(1) The student conduct officer will initiate disciplinary action by serving the student respondent with written notice of an initial disciplinary meeting. The notice shall briefly describe the factual allegations, the specific conduct code provision(s) the respondent is alleged to have violated, and the range of possible sanctions for such violations(s).

(2) At the disciplinary meeting, the student conduct officer will review the allegations with the respondent and will afford the respondent an opportunity to respond. If the respondent fails to attend or participate in the meeting, the conduct officer may take disciplinary action based on the available information.

(3) In a proceeding involving allegations of sexual misconduct, the student conduct officer prior to taking disciplinary action will afford the complainant an opportunity to discuss the results of any investigation and the possible sanctions and/or conditions that could be imposed for the complainant's protection if the sexual misconduct allegations are found to be substantiated.

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

(a) The conduct officer may dismiss the proceeding upon finding the allegations to be unsubstantiated and after providing any appropriate counseling or warnings. Such action shall be final and not subject to appeal or further review, except as provided in proceedings involving allegations of sexual misconduct.

(b) If the allegations are found to be substantiated, the conduct officer may impose any of the disciplinary sanctions authorized under WAC 132Z-115-035. Such sanction(s) shall be subject to review on appeal as provided in this student code.

(c) The conduct officer may refer the matter for disciplinary action by the student conduct committee. Such referral shall be in writing, to the attention of the committee chair, with a copy served on the respondent (and any complainant in a proceeding involving allegations of sexual misconduct). The decision to refer shall not be subject to appeal or further review.

(5) Within ten days of the initial disciplinary meeting, the conduct officer will serve the respondent (and any complainant in a proceeding involving sexual misconduct allegations) with a written decision either dismissing or referring the matter or imposing disciplinary sanctions. If sanctions are imposed, the decision will specify the conduct code provision(s) found to have been violated, will describe the facts and conclusions supporting the sanction(s), and will provide notice of any appeal rights.

(6) In a proceeding involving sexual misconduct allegations, the decision will state whether such allegations were substantiated and will describe any sanctions or conditions imposed for the complainant's protection. The copy of the decision provided to a complainant will be redacted as needed to exclude any confidential student information not relating to the sexual misconduct allegations.