Frequently Asked Questions

Students are contacted by the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility if they were involved in an incident that in some way may violate the Student Code of Conduct. The meeting they are scheduled to attend is for a Community Standards Conference (CSC). This is a meeting between a CSSR staff member and the student to discuss the reported incident. During this meeting, students will have the opportunity to share their perspective of events. CSSR staff will discuss the alleged violation, procedural process, and potential outcomes. 

Additionally, the CSC is a required meeting. If a student does not attend their scheduled CSC, the CSC will be rescheduled for a second attempt. If a student misses both scheduled meetings, a decision will be made in the student’s absence regarding the outcome of the case.

If unable to attend the SC for any reason, the student should contact their assigned hearing officer to reschedule (Housing Staff or CSSR).

Yes, the email is safe to open. Maxient is the official software that CSSR uses. The email you received is not a scam and is an official communication.

To open the communication, you will need to use your PID and including the P

• Example: P100000000

Your letter will appear in PDF format and should be printed or saved for your records. It will remain accessible through this link for 30 days. CSSR recommends that you save your letter to your computer once you retrieve the letter for easy review and access.

As stated in the Student Code of Conduct, "As we like to remind students, they are Bobcats no matter where they are. This means that each member of the OHIO community is responsible for their behavior, both on and off campus."

Our office receives reports from various reporting agencies:

• Housing and Residence Life
• OHIO Police, Athens Police, Ohio Department of Public Safety
• Faculty and Staff
• Students

Students are permitted to have legal representation. However, an attorney/lawyer is not able to speak on behalf of the student or ask questions during the student conduct process. Their role is primarily to counsel the student, and to advise the student to speak or not speak during the process.

Students may have an advisor and a support person.

• An advisor is an Ohio University employee or student selected by the student to assist them throughout the student conduct process. The advisor may advise and assist the student in the preparation, accompaniment, and participation in the student conduct process. Advisors may not be a witness to the matter at hand and they may not provide any direct information or testimony at any point in the process. Advisors are not provided as part of the student conduct process, and students wishing to use an advisor are responsible for obtaining one.  
• A support person may be any person that is there to support the student through the student conduct process- this can be a family member or friend. A support person is not permitted to participate in the process and cannot speak or ask questions. A support person cannot be an advisor or a witness as well.  

Students Defending Students (SDS) is a part of the Ohio University Student Senate. They are a group of students who are willing to serve as advisors to students going through the student conduct process. For students looking for assistance, SDS may be a good starting point. SDS are located in Baker 302, their phone is: 740-593-4045, and their email is: studentsdefendingstudents@gmail.com. CSSR recommends contacting SDS as soon as possible so that they will be better able to assist you before your scheduled meeting.

You will need to review your financial and/or scholarship requirements. The Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships may be better able to assist. 

The criminal process and the student conduct process are two separate processes. They may occur at the same time, but they are distinctly different. CSSR is interested in the alleged violations of the Code of Conduct.  

The student conduct process:

• operates under a "preponderance of evidence" standard which is different than the standard that is used in a criminal process.
• is less formal than a criminal process, and allows staff to talk to students about the student experience, their behavior, and the impact of their behavior. 
• allows staff to cater sanctions to students and individualize the experience.

It is possible. When students under the age of 21 at the time of the incident and are found responsible for an alcohol or other drug offense, the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility will routinely notify students' parents/guardians in writing. Written notification will detail the fact that the student has been found responsible for an alcohol or other drug offense. 

If a student is looking to share information regarding a case with our office with a parent and/or guardian, students are encouraged to complete a Release of Information Form.

Students may appeal within 5 business days after receiving their outcome letter. The link and the appeal process is outline in the outcome letter. Appeals that are submitted outside of the 5 day window are not reviewed. 

If you cannot locate your outcome letter, please contact CSSR by calling 740-593-2629 or by emailing communitystandards@ohio.edu and ask for your letter to be resent.

If there is a hold on your account from CSSR, it is most likely due to an overdue sanction. Please review the letter you were sent and complete the necessary sanctions. Once the sanction has been submitted through the sanction submission form, students will receive a confirmation email once the review process has started. Typically, the review process can take anywhere from 2-5 business days. Please notify staff members if there is an urgent need to have the hold temporarily lifted or if you believe the hold has been placed in error. 

Once you have received the confirmation email that your hold has been removed, you should see the hold lifted within the next 1-2 business hours.  

Sanctions must be submitted through the Online Sanction Submission Form. Sanctions submitted in person or emailed to your assigned hearing officer will not be accepted. 

Completed sanctions submitted must be in one of the following formats:

• PDF (.pdf)
• Microsoft Word (.docx)
• Photo (.jpg, .jpeg, or .png)

Once the sanction has been submitted through the sanction submission form, students will receive a confirmation email once the review process has started. Typically, the review process can take anywhere from 2-5 business days. 

It depends on the program and the specifications of the program. A sanction of probation usually does not affect a student's ability to register for class or other aspects of enrollment but may impact abilities to study abroad. Students are encouraged to contact Global Opportunities.

Student conduct records are maintained for seven academic years after the last documented incident. Records cannot be removed or sealed prior to the seven year window.

Students wishing to have their conduct records released must complete the Student Conduct Records Request Form. When submitting this form, the following information must also be provided:

• Any supplemental forms (Dean's Certification Form, Transfer Form, etc.) that need to be completed. Please be sure to complete your portion of that form before submitting the online request form.
• Where the records need to be sent, how the records need to be sent, and who the records need to be sent to after your records request has been completed.
• You are required to submit a photo of your Ohio University ID upon submission of the online request form. 

You will receive an update to your Ohio University email once your records request has been completed. Records requests may take 3-5 business days to complete. 

Student records will not be released directly to a student, but CSSR can provide a student with their outcome letter upon request. 

If a student has a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, CSSR will report the following:

• Date of incident
• Charges found in violation
• Sanctions and sanction status

The Sorority and Fraternity Housing Exemption Process is managed through the office of Sorority and Fraternity Life. Students are encouraged to review the Housing Exemption Policy, and to contact Sorority and Fraternity Life with any inquiries.