Group Accountability Process

The University of Virginia is committed to developing responsible citizen leaders by providing a learning environment that is guided by our foundational values of honor, integrity, trust, and respect. We support this commitment through the Group Accountability Process. This process provides student groups or organizations with an educational, fair, and impartial means for resolving reports where a student group or organization may have violated the Standards of Conduct or University policies.

Note: The University’s response to allegations of hazing is guided by the Procedures for Reports of Hazing.

Student Self-Governance

Unlike most other colleges and universities, University of Virginia administrators do not adjudicate conduct cases. As such, the Group Accountability Process does not control this adjudicatory function or otherwise replace or supersede the University’s long standing and time tested student-run systems which include the Honor Committee and University Judiciary Committee (UJC). Our accountability process outlines how we will initially approach any report we receive alleging a student group may have violated the Standards of Conduct or University policies.  

Any cases requiring a formal resolution (i.e., adjudication) will be referred to the UJC. The UJC maintains its own constitution and bylaws which establish procedures for the formal resolution of referred reports. A member of the Student Affairs Policy, Accountability, and Critical Events (PACE) team (or designee) may serve as a complainant for these cases. Students, faculty, staff, and community members may also submit reports of alleged student or student group misconduct directly to the UJC. 

Navigating the Process

When a report is received, a PACE team member will review the report to determine if there is reasonable cause to believe the Standards of Conduct or University policies were violated. In addition, PACE may confer with other appropriate University departments including Student Engagement, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Title IX, and Equal Opportunity & Civil Rights among others. If there is reason to believe a violation may have occurred, a student group can expect the following next steps:

1Request to Meet. PACE will send a message to the president or other leader of record in the student group to request a meeting. This initial outreach communication may contain some brief information regarding the incident. A student group is required to send a representative to a meeting requested by a University official regarding a potential Standard of Conduct or policy violation.
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Meeting. If a meeting is requested, the president or other student leader should promptly schedule one with PACE to discuss the report. The goals of this meeting are to: 

  • Discuss the Report. Details of the report will be provided to the student leader who will then have an opportunity to share their organization's perspective on the matter. 

  • Review Community Expectations. All relevant Standards of Conduct and University policies will be reviewed with the student leader to ensure understanding of community expectations. 

  • Invite Reflection. The student leader will have an opportunity to reflect on the matter in question, including next steps the organization might take to investigate the matter further, address any harm or adverse outcomes, cooperate with national or alumni organizations, and prevent a reoccurrence. 

  • Share Resources. Appropriate support resources will be shared with the student leader. This may include a referral to Care and Support Services, Student Engagement, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Counseling and Psychological Services, WahooWell, or other resources as appropriate. 

In some cases, PACE may conduct a joint meeting with representatives from Fraternity and Sorority Life, Student Engagement, or other University units. 

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Resolution. During and following the meeting, a PACE team member will consider if the report may be resolved informally. Informal resolution is typically appropriate for first time, less serious incidents. Reports involving serious or recurring violations of the Standards of Conduct or University policies generally are ineligible for informal resolution. 

  • Informal Resolution. Through discussion with a PACE team member, a student group may choose to accept responsibility for its actions, agree to abide by community expectations, and – if appropriate to the situation – commit to participating in educational interventions. If the student group satisfactorily completes this process, the matter is concluded.
  • Formal Resolution. The student group will be referred to the UJC for adjudication. More details regarding the formal resolution processes can be found on the UJC’s website.

If you have any questions about the Student Accountability Process, please contact PACE at [email protected].

Amnesty through Responsible Action

Safety is our highest priority. The University encourages students to act responsibly by calling Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for themselves or others when there is an alcohol or other drug emergency. Accordingly, the University will offer amnesty to students for minor policy violations (e.g., use of alcohol or drugs) when students do the following or the following is done for them: 

Call 911 for help. 

Care for fellow students by staying with them until EMS or University officials arrive. 

Cooperate with EMS and University officials if they ask questions, request more information, or seek assistance. 

Amnesty is not intended to shield students who repeatedly violate or engage in serious violations of University policies. In such cases, the University reserves the right to take appropriate action based upon the circumstances of each case.

Important Topics

Accommodations

The Student Disability Access Center (SDAC) provides reasonable accommodations to University programs and services, including the Group Accountability Process. For more information on SDAC services, please visit their website or contact them at [email protected]. 

Advisor/Support Person

Student organization members may have an advisor or support person accompany them to any meetings with our team. Please note that students must communicate in advance the name of their support person who will be in attendance at the meeting. An advisor or support person can be a family member, friend, attorney, or any other individual as long as they are not a party or witness to this matter.   

Participation

Students must speak for themselves during the meeting and the advisor or support person cannot advocate on behalf of the student. All communication to our team must originate from the student, and our team will not solely communicate with an advisor or support person—including attorneys.  

During the meeting, a student may choose not to share any additional information with our team. However, we may proceed with our inquiry and make decisions without the benefit of the student's participation, potentially bypassing the opportunity for informal resolution. In addition, lack of cooperation during a student group inquiry or investigation may result in an adverse inference by our team leading to potentially more serious consequences for the organization.  

Privacy

We are committed to protecting student privacy to the greatest extent under the law. All information will be handled in accordance with the regulations established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 

Title IX and Sexual Misconduct

The Title IX Office within Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) responds to, investigates, and resolves any reports implicating the Policy on Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. For more information regarding their process, please visit their website or contact them at [email protected]. 

Discrimination and Harassment

Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights (EOCR) responds to, investigates, and resolves any reports implicating the Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment (PADH) policy. For more information regarding their process, please visit their website or contact them at [email protected]. 

Helpful Links

Standards of Conduct
The Record - Student Policies
Honor Committee
University Judiciary Committee