(1) All disciplinary actions will be initiated by the student conduct officer. If that officer is the subject of a complaint initiated by the respondent, the president shall, upon request and when feasible, designate another person to fulfill any such disciplinary responsibilities relative to the complainant.

(2) The student conduct officer shall initiate possible disciplinary action by serving the respondent with written notice directing him or her to attend a disciplinary meeting. The notice shall briefly describe the factual allegations, the specific apparent misconduct under WAC 495C-121-050, and the range of possible disciplinary sanctions, and specify the time and location of the meeting. At the meeting, the student conduct officer will present the allegations to the respondent and the respondent shall be afforded an opportunity to explain what took place. If the respondent fails to attend the meeting after proper service of notice, the student conduct officer may impose disciplinary sanction(s) and conditions based upon the available information.

(3) Within ten days of the scheduled initial disciplinary meeting, and after considering the information obtained by investigation and any information presented by the respondent, the student conduct officer shall serve the respondent with a written decision setting forth the facts and conclusions supporting his or her decision, the specific student conduct code provisions found to have been violated, the discipline imposed, if any, the consequences if a student fails to satisfy any disciplinary condition(s) which are being imposed, and a notice of the respondent's appeal rights, if any, with an explanation of the consequences of failing to file a timely appeal.

(4) The student conduct officer may take any of the following actions:

(a) Terminate the proceeding, with any appropriate exoneration of the respondent or counseling or advice to the respondent. The respondent cannot appeal a termination of the proceedings;

(b) Specify misconduct under WAC 495C-121-050 which he/she finds to have occurred and impose disciplinary sanction and/or condition(s), as described in WAC 495C-121-060; or

(c) Refer the matter directly to the student conduct committee for a hearing and imposition of such disciplinary sanction and/or condition(s) as the committee deems appropriate. Such referral shall be to the attention of the chair of the committee with a copy served on the respondent.