Frequently Asked Questions
Where does OSRR receive reports from?
The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities receives reports from:
- The ECU Police Department – ECU Officers may issue a student a Campus Appearance Ticket or a State Citation or may forward an incident report to OSRR.
- Campus Living staff members, including Resident Assistants.
- Local law enforcement agencies, such as the Greenville Police Department, Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE), and Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC).
- ECU faculty and staff members.
- Other individuals and organizations who directly file complaints with the office.
What is a tag?
Information about tags is posted on OneStop.
JUD tag. A JUD tag is placed on a student’s record at the time a complaint is received by the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. The JUD tag will remain on the record until the student meets with OSRR and the complaint is resolved. Students with a JUD tag may not register for classes, drop or add classes or take many academic actions without the permission of OSRR. JUD tags may be temporarily lifted if a student is actively participating in the judicial process or is complying with all sanctions.
SC tag. An SC tag is placed on the record of a student who may not reenroll without resolving the pending complaint.
What is FERPA?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that guarantees students and/or their parents access to all educational records that pertain to them and protects the privacy of these records. The law applies to all schools, which receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. Students do have the right to inspect and review their own educational records, as well as to request that the school correct records believed to be inaccurate or misleading.
Please see the U.S. Department of Education’s website (link to http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html) or the ECU Office of the Registrar (http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/registrar/FERPA.cfm) for further information regarding FERPA.
What does it mean to be in good standing with the University?
A student is considered to be in disciplinary good standing with the University when s/he has no pending or unresolved judicial complaints(s) and when s/he has completed all sanctions imposed as a result of a judicial action, including probation. (Please refer to the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalog (link to http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/aa/SrchCatalog.cfm) for definitions of academic standing.)
What are the Student Judicial Boards?
Three types of Judicial Boards are recognized by the Student Government Association (SGA) and East Carolina University: the Honor Board, the Academic Integrity Board and the Review Board.
- The Honor Board hears complaints involving alleged violations of the Student Code of Conduct (link to http://www.ecu.edu/studenthandbook/II.htm).
- The Academic Integrity Board hears complaints involving alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy (link to http://www.ecu.edu/studenthandbook/III.htm).
- The Review Board hears appeals of complaints originally heard by an Honor Board, an administrator, or an Academic Integrity Board. The Review Board also hears appeals of the Attorney General’s rulings on Student Government Association’s constitutional issues.
Who is the accused student?
An accused student is any ECU student who allegedly violated the Student Code of Conduct.
Who is the complaining witness?
A complaining witness is any member of the University community who files a complaint.
Who is the Advocate for Accused Students?
The Advocate for Accused Students (Advocate) is a student member of the Judicial Boards trained to advise any student accused of a Student Code of Conduct violation. The Advocate makes sure that the accused student understands the student judicial process and receives the rights proscribed by the University and by federal/state law. The Advocate ensures that the accused student has a fair opportunity to fully present her/his perspective at any hearing before a hearing panel by making an opening statement, questioning witnesses, making a closing statement, and, if the panel finds that a violation has taken place, recommending sanctions.
Who is the Attorney General?
An Attorney General (AG) is a student trained to represent the University’s perspective during the student judicial process. During a hearing, the AG will make an opening statement, question witnesses, including the accused student, make a closing statement, and, if the panel finds that a violation has taken place, will recommend sanctions.
What is a hearing panel?
A hearing panel is a subset of the Student Judicial Boards chosen to hear a complaint. An Academic Integrity Hearing Panel is composed of three faculty members, one of whom serves as the hearing chair, and two students. An Honor Board Hearing Panel is composed of five students, one of whom serves as the hearing chair.
Who is the hearing chair?
A Hearing Chair directs the hearing process and makes determinations about what information is admissible. The Chair ensures that a fair deliberation takes place and votes only to break a tie. Chairs write a hearing summary outlining the decision of the panel, which is filed with OSRR.
What is the evidentiary standard?
The AG, on behalf of the University, must provide sufficient information during the hearing in order for the panel to find that the preponderance of information supports a finding that the student violated the Student Code of Conduct. The AG has the burden of production (providing information), not the burden of persuasion (convincing the panel that the information provided meets the evidentiary standard).
What is preponderance of the evidence?
The information presented during an administrative meeting or a hearing indicates that it is more likely than not that the accused student is responsible for the violation. The hearing officer or the hearing panel must be 50.01% certain that the information presented supports a finding that the accused student violated the Student Code of Conduct.
What is an open/closed hearing?
If a hearing is open, anyone who wishes to attend may do so, including members of the press. Witnesses may attend only when called by the AG or Advocate to provide information and may only remain in the hearing room while they are providing information. If a hearing is closed, only members of the hearing panel, the AG and the Advocate and their staff, the accused student, the complaining witness, one support person for each party, OSRR administrator(s), and appropriate security persons may attend.
What is an academic integrity violation?
A violation of Letter S of the Student Code of Conduct (link to http://www.ecu.edu/studenthandbook/II.htm), which reads:
”S. Committing any academic integrity violation, including
a. Cheating. The actual giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid, assistance, or any unfair advantage on any form of academic work.
b. Plagiarizing. The copying of the language, structure, idea, and/or thought of another and presenting it as one’s original work.
c. Falsifying. An untruthful representation either spoken or written regarding any circumstance related to academic work.
d. Attempting. Attempting to cheat, plagiarize or falsify.”
What is an academic penalty?
Any academic consequence developed in response to an academic integrity violation, including, but not limited to, a grade penalty on the assignment or in the course, a requirement that the work be redone, or any other educational requirement related to academic integrity.
What is consent?
Consent requires an affirmative verbal response and/or unmistakable conduct indicating a freely given agreement. Silence and/or lack of protest do not constitute consent. Previous consent does not necessarily apply to future situations. Consent cannot be given when a person’s physical or mental control is markedly diminished. Physical or mental control may be diminished by injury, illness, duress, social pressure, and/or the ingestion of alcohol or other drugs. The impairment of a person’s ability to give or withhold consent may be introduced as relevant information during a disciplinary hearing.
What is inappropriate sexual contact?
Inappropriate sexual contact occurs when a person subjects another person to sexual contact without having first obtained explicit consent or when s/he knows or should have know that the person was incapable of giving consent because of a mental incapacitation, mental disorder, or physical helplessness. (See Consent) Sexual contact is the touching of the genitalia, anus, buttocks or breast of a person. Sexual penetration includes any insertion, however slight, of the penis, finger(s) or any object into the vagina or anus, or the insertion of the penis into someone’s mouth.
What is a student organization?
A group of students who have complied with the formal requirements of the University for student organization recognition.
Who is a member of the University community?
The University community includes all persons who are studying at or employed by the University.
Who is a University official?
Any University employee acting in the performance of his or her duties is a University official. University officials include student employees who are acting in an official capacity, such as Resident Advisors, Teaching Assistants, Graduate Assistants, ECU Student Patrol Officers, Orientation Assistants; members of the Student Judicial Boards, elected members of the Student Government Association, and Student Transit drivers.
Who is a faculty member?
Any person designated by the University to conduct classroom activities.
What is a school day?
A school day is any day on which classes or examinations are held except Saturdays and Sundays.
