(1) Any member of the university community may file a complaint against a student for a violation of the student conduct code. A complaint should be made in writing to the office of student life. Additionally, information received from any source (police report, third party, online, etc.) may be considered a complaint.

(2) After a consideration of the complaint, a conduct officer may take any of the following actions:

(a) Review the complaint, investigate and make a finding whether the code was violated and impose sanction(s);

(b) Terminate the proceeding and enter a finding that there is no violation of the code and/or that the respondent is not responsible for the alleged conduct violation; or

(c) Dismiss the investigation, which may be reopened at a later date if relevant information that was unknown to the conduct officer arises.

(3) In complaints alleging a violation of any type of sexual misconduct or gender-based discrimination including Title IX sexual harassment which encompasses quid pro quo harassment, hostile environment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking or sexual assault which includes nonconsensual sexual intercourse, nonconsensual sexual contact, incest or statutory rape, complaints should be made to Western Washington University's office of civil rights and Title IX compliance. A final investigation report from Western Washington University's office of civil rights and Title IX compliance (or their designee) will be provided to the conduct officer in lieu of the conduct officer's investigation. The conduct officer will then consider this report and make a finding as to whether the code was violated and impose sanction(s).

(4) Any student charged by a conduct officer with a violation of the student code is provided at least three days written notice of the student's meeting date, time and location. Any request to extend the time and/or date of the conduct officer meeting should be addressed to the conduct officer. The written notice shall include:

(a) A brief summary of the complaint, including the sections of the code allegedly violated;

(b) The approximate time and place of the alleged behavior that forms the factual basis for the charge of violation;

(c) The time, date, and place of the meeting;

(d) A copy of, or link to, the code.

(5) The respondent and complainant (if applicable) are notified in writing of the determination made by the conduct officer, including the basis for any findings and sanctions. The notice includes information regarding the right to request an appeal.

(6) All notifications under the code are delivered by electronic mail to the students' university email account. Any notifications sent via regular U.S. mail (for instance, to students not currently enrolled) may be sent to the party's last known address or the address on file with the university registrar. Students are responsible for maintaining an updated mailing address on file with the registrar. Deadlines described in the code begin the date the notification is sent via electronic means.

(7) Upon written request to the dean of students' office, staff will be available to the respondent and complainant (if applicable) to assist in understanding the student conduct process.

(8) A conduct officer's determinations and findings are made on the basis of a "preponderance of the evidence," that is, whether it is more likely than not that the respondent violated the code.

(9) Evidence is relevant if it tends to make existence of a fact more or less probable. A conduct officer, appeal board chair, or dean of students shall have the discretion to determine admissibility of evidence.

(10) If respondent or complainant (if applicable) to whom notice of a meeting or hearing has been sent does not appear before a conduct officer or appeals board, the complaint may be considered in their absence, and the conduct officer or appeals board may issue a decision based upon that information.

(11) If any provision of this code is invalidated by court order or operation of law, the affected provision of the code will no longer apply.