Sul Ross State University

Policies & Disciplinary Process

As a memeber of the Sul Ross State University community, each student is responsible for knowing and abiding by the policies and procedures of the University. Students living in the residential communities are expected to adhere to all policies and procedures noted in the Student Handbook and Residential Living Handbook. 

Students living in the residential communities are also expected to hold each other to a high standard when it comes to community life. However difficult this may be, this expectation includes confronting and reporting other residents who choose not to act in accordance to established policies.

University policies and state/federal law will be enforced at all times in University residential communities. The Resident Assistant staff is eager to help students develop their knowledge of these guidelines so each resident's community experience will be as enjoyable and as safe possible. Residents who violate policy are subject to administrative disciplinary procedures and/or criminal charges.

It is important for all students living in Lobo Village to become familiar with the disciplinary process.  Please be aware of the following:

• Reporting Negative Conduct- The Beginning of the Disciplinary Process
• Scheduling a Conduct Meeting
• Meeting with the Administrative Discipline Officer
• Apropriate Sanctions
• Appeals Process

Damage Fines

During the closing of the halls and when residents move out of their apartments, specific fines may be assessed for damages.  Each resident is encouraged to walk through his/her unit or apartment with a resident assistant at check-out.  The RA will conduct a preliminary assessment of the room condition and the resident should sign this assessment.  However, a professional staff member will provide a final assessment and the Director will review and authorize all fines before they are posted to a student's account. 

The entire list of damage charges and check-out charges can be found here.

Reporting Negative Conduct- The Beginning of the Disciplinary Process

Any resident can report negative or inproper conduct to a residential living staff member.  Simply find any RA in the community and report your concern.  The RA will follow up by speaking with the person(s) violating community policies and any witnesses.  If the situation warrants other University personnell getting involved (i.e. Residential Living Director or Assistant Director, UDPS officers, and/or other law enforcement), the RA will contact those additional resources. The RA will write an incident report or an information report about the situation listing all students involved (directly and indirectly).  The RA will then submit his/her report to the appropriate administrator.

Scheduling a Conduct Meeting

Once an incident report has been received in the Office of Residential Living the appropriate disciplinary hearing officer will contact the students involved to schedule a conduct meeting. Minor infractions will usually be handled by the Assistant Director of Residential Living. For a list of minor infractions click here. More serious infractions such as noncompliance, alcohol, harassment, drugs, and assault will be handled by the Director and/or the Dean of Student Life.

The hearing officer will attempt to make contact with those involved with an official letter notifying them of the alleged misconduct. The letter may be hand-delivered by a student office assistant or an RA. If this means of contact is unsuccessful the officer will attempt to reach the student by email, phone, campus mail, or personal contact.  Students contacted will have 5 class days to schedule and meet with the appropriate hearing officer.

Meeting with the Administrative Disciplinary Hearing Officer

The University seeks to make the disciplinary process fair and consisten.  It is important for students to treat their meeting with any hearing officer as serious as possible. When meeting with the hearing officer the student should explain his/her side of the story and include all relevant information. In some cases where there are multiple students involved, more than one meeting may be needed before a decision can be made by the officer. This allows time for everyone invovled to speak on his/her behalf and ensures fairness and equality in the process.

Appropriate Sanctions

Once the hearing officer has reviewed all the reports and met with everyone involved, he/she will first decide if the student is responsible for the policy violation. He/she will then decide on an appropriate sanction. Sanctions may include an essay of reflection, monetary fine, revocation of certain privleges, eviction from the community or anything in between. 

A general guideline of sanctions for common violations can be found here.

Students are given a timeframe in which they must comply with the sanction.  If a student does not comply with the sanction within the specified time period, a registration hold will be placed on the student's account which will prevent the student from registering for upcoming semesters. The hold will also prevent students from obtaining a transcript to transfer to another college or university. The hold will remain on the student's account until all sanctions have been met and fulfilled.

Appeals Process

Students should be aware that there is a University appeals process which allows them to contest the sanction and decision of discipline officers.  With each decision made by an officer, the student can elect to appeal the decision to next higher officer.  To do so, a student must submit this request in writing to the appropriate administrator within 5 class days.  The chain of disciplinary hearing officers is as follows (from bottom to top):