FAQs for Advisors

I have been asked to serve as an advisor in a student conduct proceeding. Do I need to let the university know?

The Student Code of Conduct states that students have the right to have one person serve as a personal advisor/counselor to consult during the student conduct proceedings. A personal advisor or counselor (who in some cases may be an attorney) may appear at student conduct proceedings with the accused student to provide advice but may not represent the student or directly question or cross-examine witnesses.  There is no restriction on who a student may consult or seek advice from. 

It is the responsibility of the student to inform the university that you will be serving as an advisor. This notification may happen at any time prior to your involvement in the student’s case.

Students who have advisors will be asked to complete a privacy release form so that information from that student’s conduct file maybe shared with their advisor. Students may complete this form at any time by contacting the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities at osrr@purdue.edu.

Why can the university take action when an incident occurred off campus?

The General Order on Judicial Standards of Procedure and Substance in Review of Student Discipline in Tax Supported Institutions of Higher Education, 45 F.R.D. 133, 145 (1969) states, “In the field of discipline, scholastic and behavioral, an institution may establish any standards reasonably relevant to the lawful missions, processes, and functions of the institution…Standards so established may apply to student behavior on and off campus when relevant to any lawful mission, process, or function of the institution. By such standards of student conduct the institution may prohibit any action or omission which impairs, interferes with, or obstructs the missions, processes and functions of the institution.”

As it pertains to Purdue University, the University, through the delegated authority of the President, reserves the right to investigate and adjudicate incidents occurring off campus which may violate the Student Code of Conduct. Some examples of behaviors which may warrant the university taking action include situations in which a student has demonstrated flagrant disregard for any person or persons; or when a student’s or student organizations’ behavior is judged to threaten the health, safety, and/or property of any individual or group; or any other activity which adversely affects the University community and/or the pursuit of its objectives.

The action of the university administrative conduct officer(s) shall be made independent of any off-campus authority. Please refer to Purdue University Student Code of Conduct for further information.

What is the standard of proof in the student conduct process? 

Purdue University uses a standard of proof called Preponderance of the Information to determine if a violation of the code of Student Conduct has occurred.

Preponderance of the Information means it is more likely than not that a particular behavior or event took place. This is a different, and less strict, standard of proof than is used in the criminal court system. The student conduct conferences at Purdue University are not criminal proceedings, nor do they follow the same guidelines as a criminal proceeding.

What will happen if my student refuses to participate in the student conduct process?

A decision on whether your student is responsible for the pending charges will be made in the student’s absence based on the contents of the student’s conduct file. Typically, the University will place a hold on the student’s registration as well as transcripts and mandate that the student attend a meeting with their conduct officer before being allowed to register for future semesters.

Can my student delay the student conduct proceedings until the criminal matter is resolved?

No. Since the university student conduct proceeding is separate from the criminal court proceeding and the outcome of a criminal court case has no bearing on the outcome of a university student conduct proceeding, the university will not delay a conduct proceeding from this reason.

What if my student has an academic commitment, funeral to attend or illness that conflicts with the scheduled student conduct conference?

Should your student need to reschedule the conduct conference for an academic commitment not noted on the student’s class schedule, funeral, or illness please have them contact the OSRR at osrr@purdue.edu to discuss their concern and request and alternative conference time.

What other rights are afforded to students in the Student Conduct process?

A complete listing of rights that students have in the University’s student conduct process can be found on the Purdue University Student Code of Conduct website at:

https://www.purdue.edu/studentregulations/student_conduct/regulations.html