The Procedural Rights of Students
All students whom have been charged with a violation(s) of the Student Code of Conduct will be treated with fairness and equality and are guaranteed the following rights in the Code of Conduct.
- A student will be informed, in writing, of the alleged violation(s) of the Manhattanville College Code of Student Conduct.
- Presumption of innocence in all cases where the charge(s) against the respondent is contested and a review of the evidence and determination of if it is more likely than not that the student is responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct.
- A student has 48 hours from receipt of the letter by the Conduct Officer to schedule a hearing with the Conduct Officer. Failure to schedule and/or attend the hearing without prior consent from the Conduct Officer will result in:
- The forfeiture of the student ability to present information on his/her behalf.
- Sanctions being issued to the student without the benefit of his/her input.
- A student has a right to know the nature of the incident at the time of the hearing and provide any information and/or witness statements for the Conduct Officer to review.
- A student has the right to have a Manhattanville College employee or student (excluding any relative employed by the College or holding a law degree) attend the hearing in the role of advisor. This individual only serves as an advisor and does not actively participate in the hearing. This individual may not address the conduct officer, but may consult with the student. Legal counsel/attorneys, parents/guardians and/or family members, students involved in the incident are not permitted to participate in the meeting.
- A student’s conduct record, files, and proceedings are kept appropriately private.
- A student will receive a written notification of the outcome of the hearing and has the right to appeal. Student’s right to appeal any decision is forfeited if the student does not attend their conduct meeting.
- A student has 48 hours from receipt of the letter to appeal the decision to the appeal officer in writing. Appeals must be submitted by the student, not a parent/guardian, friend, family member, or legal counsel/attorney. The following are grounds for an appeal:
- The conduct process was not in accord with the rules and regulations governing the College’s conduct process, and this deprivation materially affected the decision or
- The finding(s) of the violation(s) is contradicted by new evidence that was not available at the time of the conduct meeting.
- If you are ever instructed by a College official to do something you feel is inappropriate or feel you have been dealt with in an inappropriate manner, you should advise the person's supervisor of your specific concerns or contact the Vice President of Student Affairs. Just because you dislike the approach a College official uses in handling a problem, it does not justify any rule violations on your part. You should cooperate with the instructions given by the College official and report your concerns later.