In the event the University imposes an interim action, it will provide the respondent with notice and an opportunity to challenge the interim action decision to the Dean of Students or designee. If the student or student organization wishes to challenge the interim action, the student must submit the challenge in writing within two business days of their receipt of the notice.
In cases involving an interim suspension, the Vice President of Student Affairs or designee will review the challenge and determine whether the interim suspension is with good cause and may continue.
A respondent may also request a review as new information becomes available. The University also reserves the right to review these matters on an ongoing basis. In cases involving an interim action for a student organization or group, the University will automatically reevaluate interim actions and issue an updated explanation within 25 business days of the initial interim action notification.
Please note any challenge or reevaluation of interim actions will be based on both the original and any new information collected related to the safety and security implications for the parties involved and the University community. Should the Vice President of Student Affairs or designee find the sum of the information presented in a challenge insufficient to relieve the original safety and security implications that led to an interim action, the original interim action will stand. If the new information is found to relieve some or all of the original implications, the University will consider what modifications may be appropriate.
Please note interim action determinations are not directly related to findings of responsibility and that an interim action may be lifted, amended, or stayed, and a respondent party may later still be found either responsible or not responsible for the policies of concern as determined by an investigation.
The University may issue an interim relocation or removal from campus housing for reasons related to the safety and well-being of the party(ies) involved, the residential community, or residence hall property. An interim relocation or removal from campus housing may be imposed by the Executive Director of Residential Services, or designee, and shall become effective immediately without prior notice. The Director of Community Standards or designee may take the same action for students who reside in fraternity/sorority-affiliated on-campus housing.
An interim suspension of a student from the University for allegations of non-academic misconduct (including alleged violations of the OCR) may be imposed by the Dean of Students, or designee, in their discretion and shall become effective immediately. Allegations that may warrant an interim suspension include, but are not limited to:
- Sale, distribution, use, or possession of illegal drugs
- Possession of dangerous weapons
- Sexual misconduct
- Theft of or damage to property
- Action or threat of action that endangers or threatens to endanger the health, safety, or wellbeing or any person (including oneself)
- Actions that significantly intefere with the functioning of the University
- Fraud
- Violations of federal, state, local, or international law, such that the University could reasonably conclude that the student is not fit to be part of the University community
Any student who receives an interim suspension will be required to remove themselves immediately from the residence halls and/or fraternity or sorority residences, will not be permitted to attend class, and will be excluded from University property and University events unless the student’s presence on campus or at University events is explicitly authorized by the Dean of Students or designee issuing the interim action.
Any respondent who has received an interim suspension should expect a prompt and fair formal resolution to their alleged misconduct. The University will balance the need for a prompt outcome with the need to protect the integrity of the system and to ensure a fair, thorough, and equitable student conduct process and outcome.
The University retains the right to postpone an investigation, sanctioning panel, and/or appeal through UHAS if the University determines the respondent’s presence in the University community would pose an unacceptable threat to the University community or would otherwise significantly disrupt the educational or other activities of the University community. In the event the University postpones a formal resolution procedure, it will advise the student of the conditions that must be met, which may include a forensic threat assessment (see “Interim Actions”) prior to the hearing and/or appeal through UHAS or other designated resolution procedure.