Community Standards Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQ section may not be applicable to all cases, specifically those involving Title IX violations. For more information on the Title IX process, please refer to our Title IX Protocol.

I would like to report an incident; what should I do?

I submitted an incident report and have not heard back; how do I know my submission went through?

  • The Office of Community Standards typically processes incident reports within five university working days of receiving a report. This timeframe can vary depending on the amount of information received, the number of parties in a report, etc.
  • Not all reports will require a follow-up with the individual who originally filed the report. If you have a question about a report that you submitted, you may contact the Office of Community Standards at (513) 529-1417 or communitystandards@MiamiOH.edu.

I received a notice from the Office of Community Standards; what does this mean?

  • The Office of Community Standards sends out a variety of notices to students; most often, these are hearing notices designed to notify a student that they are alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy, provide the student with the evidence that is available, and describe the process.
  • Occasionally, students may also receive notices from the Office of Community Standards indicating that they have been invited to participate in an investigation interview. This is most typical in student organization investigations.

I believe I was involved in an incident but have not received a notice; when will I be notified?

  • The Office of Community Standards typically processes incident reports within five university working days of receiving a report. This timeframe can vary depending on the amount of information received, the number of parties in a report, etc.
  • Oftentimes, the Office of Residence Life, Miami University Police Department, Oxford Fire Department, or other reporting parties cannot submit reports immediately after an incident occurs; the Office of Community Standards cannot notify students until a report has been received and processed.

Why am I listed as a respondent? A complainant? A witness?

  • A respondent is the individual who is alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy. Respondents are required to be present through the duration of hearings.
  • A complainant is an individual who has alleged that a violation of the Code of Student Conduct has occurred, or an individual who has been harmed as a result of the actions of the respondent; not all cases have a complainant. Complainants generally are present through the duration of hearings.
  • A witness is an individual who has factual knowledge of the incident that occurred and can participate in a hearing to provide details about that knowledge. Witnesses are only permitted to be present in a hearing during the portion in which they are providing testimony.

What type of hearing have I been assigned? What is a procedural review?

  • There are two types of hearings that students are assigned for Code of Student Conduct violations; Administrative Hearings and Community Standards Boards.
    • Administrative Hearings involve the student(s) meeting with one hearing officer to determine the outcome of the case. The hearing officer will always be a professional staff and/or faculty member. These hearings may be scheduled in the following instances:
      • For cases in which suspension or dismissal are not potential outcomes.
      • For cases in which suspension or dismissal are potential outcomes, if the student chooses this hearing option after a Procedural Review.
        • Students may also opt for an Administrative Hearing to Discuss Sanctions; this is a similar hearing, except the student accepts responsibility for the alleged violation and attends a hearing to discuss potential sanctions.
      • For all cases in which a student organization is alleged to have violated a Code of Student Conduct policy.
    • Community Standards Boards involve the student(s) meeting with three hearing officers to determine the outcome of the case. The hearing officers will typically be consistent of two professional staff and/or faculty members, as well as one student panelist. These hearings may be scheduled in the following instances:
      • For cases in which suspension or dismissal are potential outcomes, if the student chooses this hearing option after a Procedural Review.
      • All Title IX/Sexual Misconduct hearings; in this event, the student panelist is replaced by a third professional staff and/or faculty member.

When and where will my hearing be held?

  • Hearings are typically held in the Office of Community Standards in 009 Warfield Hall. However, in accordance with Miami’s response to COVID-19, hearings are temporarily being held virtually unless otherwise noted. You will receive a Google Meet or Zoom video conference notice from your hearing officer or the Office of Community Standards prior to your hearing start time.
  • Hearings are typically scheduled no sooner than five university working days from the time a notice is sent to a student. On rare occasions, a student may request in writing that they would like to have their hearing held sooner than five university working days.

Who can I bring to my hearing? Can I bring a lawyer?

  • For non-Title IX/Sexual Misconduct hearings, students may bring two total individuals to a hearing: one “advisor” and one “support person.”
    • An advisor is an individual who supports a student throughout a hearing. This individual may not speak on the behalf of the student at any time. However, this individual may support the student by passing them notes, providing them with advice, etc., as long as that individual’s participation is not detrimental to the hearing proceeding in an orderly fashion.
    • A support person is an individual who supports a student throughout a hearing. This individual may not speak on the behalf of the student at any time, and they are present primarily for emotional support.
    • Anyone (with the exception of witnesses) are permitted to serve in either role, including lawyers, family members, friends, etc.

It’s been a couple of days since my hearing; when will I know the result?

  • Hearing officers may send hearing outcome letters to the involved parties within ten university working days of the hearing concluding. This time frame may be significantly shorter depending on the type and complexity of the case, the number of students involved, and a variety of other factors.

