten university business days of the hearing. This time frame may be significantly shorter depending on the type and complexity of the case, the number of students involved, and a variety of other factors.
Do I have the option to appeal the outcome of my case?
Yes. Following an Administrative hearing or Community Standards Board hearing, the respondent, complainant, and the Office of Community Standards have the right to file a written appeal within five (5) University business days of the written decision by the hearing authority.
Appeals may be filed for the following reasons:
- Inappropriate sanction.
- A procedural error in the hearing of the case occurred that is found to be substantial enough to have changed the outcome of the hearing, including failure to objectively evaluate all relevant evidence or error(s) related to determination of relevance.
- New information exists that was not reasonably available at the time the determination was made that is determined to be substantial enough to have changed the outcome of the hearing.
I received a charge on my Bursar’s account; where did that come from?
- Financial charges may result for any of the following reasons:
- Any student who is found responsible for a Code of Student Conduct violation is assessed a $50 administrative fee.
- If a student causes damage to Miami University property and restitution is assigned as a sanction, the amount of that restitution may be applied to a student’s Bursar account.
- Several sanctions assigned by the Office of Community Standards carry financial fees to pay for the cost of the sanction; for example, alcohol or drug classes and/or assessments carry a fee that is applied to the student’s Bursar account after the student completes the sanction.
I’ve been assigned sanctions; now what do I do?
- Please carefully read the sanction instructions in your hearing outcome letter; this will detail how to complete each sanction and turn it in. Some require writing a paper, some may have in-person vs. online options, and others may require contacting an outside party. Each student is responsible for meeting the sanction expectations set out in their outcome letter.
- If you have difficulty completing a sanction, please contact the Office of Community Standards for assistance at 513-529-1417 or CommunityStandards@MiamiOH.edu.
If you have been assigned a Diversion Program or other workshop through the Butler County court system as a result of an alcohol or drug violation, you may be able to use completion of that program to complete a sanction you have been assigned from the Office of Community Standards.
Currently, students are eligible to use a completed court Diversion Program to serve as completion for the Alcohol Alternatives or CAEP sanctions. To determine if you are eligible, please review your outcome letter and sanction instructions. Please note that you are responsible for notifying the Office of Community Standards and providing evidence of completion of the court Diversion Program in order to receive credit for sanction completion.
How do I submit proof that I’ve completed my sanction?
- Sanction completion documents may be submitted to CommunityStandards@MiamiOH.edu or via the Sanction Completion Form.
What happens if I choose not to complete the sanctions I was assigned?
- If a student chooses to not complete their sanctions by the established deadline, a registration hold will be placed on the student’s account until proof of the completed sanction is received. Sanction deadline extensions may be provided on a limited basis if the student contacts the Office of Community Standards prior to the sanction’s original due date to discuss the issue that is preventing them from completing the sanction by the established deadline.
How can I request a copy of my conduct record? Who else can see this?
- Students may submit requests for their disciplinary records by submitting a written request to the Office of Community Standards at CommunityStandards@MiamiOH.edu. If a family member, lawyer, or individual other than the student would like to access a student’s records, a FERPA Waiver must be completed by the student.
I received a Good Samaritan; how does this affect my conduct record?
- Good Samaritan cases are not reflected in your disciplinary record; while the Office of Community Standards maintains the case for record-keeping purposes, this information will not be disclosed to other parties without your signed consent. Learn more about the Good Samaritan Policy in the Code of Student Conduct.
How long will my case be kept on file with Miami?
- Records of disciplinary actions not resulting in sanctions of suspension or dismissal are maintained by the Office of Community Standards for seven years following the date the finding is made.
- Records of disciplinary actions resulting in a sanction of suspension or dismissal are maintained indefinitely by the Office of Community Standards. A notation of suspension or dismissal is reflected on the student’s official University academic record (transcript) maintained by the Office of the University Registrar.
- Learn more about the Disciplinary Records policy.
I previously withdrew from Miami and have pending charges or overdue sanctions; how can I resolve this situation?
- If you have withdrawn from Miami with pending charges and wish to return, you may submit a re-enrollment application with Miami's One Stop; once this application has been received by our office, we will contact you regarding the pending case.
- Overdue sanctions may be submitted to the Office of Community Standards at any time.
Office of Community Standards
9 Warfield Hall, 451 E. Spring St.Oxford, OH 45056
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CommunityStandards@MiamiOH.edu 513-529-1417 513-529-1907 (fax)