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Division of Student Affairs

Current and proposed timeline for review of student conduct process and changes to the rules*

2016

November ‘16

  • The University hires the law firm Lyons O’Dowd to review WSU’s student conduct process for instances of alleged racial and ethnic bias in decisions made by the conduct board
  • The WSU community and public are invited to submit comments online about the current student conduct process

December ‘16

  • The University creates a 15-member Student Conduct Process Task Force to carry out a comprehensive review of the current student conduct process
  • The task force begins its information gathering

2017

January ‘17

  • President Schulz approves temporary emergency rules (the Standards of Conduct for Students) governing student conduct matters following a Dec. 1 state Court of Appeals ruling in another case stipulating that WSU and other public institutions of higher education in the state must use a full adjudication process in cases in which a student faces possible expulsion or is accused of sexual assault
  • The emergency rules are filed with the Code Reviser’s Office and will become permanent rules. (The rules will undergo further modifications based upon the review being conducted by the Student Conduct Process Task Force.)
  • University administration reviews emergency rules with the Board of Regents and provides an update on the Student Conduct Process Task Force
  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force continues its information gathering and review process

February ‘17

  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force continues its information gathering and review process
  • Lyons O’Dowd compiles a draft of the findings from its investigation

March ‘17

  • The University releases the Lyons O’Dowd report
  • University administration update the Board of Regents about the work of the Student Conduct Process Task Force at the board’s March meeting
  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force continues its information gathering and review process

May ‘17

June ‘17

  • The Board of Regents votes to approve making permanent the emergency conduct rules enacted in January

October-December ‘17

  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force continues its information gathering and review process

2018

January ‘18

  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force finishes it work, submitting 32 recommendations for revising the University’s conduct rules that are included in a report submitted to WSU President Kirk Schulz

February ‘18

  • The Student Conduct Process Task Force hosted public information sessions February 14-19, 2018 on campuses statewide and online to allow the WSU community and the public to provide input about the group’s recommendations

March ‘18

  • Following completion of the public information sessions held in February, President Schulz will determine which of the recommendations to adopt
  • The WSU division of the state Office of the Attorney General will use the recommendations adopted as the basis to draft revisions to the Washington Administrative Code that governs student conduct

October '18

  • Proposed Standards of Conduct published in the Washington State Register
  • Public comment period opens for proposed Standards of Comment

November '18

  • Public hearing regarding the proposed published Standards of Conduct held on the WSU Pullman campus and campuses statewide
  • Public comment period closes
  • Standards of Conduct approved by the Board of Regents

December '18

January '19

* Timeline subject to change

Communications from President Schulz

WSU News