Do I have the option to appeal the outcome of my case?

  • Yes, every case with the Office of Community Standards allows an appeal process. For non-Title IX/Sexual Misconduct cases, students may appeal within five university working days of receiving an outcome letter for any of following reasons:
    • An inappropriate sanction was assigned.
    • New information has become available that is substantial enough to change the outcome of the case.
    • A procedural error occurred that was substantial enough to change the outcome of the case.
    • Appeal instructions are included in every hearing outcome letter.

I received a charge on my Bursar’s account; where did that come from?

  • Financial charges result from a variety of processes from the Office of Community Standards; for example:
    • Any student who is found responsible through a Community Standards hearing is responsible for paying a $50 administrative fee, with the exception of cases that result in dismissal.
    • If a student causes damage to Miami University property and restitution is assigned as a sanction, the value of that restitution may be applied to a student’s Bursar account.
    • Several sanctions assigned by the Office of Community Standards carry financial charges to pay for the cost of the sanction; for example, chemical dependency counseling carries a fee which is applied to the student’s Bursar account after the student completes the sanction.

What are mandatory minimum sanctions and when do they apply?

  • Mandatory minimum sanctions are a “base-level” of sanctions that are required to be assigned based on Miami University policy for certain violations. Currently, mandatory minimum sanctions are present for the following violations:
    • Dishonesty
    • Hazing
    • Alcohol (organizational violations)
  • While not “mandatory minimum” sanctions, there are expected sanctions that are typically applied for other violations, including individual alcohol policy violations. For example, a student receiving a first-time alcohol violation (depending on the type of alcohol consumed, behavior exhibited, etc.) can expect to receive six months of disciplinary probation, a substance abuse program, and other educational sanctions.

I’ve been assigned to complete sanctions; now what do I do?

  • Please carefully read the sanctions instructions that you were provided in your hearing outcome letter; this will detail how to complete each sanction and turn it in. Some require writing a paper, some may have in-person vs. online options, and others may require contacting an outside party. Each student is responsible for meeting the expectations set in their outcome letter for sanctions.
  • If you have difficulty completing a sanction, please contact the Office of Community Standards for assistance at (513) 529-1417 or communitystandards@MiamiOH.edu.
  • I’m completing a workshop through the Butler County court system; how does this affect my conduct case and the assigned sanctions from Miami?
    • If you have been assigned to complete a Diversion Program or other workshop through the Butler County court system as a result of an alcohol or drug violation, you may be able to use the completion of that program to complete a sanction you have been assigned from the Office of Community Standards.
    • Currently, students are eligible to substitute this for the Alcohol Alternatives or CAEP sanctions. To determine if you are eligible, please see your outcome letter and sanction instructions. Please note, you are responsible for notifying the Office of Community Standards when you have completed the program.

How do I submit proof that I’ve completed my sanction?

What happens if I choose not to complete the sanctions I was assigned?

  • If a student chooses to not complete their sanctions before the established deadline, a registration hold will be placed on the student’s account until the completed sanction is received. Sanction deadline extensions may be provided on a limited basis if the student contacts the Office of Community Standards prior to the sanction’s original due date to discuss the issue that is preventing them from completing on-time.

How can I request a copy of my conduct record? Who else can see this?

  • Disciplinary records may be requested by submitting a written request to the Office of Community Standards at communitystandards@MiamiOH.edu. If a family member, lawyer, or individual other than the student would like to access their records, a FERPA Waiver must be completed by the student.

I received a Good Samaritan; how does this affect my conduct record?

  • Good Samaritan cases are not reflected in your disciplinary record; while the Office of Community Standards maintains the case for record-keeping purposes, this information will not be disclosed to other parties without your signed consent. Learn more about the Good Samaritan Policy.

How long will my case be kept on file with Miami?

  • Records of disciplinary actions resulting in a finding of “responsible” and sanctions other suspension or dismissal are maintained by the Office of Community Standards for seven years following the date that the finding is made.
  • Records of disciplinary actions resulting in a finding of “responsible” and a sanction of suspension or dismissal are maintained indefinitely by the Office of Community Standards. A notation of suspension or dismissal is reflected on the student’s official University academic record (transcript) maintained by the Office of the University Registrar.
  • Learn more about the Disciplinary Records policy.

I previously withdrew from Miami and have pending charges or overdue sanctions; how can I resolve this situation?

  • If you have withdrawn from Miami with pending charges and wish to return, you may submit a re-enrollment application; once this application has been received by our office, we will contact you regarding the pending case.
  • Overdue sanctions may be submitted to the Office of Community Standards at any time.