405.00 ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWALS AND EXPLUSION APPEALS

If a student has been administratively withdrawn from classes or expelled from the college for disciplinary reasons, the student may appeal that decision following the appeal process listed below.

1. The aggrieved student must submit in writing their appeal within five business days of the withdrawal or explusion to the Grievance Committee Chair. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will serve as the Grievance Committee Chair unless he/she is already involved in the disciplinary action. In that case, the President of the college will appoint a Committee Chair.
2. The Grievance Committee Chair will then appoint a five person appeal panel which will consist of the Chair, a college administrator, an instructor, a student services employee, and a representative from the Student Government Association.
3. None of the members of the Grievance Committee shall have been involved in the matter that forms the basis of the disciplinary action. If a member has been involved, he/she will remove themselves from the Committee and a new member will be appointed.
4. Within five business days of receiving the written appeal, the Chair will notify the student of the time, date, and place of the appeal hearing. The appeal hearing shall be held not less than five business days nor more than fifteen business days after the appeal has been received.
5. The student and the administration shall have the following rights during the hearing.
   1. Each party shall have the right to have legal counsel present at each party's own expense.
   2. Each party shall have the right to hear or read a full report of the testimony of the other party's witnesses.
   3. Each party shall have the right to present witnesses in person or to present their testimony by sworn affidavit.
   4. Each party shall have the right to testify and give reasons supporting their respective positions.
   5. The hearing will be conducted in an orderly manner. All information and testimony presented at the hearing is expected to be truthful and complete. Failure to give accurate testimony may result in disciplinary action.
   6. The Committee shall render a fair and impartial decision based upon evidence presented at the hearing.
   7. The hearing shall be tape recorded. Tapes are kept by the Grievance Committee Chair, and not released to students. However, the student and administration may review the tape.
   8. The Chair of the Committee may adopt other procedures as she/he may deem appropriate to provide a fair and orderly hearing. Strict rules of evidence will not apply. The hearing is not open to the public to protect the student's right of confidentiality. Everyone present at the hearing, including all witnesses, will be required to keep hearing proceedings strictly confidential. An exception to this may be made in the event the parents of the aggrieved student are to be notified. Once the hearing is concluded, the Committee may not consider additional information to testimony.

At the completion of the hearing, the Chair will prepare a written decision from the Committee that affirms, modifies or reverses the original decision and summarizes the evidence supporting the decision. The written decision will be mailed or delivered to the student and administration no later than 10 business days after the hearing. The Committee decision is final.

Adopted August 9, 2005
Revised July 21, 2008