Honor at Reed

Resources for Honor Council, Judicial Board, Sexual Misconduct Board, AOD Review Panel

Judicial Board Process

Filing a Complaint

Complaints against a student while the college is in session are submitted in writing to a Chair of the Student Judicial Board (J-Board), who files a copy of the complaint with the Dean of Student Services before the case is heard. Complaints that include allegations of sexual misconduct are submitted to the Chair of the Sexual Misconduct Board (SMB) or the Title IX Coordinator (title-ix@reed.edu); complaints filed out of session will go to the chair of the appropriate Temporary Hearing Board. The Complainant does not need to be the alleged victim.

The written complaint must state:

  1. The grounds on which the complainant(s) believes that a violation of the honor principle or college rules has occurred.
  2. A brief description of the actions that the complainant(s) believes do constitute a violation.
  3. A list of the names of the persons believed to have committed a violation, if the names of such violators are known to the complainant(s).
  4. A list of witnesses with information pertinent to the case.
  5. A statement of why informal mediation was unsuccessful or did not occur.
  6. A statement that consents to the disclosure of the complaint to the respondent(s).

Before a Hearing

The J-Board or SMB must meet within a week of receiving a complaint, but under usual circumstances this will happen within a couple of days. A Hearing Board will then be formed, composed of five members and a Procedural Aide (PA). The PA will then contact and meet first with the complainant, next with the respondent, and then the witnesses to have each individual sign a consent and affirmation agreement and go over their rights and obligations. If this consent and affirmation agreement is not signed, the individual cannot participate in the case. No individual is bound, either by honor, policy or law, to participate in the case or to be present at the hearing. Any party or witness can submit written testimony before the hearing in lieu of or in addition to being present at the hearing.

Judicial Board Hearings

Judicial Board hearings, and most information regarding honor cases, are confidential. The order of the hearing proceeds as follows:
  1. The Hearing Board Chair (J-Board)/Hearing Facilitator (SMB) opens the hearing. At this point the complainant, respondent, and witnesses are all present.
  2. Both parties (complainant and respondent) give opening statements. During this period, the witnesses are not present.
  3. Next, both parties are questioned.
  4. After the initial round of questioning the parties, the witnesses are brought in one at a time and questioned.
  5. The Board takes a recess and decides if any party or witness needs to be questioned further.
  6. Following the end of questioning, both parties are given time to deliver their closing statements.
  7. The Hearing Board Chair (J-Board)/Hearing Facilitator (SMB) closes the hearing.

Hearing Board Deliberations and Recommendations

After the hearing has concluded and all testimony has been submitted, the Hearing Board deliberates on:

  • The facts and events of the case,
  • Any violations found, and
  • The recommendation to the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) regarding sanctions.

Deliberations are closed to the public, the procedural aide for the case, the Hearing Facilitator (SMB), and the rest of the Judicial Board not on the Hearing Board. The voting members (five for most hearing boards) hearing the case deliberate as a group. The Hearing Board determines a chronology of events (the finding of fact), the policy and honor violations such facts imply, and the recommended sanctions that such violations warrant. Deliberations generally take a prolonged period of time as the Board must be careful and thoughtful in considering all testimonies and options available to them. Once deliberations have concluded and the Hearing Board has made a decision, the Board collectively composes an extensive document to submit to the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) regarding the recommendations.

Letter from the Vice President for Student Life (or Designee)

Upon the conclusion of the Hearing Board’s deliberations, the Board submits to the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee)a document that includes the Board’s finding of fact, finding of violations, and recommended sanctions. The Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) reviews the submitted materials and determines whether or not (s)he agrees with the Board’s findings and recommendations. The Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) may choose to meet with the Hearing Board to discuss any confusion or disagreement that (s)he has with the contents of the document. The ultimate decision, however rests with the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee):  if the Board and Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) meet and still disagree about sanctions, for instance, the opinion of the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) is the final one. Once the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) makes a conclusion, (s)he sends a letter with such a ruling to the complainant and respondent of the case.  The letter that the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) sends to the parties includes information on how to appeal the decision. Possible sanctions include:

  • Expulsion
  • Suspension
  • Community service
  • Full exclusion from campus and all college-affiliated events
  • Limited exclusion from campus
  • Meetings with the Dean of Students (or designees)
  • Health and Counseling Center meetings
  • Alcohol and Other Drug use assessments or other therapeutic interventions
  • Consultation with other members of the community
  • Educational programs
  • Coursework at an external institution
  • Apologies
  • Behavioral expectations contract
  • Reflection essays
  • Financial restitution
  • Disciplinary probation
  • Information released outside the college
  • Loss of alumni privileges
  • Restriction and/or hold on transcripts, registration, and receipt of diploma until sanctions have been completed
  • No contact orders
  • Room inspection/search
  • Removal from Reed owned housing
  • Restrictions related to living in or accessing Reed owned housing
  • Restrictions or removal related to on campus student employment, appointed/volunteer positions, or participation in college organizations or events 

Appeals

Either the complainant or respondent may appeal the decision of the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee) within ten working days of his or her notification of the decision. An appeal may be made in writing to the Chair of the Appeals Board (except for academic misconduct cases that were originally heard by the J-Board, for which appeals are made in writing to the Chair of the Administration Committee), on the basis of any (or all) of the following three claims:

  1. The sanctions were too lenient or too severe,
  2. There was procedural error in the original hearing of the case that significantly affected the outcome, or
  3. There is new or newly discovered evidence that would have significantly affected the original decision.

The appeals board submits a recommendation to the Vice President for Student Life (or their designee). The JBoard Code specifies that the decision in an appeal must be made by someone who did not make prior decisions in the case.