FAQs

Why did I receive a Notification Letter from the Office of Student Conduct?
The letter you received means that the Office of Student Conduct received a report regarding a possible violation of the Code of Conduct. A Student Conduct Officer requests an opportunity to discuss this incident and allegations of the policy violation with you.

What happens after I receive a Notification Letter indicating that I have allegedly violated policy?
Please visit http://www.dos.uci.edu/judicial/uci_policy.php#100.00 for more information about the Student Conduct Process.

I received a notification/meeting request letter from the Office of Student Conduct; why do I have an Administrative Hold on my record?
The Notification Meeting requires a student to schedule an appointment with a Student Conduct Officer. If an appointment is not scheduled by the designated date, an Administrative Hold is placed on your record by the Office of Student Conduct. The Administrative Hold blocks further registration, graduation, or issuance of a diploma until the disciplinary matter has been resolved. Once the matter is resolved, the hold will be removed. You have twelve (12) business days from the date of the letter to schedule and attend an Administrative Meeting with the Office of Student Conduct. If you waive the right to participate in an Administrative Meeting, you must contact the Office of Student Conduct within twelve business (12) business days from the date the letter was sent, and inform them that you waive your right to be present at the Administrative Meeting.

What happens during the Administrative Meeting?
The Administrative Meeting is an opportunity to give you (the student) an opportunity to respond to the allegations, and if found responsible, to be advised of the possibility of sanctions. At the Administrative Meeting, the appointed Student Conduct Officer will:

Inform you of the specific allegations made against you;
Indicate the applicable University policy(ies) or campus regulations alleged to have been violated;
Share information regarding the related incident;
Make a reasonable effort, as permissible under federal and state law, to comply with your requests for access of documents relevant to the case and;
Give you the opportunity to respond to the charges and evidence you.

At the conclusion of the Administrative Meeting(s), the appointed Student Conduct Officer may conclude that no violation has occurred and therefore, that no further action is warranted. If, however, the appointed Student Conduct Officer determines that a policy violation has occurred based on the preponderance of the evidence, sanctions will be imposed.

What if I am not familiar with the policy that I am accused of violating?
Ignorance of the policy(ies) does not excuse violation of said policy. Every student is responsible for knowing the rules and regulations of the University, found in the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students.

Do I have to attend my administrative meeting?
No, but it is in your best interest to attend. If you choose not to attend, your case will be adjudicated without your input. If you are found responsible, sanctions will be imposed.

Do I need to hire an attorney?
Students are allowed to have an advisor present at their meeting. Possible advisors include parents, friends, attorney, etc. You are not required to have an attorney present at your meeting or hearing; in fact, most students do not. If you decide that you would like to have an advisor present, the advisors may act as a consultant for the student, and may not speak on behalf of the student. If a student chooses to have an attorney as an advisor, the student shall pay all fees, costs, and expenses for the retention of an attorney. Under the discretion of the Student Conduct Officer, other parties, including advisors, if any, may be excluded from participating in the meeting, especially if being disruptive in the meeting.

I have already been arrested and have a court date, isn’t this double jeopardy?
No, double jeopardy applies only to criminal proceedings. You (the accused student) are not being charged with violating a law or committing a crime; rather, you are being accused of violating a student conduct code. The student conduct processes is an administrative, education-based process that is independent of the criminal justice system; therefore, double jeopardy does not apply because the domains are separate, and the intentions different.

My charges were dropped by the District Attorney; will they also be dropped by UCI?
No. As previously mentioned, the student conduct process is separate from the criminal court processes. The University utilizes the Code of Student Conduct, and your case will be processed regardless of what happens with your criminal proceedings.

How does the adjudicating Student Conduct Officer decide if I violated the Code of Student Conduct?
The “Preponderance of Evidence” is the standard used to determine if a student is responsible for the allegations of policy violations. A student or student organization is not responsible for violating the Code of Student Conduct unless evidence suggests that it is was more than 50% likely that a policy was violated. Another way of stating it, "Is it more likely than not that a policy was violated?"

Am I going to be dismissed from the University?
Not necessarily. Sanctions depend on various things such as the severity of the offense, whether the student takes responsibility for his or her actions, prior sanctions received by the student, level of intent etc. Suspension and/or dismissal is not used often.

