Proceedings of the Undergraduate Honor Council—investigations, interviews with potential witnesses, hearings, etc.—may be recorded by the University. Recordings not authorized by the Honor Council adviser or the Honor Council hearing a case, or by the Vice Provost and Dean of Students or designee, are prohibited. Absent a reasonable accommodation as determined by Student Access, language translation services will not be used to foster communication between the accused student, witnesses, or other and the Honor Council or investigators; student will represent themselves using their own words and understanding of questions.
The procedures of the Undergraduate Honor Council aim to resolve reported matters within ninety (90) business days absent extenuating circumstances. Investigations and hearings (Resolution Process) may be paused over University breaks, holidays, and any recess taken by the Honor Council. Involved parties may waive procedural waiting or review periods to expedite the Resolution Process with notice in writing to Student Accountability. With notice in writing to the involved parties, Student Accountability may waive procedural waiting or review periods to expedite the Resolution Process for incidents that potentially impact Commencement.
Any person or role specifically named in the procedures of the Honor Council includes their designee.
Investigation
- When an alleged violation of the Honor Code is reported, a staff member from Student Accountability will be assigned to investigate the incident.
- The assigned investigator will interview the accuser and collect any available information or documentation related to the alleged violation. Upon notice of the investigation proceeding, the accuser has up to seven (7) business days to respond to initial outreach from the investigator and provide evidence to support their claim. Requests for extensions must be made to the investigator in writing. In the absence of an extension, if the accuser does not respond to the investigator, Student Accountability will determine if the matter should be closed due to a lack of information. If the matter is closed, the accuser will be notified that the faculty of record may still issue a warning consistent with the Faculty Manual.
- The accused student(s) will be notified in writing that a report has been filed and that they are required to meet with an investigator no later than seven (7) business days from the date of the notice. Requests for extensions must be made to Student Accountability by phone call or email. If the accused does not meet with the investigator and no extension is granted, the investigation may proceed in the accused’s absence. Additionally, the Honor Council may send a notice to the Office of the University Registrar to enter an Incomplete and add a notation to the accused’s academic record stating "Honor Council Investigation Pending," including if the accused is not compliant or if the investigation or hearing will continue beyond the end of the semester (i.e., becomes a “holdover case”).
- During the initial meeting, the investigator will meet with the accused to present a written Statement of Charges, a brief description of the alleged violation, and an explanation of the possible consequences if the accused student is found responsible of a breach of the Vanderbilt Honor Code. During the initial meeting, the accused will also be informed of the procedures that will be followed. The accused may choose not to make any statement at the time of the initial meeting and may instead request a three-day wait period before making a statement. The decision to proceed or request a three-day wait has no bearing on the final decision.
- During the meeting where the accused makes a statement, the investigator will ask the accused to explain his/her/their own account of the events surrounding the alleged violation. The accused will also be asked to enter a plea of responsible or not responsible to each charge at the conclusion of the first investigative meeting. The accused may also provide relevant documentation or information to support his/her/their account of events at the time of the meeting. Alternatively, the accused may take up to seven (7) business days after completing the meeting to provide any supporting evidence, material witnesses, or other relevant materials for review. Students should communicate with the investigator about their interest in doing so such that the investigator may proceed sooner than seven (7) business days if the accused will not submit additional information.
- After any meeting with the accuser or the accused, the investigator will provide a written summary to the party for review and allow two (2) business days after the written summary is provided for the submission of suggested revisions. Any investigative meeting held with a student may be recorded. Recordings are personal notes solely for the use of the investigator to prepare the investigative report. Recordings will not be kept as part of the formal record and will not be shared with any other individuals involved in the resolution of the incident or any accused student(s).
- If the accused provides material witnesses and the investigator determines that they have relevant information, the investigator may contact the witnesses. Material witnesses have seven (7) business days to meet with an investigator after receiving notice. Failure to meet with an investigator within that period will be treated as declining to participate, and the accused will be notified.
- Given the nature of University adjudication procedures (including the proceedings of University Honor Councils), the testimony of, and information derived from, experts, such as the reports of handwriting experts, are not admissible and will not be considered, except in rare circumstances. In those rare cases, determinations as to the admissibility of testimony of or evidence derived from an expert will be made in the sole discretion of the Director of Student Accountability, or their designee. The Director of Student Accountability may appoint a faculty member as an expert witness and will only do so when the content of the allegation requires a level of expertise that a student panelist reasonably could not make an informed determination of responsibility without the context the expert witness is capable of providing. If the Director of Student Accountability appoints a faculty member as an expert witness, the accused student will be notified as to the subject matter expertise and be given an opportunity to call a member of the faculty with similar expertise. Under no circumstances, however, will the use of polygraph examinations be permitted.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, the investigator will assemble the relevant evidence and testimony in an investigative report that contains the notice of charges, summaries of material information from investigative meetings, and relevant course or assignment materials. The investigator will provide the investigative report to the president of the Honor Council, who will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to warrant a hearing by the Council. If the president determines a hearing is necessary, the president will also determine whether the charges will be heard by a full panel or a small panel.
- At least three (3) business days before the hearing, the accuser and the accused student(s) will be granted access to view the investigative report so that he/she/they may comment at the hearing on any corrections or clarifications they feel are necessary or appropriate.
- Failure to participate in an investigation results in a full panel being convened with notice to the accused student of the time and date; the accused student may still choose to participate in the hearing.