Washington Administrative Code
Title 132R - Big Bend Community College
Chapter 132R-04 - Student conduct code
Section 132R-04-130 - Student disciplinary committee Hearing

(1) The student conduct administrative panel will conduct full adjudicative proceedings in accordance with the provisions of this standards of conduct for students code, the Administrative Procedure Act (chapter 34.05 RCW), and the model rules of procedure (chapter 10-08 WAC) including a hearing, determination of findings, conclusions, and sanctions. To the extent there is a conflict between the conduct code and the model rules, this student conduct code shall control.

(2) The committee chair shall serve all parties with written notice of the hearing not less than seven business days in advance of the hearing date. The chair may shorten this notice period if both parties agree, and also may continue the hearing to a later time for good cause.

(3) The committee chair is authorized to conduct prehearing conferences and/or to make prehearing decisions concerning the extent and forms of any discovery, issuance of protective orders, and similar procedural matters.

(4) Upon request filed at least five business days before the hearing by either party or at the direction of the committee chair, the parties shall exchange, no later than the third business day prior to the hearing, lists of potential witnesses and copies of potential exhibits that they reasonably expect to present in their respective cases. Failure to participate in good faith in such a requested exchange may be cause for exclusion from the hearing of any witness or exhibit not disclosed, unless the party can show good cause for such failure.

(5) The committee chair may provide to the committee members in advance of the hearing copies of (i) the student conduct officer's notification of imposition of discipline (or referral to the committee) and (ii) the notice of appeal (or any response to referral) by the respondent. If doing so, however, the chair should remind the members that these "pleadings" are not evidence of any facts they may allege.

(6) The parties may agree before the hearing to designate specific exhibits as admissible without objection and, if they do so, whether the committee chair may provide copies of these admissible exhibits to the committee members before the hearing.

(7) The student conduct officer shall provide reasonable assistance to the respondent, upon request, in obtaining relevant and admissible evidence that is within the college's control.

(8) Communications between committee members and other hearing participants regarding any issue in the proceeding, other than procedural communications that are necessary to maintain an orderly process, are generally prohibited without notice and opportunity for all parties to participate; any improper "ex parte" communication shall be placed on the record, as further provided in RCW 34.05.455.

(9) Each party may be accompanied at the hearing by a nonattorney assistant of their choice. A respondent or complainant in a case involving allegations of sexual misconduct may elect to be represented by an attorney at their own cost, but will be deemed to have waived that right unless, at least four business days before the hearing, written notice of the attorney's identity and participation is filed with the committee chair with a copy to the student conduct officer. The committee will ordinarily be advised by an assistant attorney general. If the respondent or complainant is represented by an attorney, the student conduct officer may also be represented by a second, appropriately screened assistant attorney general.

(10) In circumstances involving more than one accused student, the student conduct officer may permit joint or separate hearings upon request by a party.