Section 7. Rights of Complainants and Respondents

7.1 Prior to a University Student Conduct Board hearing, each party (i.e., the complainant(s) and respondent(s)) will be given written notice of the charges stating: the alleged facts upon which the charges are based, the sections of the Code of Student Conduct alleged to have been violated, the procedures to be used in resolving the charges, and the date, time, and location of the hearing. The University endeavors to deliver the notice at least three (3) University business days prior to the hearing. Notice will be considered complete when placed at the door of the address last given by the student to the University, delivered to the student’s University email account or in any other manner reasonably designed to give notice to the student. 

7.2 Each party will be given an opportunity to be heard before an impartial University Student Conduct Board or Conduct Advisor in a timely manner – usually within thirty (30) days of the filing of the written complaint. Attendance at Board hearings is limited to the University Student Conduct Board members and its Conduct Advisor and the parties immediately involved and their advisors. Witnesses are permitted access to the hearing room solely for the purpose of, and duration necessary to, provide testimony. Individuals not directly involved with the hearing in progress will not be permitted in the immediate vicinity of the hearing room.

7.3 Each party may have the opportunity to face the opposing party and/or to ask questions indirectly through the University Student Conduct Board. The Student Conduct Board has the discretion to determine the manner in which and to what extent questioning of witnesses may occur.

7.4 The University Student Conduct Board may be advised at all times by the Conduct Board Chairperson. No attorney will be permitted to participate in the hearing. Each Party is permitted to have one (1) self-selected Advisor present. The Advisor must be a student, faculty member or administrator at Robert Morris University, or the student’s parent or legal guardian. Advisors, when permitted to participate, are limited to the role of advising the student as described in Section 9.5. If an Advisor fails to abide by University policies, he/she will be removed from the proceedings and may be barred from acting as an Advisor in future University Student Conduct proceedings. In such circumstances the board will determine whether to proceed with the hearing without the presence of the Advisor or to forward the case to the Dean of Students for resolution before a Conduct Board Advisor. 

7.5 Each party will have the opportunity to present relevant testimony and/or evidence to the Conduct Board Members on their behalf and the opportunity to respond to testimony or evidence presented by other parties. The Conduct Board Chairperson will determine the relevance of testimony.  

7.6 An audio recording may be made of all board hearings involving violations of the Code of Student Conduct. This recording is the sole property of Robert Morris University and is only permitted for review by appropriate University officials as designated by the Dean of Students, and in accordance with FERPA.  

7.7 The Conduct Board endeavors to submit written notice of its confirmed decision to each party within five (5) University business days after the hearing is concluded. The Conduct Board’s notification to the Complainant may be limited due to the University’s compliance obligation under FERPA. A hearing is considered concluded at the point the University Student Conduct Board's deliberations are complete.