The Tulane Code of Conduct applies in and to members of our community broadly. The Code applies to all full and part-time university students, graduate, professional and doctoral students, student employees, and student organizations. The Tulane Code applies on and off campus. It also applies to on-line and electronic domains. Tulane University may choose to apply the Tulane Code at any time and in any context in which the university has an identifiable interest. The Director of Student Conduct or designee has discretion, subject to discretionary review by the Vice President for Student Affairs, to determine the jurisdiction and parameters of the Code.
Once a report has been submitted to the gatekeeper (Director) in the Office of Student Conduct, it will be deemed either a minor or major violation. For some minor violations, organizations may participate in a partnership process, which requires acknowledgment of responsibility and a learning action plan. With other minor violations, a representative of the organization (usually the president) will appear before the panel. With major violations, a conduct investigator will be assigned to gather evidence for the purpose of presenting the evidence to the panel for adjudication. Major violations may result in group or chapter suspension. With either type of case, representatives of the organization may be asked to meet with staff from the Office of Student Conduct.
After receipt of a referral from the gatekeeper, written notification of the hearing will be sent to the organization, in care of its leadership as designated by the organization. The notification will include the time, date, and location of the hearing or next meeting and provide information regarding the concerns to be addressed in the hearing. Each organization will have a designee for purposes of receiving notice under the Code.
The student hearing panel will also follow the same procedures as are used in an administrative hearing, with the exception that the student hearing panel with a chairperson will make the determinations made by a conduct officer in an administrative hearing.
After hearing relevant information and from relevant witnesses, a majority of the panel may make recommendations regarding transgressions of rules relating to organizations and may also recommend consequences. The chairperson will forward recommendations with a brief description of the proceedings to the Assistant Vice President for Campus Life or designee, who may choose to accept or reject the recommendations regarding transgressions and consequences. The Assistant Vice President for Campus Life or designee reviews the recommendations and consequences from the student hearing panel and may adjust them before they become final, subject to an organization’s right to appeal as set forth below.
With either case type, a hearing outcome letter will be sent to the designated representative of the organization. Please refer to the Code of Student Conduct for a more detailed outline of the conduct process.
