Thiel College governs its student body through the implementation of its Student Code of Conduct. The Code can be found within the pages of the College's Student Handbook. Students who are suspected of violating the Code of Conduct will be subjected to the College's Student Disciplinary Process. If a student is held responsible for a violation, the College will impose sanctions on them.
Any member of the College community can file charges against a student. There will be a brief investigative process to determine if the charges have merit. If the charges have merit, the process will continue.
Thiel College Student Disciplinary Process
The Office of Student Life will determine how to proceed once the charges are determined to have merit, the appropriate measures for a hearing will be based on the nature of the violations in question, there are several different ways to hear a case. Throughout the formal disciplinary process, the individual pressing charges will be known as the "complainant" while the student facing charges will be known as the "respondent."
Formal Mediation
At Formal Mediation, both parties of a dispute will undergo a guided mediation process. At the end of a guided mediation meeting, a "Contract of Resolution" will be drafted and signed to solidify agreeable resolution. Breaching this contract can result in further disciplinary action. If an agreement cannot be reached through mediation, other disciplinary measures may be taken.
Administrative Hearing
Administrative Hearings will be led by an administrator that is selected by the Office of Student Conduct. This meeting is informal in nature, and will take place just between the students with charges and the administrator. At the hearing, the student will be introduced to the charges, and given the discipline report to read. The student will then be able to respond to the charges. The administrator may inquire further, if deemed necessary. The administrator makes a decision after all the information has been heard.
Formal Administrative Hearing
A Formal Administrative Hearing will also be led by an administrator. Both the complainant and the respondent are to be present for this hearing. This hearing will follow a more formal procedure. At the hearing, the charges will be stated. The respondent will be asked to admit or deny the allegations. The complainant will then present their supporting information, followed by the respondent presenting supporting information, After the information is presented, both sides will then call forward their witnesses. If there are any other witnesses unaffiliated with either complainant or respondent, they will be presented. Both parties will present their own closing statements before the administrator makes a decision. Students receive the results in writing.
Student Conduct Board Hearing
The Student Conduct Board will be headed by a chairperson and comprised of 2 students and 1 faculty member. Hearings in front of the Student Conduct Board will follow the same process as the Formal Administrative Hearing, but instead with the Student Conduct Board presiding and deciding the hearing.
Students are entitled to an advisor, however, the advisor must be a member of the College community. A member of the College community will not have the same level of experience and dedication as an attorney. An Attorney working behind the scenes can provide students with insight into methods of argument construction and evidence presentation that can be incredibly useful in a Student Conduct Board Hearing.
Thiel College Appeals
In the event of an unfavorable outcome, students have 2 class days to make an appeal. The grounds of appeal are a question of fairness of the original hearing, a question of the decision reached was not based on substantial information, inappropriate sanctions, or new information.
If you or your student is facing disciplinary action from Thiel College, contact the LLF Law Firm today.