What is the range of sanctions a student can be given?
Sanctions are imposed only if a student has been found responsible for a violation. The primary goals of sanctions are to protect the safety of the University community, to educate students about the concerns related to the inappropriateness of their conduct, and to provide opportunities for students to learn new behaviors. Sanctions are designed to reflect the actions of the individual student and the impact of the violation(s) on the community. Possible sanctions include: written warning, disciplinary probation, restitution, restriction from areas of campus, attending classes or workshops, educational projects, community service, relocation or removal from housing in accordance with the housing contract, removal from specific courses or activities, no contact provisions, suspension or dismissal.

How will this appear on my transcript?
The only sanctions that appear on transcripts are Suspensions and Dismissal. Disciplinary probation, educational sanctions and other outcomes do not appear. Although these sanctions do not appear on your transcript, they will be noted in your educational record. When you give the Office of Student Conduct permission to disclose information regarding your academic records will be notified that you have a conduct record.

Will a student conduct code violation affect my financial aid or scholarship?  
Possibly. Instances of misappropriation of financial aid or drug/controlled substance violations may affect your eligibility for federal student loans, grants, and scholarships. Most student conduct violations will not affect scholarships, but a student should review the conductions of their continued scholarship award eligibility. For more information contact the Financial Aid Office.

I have already met with a Conduct Officer, why do I have an Administrative Hold on my record?
Holds may be placed on students' records at any point during the disciplinary process to assure compliance with sanctions, pending the resolution of disciplinary matters or a formal hearing. When the terms and conditions of sanctions have been satisfied and/or pending disciplinary matters have been resolved, holds may be removed.

What if I don’t agree with my sanctions? Can I appeal?
After receiving written notice of the sanction(s) to be imposed, you, the student may appeal the decision to the Dean of Students only if all of the following requirements are met: (a) the appeal is in writing, (b) the appeal is expressly based upon one of the grounds specified below, and (c) the appeal is received by the Dean of Students by the stated deadline. The deadline shall not be more than seven (7) business days from the issuance of the letter. Grounds for appeal:

There is new evidence, which could not be adduced at the time of the investigative conference, which is likely to change the result;
There was a violation of due process;
The sanction imposed was too harsh given the finding of fact.

What is a Formal Hearing?
In cases of suspension or dismissal, students have the right to a hearing in front of a Student Conduct Review Board. If you choose this option, you will be notified in writing of the date, time, and place of the hearing. A representative from the Office of Student Conduct will advise you in regards to the process.

Are you going to tell my parents about this?
In accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the University cannot contact or share information about your conduct record without your written permission.

Who has access to my records?
The Office of Student Conduct maintains the confidentiality of student records in accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). In cases involving acts of violence, the complainant may be notified of the outcome of the proceedings, when appropriate. Otherwise, no information will be released without the written consent of the student who is alleged to have violated policy, or by court order or subpoena.

Can I get a copy of my conduct record?
Copies of conduct records are not provided. However, upon request and by appointment, you will be allowed access to your conduct record by appointment. You will be allowed to review your record in the presence of a Student Conduct staff member who is not designated to your case. Prior to their review of the file by a student, conduct records must be reviewed so that personally identifiable information pertaining to other students or witnesses and/or victims can be redacted.

How long are conduct records kept?
Conduct records are maintained for a minimum of seven (7) years from the time of the incident.

Will a sanction from UCI affect my ability to go to graduate or professional school?
Your disciplinary record may or may not affect your ability to attend graduate and/or professional school. Sanctions of suspension or dismissal will be noted on your academic transcript (suspensions will be noted only for the term of your suspension). Disciplinary records are kept for a minimum of 7 years. Any schools or companies to which you give permission to inquire about your academic records will be notified that you have a conduct record. Many graduate schools request your academic records, as do many government agencies if they are considering hiring someone (FBI, etc.).

If I was found not responsible, and my graduate/professional school and job applications ask if I have ever been subject to disciplinary action, what should I say?
Honesty is the best policy. You should be open and honest about any conduct issues you have faced. As part of the application process, you should be given the opportunity to explain your behavior and indicate what you learned from the experience. Failing to disclose this information can be worse than if you did not initially report the incident, especially if you don’t disclose it, and it were to come up as part of the background check.

How do I report a violation of policy?
You can report violations to a variety of campus offices such as:

Office of Student Conduct: For violations of university policy related to student conduct.

UCI Police Department: For violations of the law involving members of the campus community.

Campus Assault Resources and Education: For information, support, and resources for sexual assault incidents.

Review of these common questions does not substitute for reading and understanding the Student Conduct Code. This list is meant to answer questions students, Registered Campus Organization, advisors, and parents often have about the student conduct process at UC Irvine. Please refer to the Code of Conduct for more details.