(1) Summary suspension is a temporary exclusion from specified college premises or denial of access to all activities or privileges for which a respondent might otherwise be eligible, while an investigation and/or formal disciplinary procedures are pending.
(2) The student conduct officer (or designee) may impose a summary suspension if there is probable cause to believe that the respondent:
(a) Has violated any provision of the code of conduct; and
(b) Presents an immediate danger to the health, safety, or welfare of members of the college community; or
(c) Poses an ongoing threat of disruption of, or interference with, the operations of the college.
(3) Notice. Any respondent who has been summarily suspended shall be served with written notice or oral notice of the summary suspension at the time of the summary suspension. If oral notice is given, a written notification shall be served on the respondent within two business days of the oral notice.
(4) The written notification shall be entitled "Notice of Summary Suspension Proceedings" and shall include:
(a) The reasons for imposing the summary suspension, including reference to the provisions of the student conduct code or the law allegedly violated;
(b) The date, time, and location when the respondent must appear before the chair of the student disciplinary committee for a hearing on the summary suspension; and
(c) The conditions, if any, under which the respondent may physically access the campus or communicate with members of the campus community. If the respondent has been trespassed from the campus, a notice against trespass shall be included that warns the student that his or her privilege to enter into or remain on college premises has been withdrawn, that the respondent shall be considered trespassing and subject to arrest for criminal trespass if the respondent enters the college campus other than to meet with the student conduct officer or designee, or to attend a disciplinary hearing.
(5)(a) The conduct review officer or designee shall conduct a hearing on the summary suspension as soon as practicable after imposition of the summary suspension. The hearing will be conducted as a brief adjudicative proceeding.
(b) During the summary suspension hearing, the issue before the conduct review officer is whether there is probable cause to believe that the summary suspension should be continued pending the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings and/or whether the summary suspension should be less restrictive in scope.
(c) The respondent shall be afforded an opportunity to explain why summary suspension should not be continued while disciplinary proceedings are pending or why the summary suspension should be less restrictive in scope.
(d) If the notice of summary suspension proceedings has been served upon the respondent in accordance with these rules and the student fails to appear at the designated hearing time, the conduct review officer may order that the summary suspension remain in place pending the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings.
(e) As soon as practicable following the hearing, the conduct review officer shall issue a written decision, which shall include a brief statement of findings of fact and conclusions of law, the policy reasons justifying imposition of the summary suspension. If summary suspension is upheld and/or other discipline imposed, the order shall inform the respondent of the duration of the summary suspension or the nature of the disciplinary action(s), conditions under which the summary suspension may be terminated or modified, and procedures by which the order may be appealed.
(f) The interim suspension shall not replace the regular discipline process, which shall proceed as quickly as feasible in light of the interim suspension.
(g) To the extent permissible under applicable law, the conduct review officer shall provide a copy of the decision to all persons or offices whom may be bound or protected by it.
(6) In cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct, the complainant will be notified that a summary suspension has been imposed on the same day that the summary suspension notice is served on the respondent. The college will also provide the complainant with timely notice of any subsequent changes to the summary suspension order.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
28B.50.140. WSR 17-22-054, § 132R-04-064, filed 10/25/17, effective 11/25/17; WSR 16-15-011, § 132R-04-064, filed 7/8/16, effective 8/8/16. Statutory Authority: RCW
28B.50.140 and chapter
34.05 RCW. WSR 03-15-063, § 132R-04-064, filed 7/14/03, effective 8/14/03.]