Section 132M-126-045 - Appeal from disciplinary action(1) The respondent may appeal a disciplinary action by filing a written notice of appeal with the conduct review officer within ten days of the student conduct officer's decision. Failure to file a notice of appeal timely constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal and the student conduct officer's decision shall be deemed final.(2) The notice of appeal must include a brief statement explaining why the respondent is seeking review.(3) The parties to an appeal shall be the respondent and the conduct review officer.(4) A respondent, who timely appeals a disciplinary action or whose case is referred to the student conduct committee, has a right to a prompt, fair, and impartial hearing as provided for in these procedures.(5) On appeal, the college bears the burden of establishing the evidentiary facts underlying the imposition of a disciplinary sanction by a preponderance of the evidence.(6) Imposition of disciplinary action for violation of the student conduct code shall be stayed pending appeal, unless respondent has been summarily suspended.(7) The student conduct committee shall hear appeals from:(a) The imposition of disciplinary suspensions in excess of ten instructional days;(c) Discipline cases referred to the committee by the student conduct officer, the conduct review officer, or the president.(8) Student conduct appeals from the imposition of the following disciplinary sanctions shall be reviewed through a brief adjudicative proceeding: (a) Suspensions of ten instructional days or less;(b) Disciplinary probation;(c) Written reprimands; and(d) Any conditions or terms imposed in conjunction with one of the foregoing disciplinary actions.(9) Except as provided elsewhere in these rules, disciplinary warnings and dismissals of disciplinary actions are final and are not subject to appeal.(10) In cases involving allegations of sexual misconduct, the complainant has the right to appeal the following actions by the student conduct officer following the same procedures as set forth above for the respondent:(a) The dismissal of a sexual misconduct complaint; or(b) Any disciplinary sanction(s) and conditions imposed against a respondent for a sexual misconduct violation, including a disciplinary warning.(11) If the respondent timely appeals a decision imposing discipline for a sexual misconduct violation, the college shall notify the complainant of the appeal and provide the complainant an opportunity to intervene as a party to the appeal.(12) Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, a complainant who timely appeals a disciplinary decision or who intervenes as a party to the respondent's appeal of a disciplinary decision shall be afforded the same procedural rights as afforded the respondent.Wash. Admin. Code § 132M-126-045
Adopted by WSR 21-01-145, Filed 12/17/2020, effective 1/17/2021