Adjudicating student conduct is a crucial aspect of the Hall Director role and, by taking on this responsibility, the Hall Director plays a pivotal role in maintaining a safe, respectful, and productive learning environment within their community. But, if you’re like most Hall Directors, this may be something that turns your stomach into knots. This was my perspective during my first couple of years in ResLife but it grew to be one of the highlights, connecting with students who typically weren’t involved in traditional hall programming and initiatives. At times this would be a great way to gain a better understanding as to how the student’s year was going with a surface-level interaction; for others, it was an opportunity to provide a critical intervention to address the student’s behavioral concerns and how it was impacting their experience at the university. While many get anxious about having difficult conversations, this is a way that you can effectively step in and help the student identify a better path forward.
When it comes to adjudication, there are a few key principles to identify. This is a process that is typically maintained by the administration of Residence Life or the Dean of Students, so if you feel like something is missing that should be addressed, talk it over with your supervisor.
- Due Process & Impartiality – The whole point of a conduct meeting is to give the alleged an opportunity to share their side of the story. Due process starts with an effective notice of the meeting and what they are being accused of. Impartiality starts earlier than that: if the student is a frequent flier in the conduct process, a hearing officer may already make assumptions about what they believe is happening. Regardless of a resident’s history with the process, we need to give them a fresh slate to help ensure that bias doesn’t enter into this process. If you feel that you cannot be neutral given personal relationships or preconceived notions, see if you can trade cases with someone else on your team to ensure that a fair hearing is held for the student.
- Confidentiality & Consistency – Protecting the privacy of all parties involved is crucial. (FERPA, anyone?) Information regarding the case at hand should only be shared with those directly involved in the process. A hearing officer needs to be cautious on sharing information with others on the team, particularly with student staff. There are times when pertinent information may be relevant to note to on-call staff or to the team as a whole. If you believe that a situation has arisen to that level, you should consult with your supervisor. Consistency is also important to ensure that everyone has a comparable experience within the hearing. If you have a large group of students involved with a particular situation, they should receive the same treatment throughout the process.
- Educational Focus – While this is last on the list, this is paramount to creating an effective hearing process. The goal of adjudication should not just be punitive but it should aim to educate residents on the policies and address why they exist. I have found that understanding the “why” of the policy has ensured that residents do not continue to habitually violate the same policies repeatedly. This also connects to the outcomes assigned if the student is found responsible for alleged behavior. If your institution allows for educational outcomes, such as hosting programs, creating bulletin boards, and other actions of this nature, those can be more influential on a student’s behavior than a warning or a semester of probation. Providing students with opportunities for reflection, growth, and learning from their mistakes can lead to better outcomes for both the individuals and the community.
When it comes to approaching the conduct elements of the Hall Director role, there are three tips I want to share that will help you find success with the process:
- Support & Education – Have you ever been involved in a conduct meeting as a student? I was in one during my first-year as a student as a result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was scared: I received a letter about what the potential charges were and the details of the meeting. I sat outside of my Hall Director’s office thinking that I was potentially going to be expelled. But I was greeted with a smile when my Hall Director opened the door and they spent at least ten minutes shooting the breeze before talking about the situation at hand. I had previous interactions with them before but it really took the edge off and I felt like I was able to open up more fully; I knew they were here to help, not that they were out to get me. That feeling should be something all hearing officers attempt to evoke. We talk to students about some heavy stuff but that shouldn’t be eclipsed by caring for the individual and their success. First and foremost, the student should feel that a hearing officer is friendly but fair. That will make it significantly easier to challenge behavioral issues and when sharing resources for success. Don’t sleep on the importance of rapport building in conduct meetings!
- Transparency & Communication – Most institutions have a “canned” message that they use for conduct hearing notifications. Generally these are helpful and informative to students, giving them a good idea of what to expect. But I’d be interested to know how many students read beyond the meeting details and what the alleged policy violations are. There were many meetings I had where students weren’t sure what would happen during a conduct meeting or what their rights were during the process. After spending some time on rapport, I would share a general outline of what conduct meetings look like so that the students would know when they would be able to share their perspective they had prepared. Clarity is also a critical component of ending the meeting, sharing a timeline of when the student can expect to receive communication about the decision made from the meeting and what next steps for them will look like. Give students you work with an opportunity to ask questions to provide the transparency they need for peace of mind.
- Clear Policies & Procedures – When students choose to live on campus, they also acknowledge that they have read the policies and agree to abide by them. I would be curious to know how many students actually know the policies they are being held to; just like any Terms of Service, it’s a box that most blindly accept. Being proactive in policy education can be helpful to mitigate some of your conduct load throughout the semester. Signage can be helpful to ensure that students are informed, so long as they are not distracted by their phones or friends. Education events, like Policy Jeopardy, is also a great tool to help inform residents. In my communication as a Hall Director, I made sure to include a link to the university’s policies in my welcome email and, when conduct meetings occur, I directly reference and read from the policies as they’re stated. Clarity of policies are likely out of your control as the Hall Director but it’s something to address to your supervisor if verbiage is unclear or if it seems that there are other considerations to make with various policies.
By following these three steps, I’m confident that you can have a productive conduct hearing with students and make strong relationships along the way. Just because a student makes a poor decision does not make them a bad student. Utilize the hearing as a pivotal moment in the trajectory of the student. Your influence and support can encourage them in their journey toward graduation.
