Student Accountability Process

Student 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 Student Accountability Process.

This process provides students with an educational, fair, and impartial means for resolving reports where a student may have violated the Standards of Conduct or University policies. Students are treated with care and respect while being afforded the opportunity to be heard.

Student Self-Governance

Unlike most other colleges and universities, University of Virginia administrators do not adjudicate student conduct cases. As such, the Student Accountability Process does not control this adjudicatory function or otherwise replace or supersede the University’s long-standing, 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 may have violated the Standards of Conduct or University policies.

Any cases requiring a formal resolution (i.e., adjudication) will be referred to the Honor Committee or UJC. The Honor Committee and UJC maintain their own constitution and bylaws which establish procedures for the formal resolution of reports that are referred to each respective committee. A member of the Student Affairs Policy, Accountability, and Critical Events (PACE) team may serve as a complainant for cases that are referred to either committee, though this is most often the case for Standard of Conduct complaints with the UJC. Students, faculty, staff, and community members may also submit reports of alleged student misconduct directly to each committee.

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. If so, students can expect the following to occur:

1

Request to Meet. PACE will send a message to the student’s University email address notifying them that a report was received alleging behavior that potentially violates the Standards of Conduct or University policies. The message will include important next steps the student must take to address the report, which may include scheduling a meeting with a PACE team member. 

Advisory Outreach. Some behavior may result in an advisory outreach letter sent by PACE to the reported student to share information on the Standard(s) of Conduct or University Policy that may have been violated. Advisory letters may include an educational program request that should be completed by the student in lieu of a meeting and/or more formal action. Students who receive an advisory outreach letter are not required to meet with a PACE team member unless they wish to do so, with the expectation that the behavior will not continue and the educational request contained in the letter is completed. If the student does not wish to complete the educational program, the PACE team member may require a meeting.  

2

Meeting. If a meeting is requested, the student will promptly schedule one with PACE to discuss the report. The goals of this meeting are: 

  • Discuss the Report. Details of the report will be provided to the student, and the student will have an opportunity to share their perspective on the matter. 
  • Review Community Expectations. All relevant Standards of Conduct and University policies will be reviewed with the student to ensure they understand our community expectations. 
  • Invite Reflection. The student will have an opportunity to reflect on the report, the decisions they made involving the matter in question, and future decisions they can make to promote safer, healthier outcomes in compliance with the Standards of Conduct and University policies.  
  • Share Resources. Appropriate supportive resources will be shared with the student. This may include a referral to Care and Support Services, Counseling and Psychological Services,  WahooWell, or other resources as appropriate. 
3

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 may choose to accept responsibility for their actions, agree to abide by community expectations, and – if appropriate to the situation – commit to participating in educational interventions. If the student satisfactorily completes this process, the matter is concluded and no disciplinary record will result.  
  • Formal Resolution. The student will be referred to the Honor Committee or UJC for adjudication. More details regarding the formal resolution processes can be found on each committee’s website. If there is a finding of responsibility by either committee, a disciplinary record will result. 

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 Student Accountability Process. For more information on SDAC services, please visit their website or contact them at [email protected].

Advisor/Support Person

Students may have an advisor or support person accompany them to any meetings with the PACE team. 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 the matter in question. Please note that students must communicate in advance the name of their support person who will be in attendance at the meeting. If a student wishes for PACE to communicate with an advisor or any other individual outside of a joint meeting, the student must submit an Authorization and Release Form.   

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.  

Participation

Students are required to attend any meetings requested or scheduled by a PACE team member pursuant to an incident report. A registration and/or degree hold may be placed on a student's account, among other potential accountability measures, for failing to attend such meetings.   

During the meeting, the 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.  

Privacy

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

To allow our team to discuss an accountability matter with any other person, including a family member, attorney, or friend, the student must submit an Authorization and Release Form. 

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