Frequently Asked Questions for Parents
1) My daughter/son received a letter
from Student Judicial Affairs. What does that mean?
If your daughter/son received a letter from this office, this means she/he has
been charged with violating the Code of Conduct and needs to
schedule an appointment to see the Coordinator of Student Judicial Affairs. This appointment is
confidential and information from the appointment cannot be shared with others,
including parents, without a written release from the student. Please see
information on FERPA for complete rules about confidentiality, as well as
reasons why confidentiality could be broken.
2) Can I come with my daughter/son to the meeting with the Coordinator of
Student Judicial Affairs?
According to Student Rights and Responsibilities Governing Student Behavior,
students are allowed to bring one advisor to the meeting with them, but the
advisor may not speak or ask questions on behalf of the student. The advisor is
there in a supportive role, but may whisper to the student and confer with the
student while not participating directly in the meeting.
3) My daughter/son told me she/he did not do the things suggested in the letter.
What happens now?
The college years are a time of experimentation, growth, and change for most
college students. For many, this is the first time they are away from home and
their parents’ supervision. Your daughter/son will need to follow the
instructions given in the letter and make an appointment to discuss the alleged
violation(s) with the Coordinator of Student Judicial Affairs. After talking with your
daughter/son and getting her/his side of the story, the Coordinator of Student
Judicial Affairs
will make a decision regarding the student’s responsibility in the alleged
violation. If the student is found responsible for the violation(s), educational
and corrective sanctions may be applied. Your daughter/son needs to be prepared
to tell the truth during the meeting and make sure she/he has read the current
Student Rights and Responsibilities.
4) Why does my daughter/son have to come to a disciplinary hearing when they are
already going through the legal system for an offense? Isn’t that double
jeopardy?
Under authority granted by Article 6, Sections 31 and 31a of the Constitution of
the State of Oklahoma and Title 70, 1991 Oklahoma Statutes, Sections 3412(a),
(o), Oklahoma State University is granted full authority to distribute policies
and procedures governing the conduct of students. By enrolling at Oklahoma State
University, students accept responsibility for compliance with all University
policies and contracts. Disciplinary action may also be taken for any violation
of local ordinances, state or federal law, on or off campus that adversely
affects the University community or the pursuit of the University’s lawful
educational mission, process, or function. The University reserves the right to
take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well being of
the campus community. Students may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties
in addition to campus sanctions. Campus resolution may proceed before, during,
or after civil and/or criminal actions are concluded and is not subject to
challenge based on the action or inaction of civil authorities. (from Section II
of Student Rights and Responsibilities)
5) What is a sanction and why was my daughter/son given one?
Sanctions are educational or corrective measures designed to teach students why
certain behavior is inappropriate and not condoned and to ensure that certain
behavior does not occur in the future. Sanctions are not designed to be punitive but,
rather, the focus is on education. College is a time of learning, and sanctions
help facilitate learning when a student has engaged in behaviors that violate
the University’s Code of Conduct (Student Rights and Responsibilities document).
Sometimes, behavior is so serious and severe that the University is forced to
become more punitive, up to and including sanctions of suspension. However, for
the most part, sanctions are educational in nature. Sanctions are typically
discussed with the student and the student is given a chance to participate in
designing sanctions that would be educational. The following reflective
objectives/desired outcomes apply to University sanctions:
A. Self Reflection
Promote self-awareness of behavior, awareness of
appropriateness/inappropriateness of
behavior, awareness of institutional expectations
B. Impact on Others
Promote student understanding of how behavior impacted or could have impacted
others
C. Impact on University Community and/or Society
Promote student understanding of community and/or societal standards and norms
D. Impact on Personal Being
Promote self-awareness of potential physical or psychological impacts of
behavior
E. Impact on Personal Future
Promote self-awareness of potential impacts of behavior on student’s future
(choice of career, course of study, etc.)
F. Clarify Values
Clarify personal values and goals as well as impact of behavior on goal
attainment
G. Strong Deterrence and Awareness Raising
Serve as a serious and/or uncomfortable intervention to make clear the behavior
is not
condoned
Adapted from A Guide for Effective Sanctioning: From Theory to Practice (1999)
by Rick Olshak, p. 27.
6) I pay for my daughter/son’s education. Why can't you tell me anything about
the incident she/he was involved in??
All records maintained by Student Judicial Affairs are protected educational
records according to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). This Act
prevents records regarding students from being released to a third party without
the consent of the student. Educational records, such as discipline records, may
be released to a parent if the student signs a release form granting the
Coordinator of Student Judicial Affairs permission to discuss the file with the parent. There are some
exceptions to this law, such as if a student is under age 21 and has violated an
alcohol policy.
While information from individual
student records may usually not be discussed with others without a student's consent,
Student Judicial Affairs may always discuss issues of process with you.
7) What kinds of off-campus behavior could be subject to University disciplinary
action?
Examples of off-campus behavior which may be subject to University disciplinary
action include but are not limited to: selling or otherwise providing alcohol to
underage students, selling or distributing illicit drugs, sexual violence,
hazing, or actions which result in the serious injury or death of another
person(s). Sanctions for these violations will generally result in suspension or
expulsion from the University. (from Section II of Student Rights and
Responsibilities). Any action which interferes with the University’s lawful
educational mission, process, or function or adversely affects the University
community could be subject to University disciplinary action.