Student Academic Progress Committee Professionalism Hearing Procedures

The hearing procedure is as follows:

1. In advance of the hearing, the student will be informed of the charges, the hearing procedures, and his or her rights, including the right to be accompanied by a nonlegal support person of their choosing.

2. The SAPC Chair shall preside at the meeting. In the event that the Chair is not available, the meeting will be chaired by the Vice-Chair or another appropriate designee.

3. Prior to accepting testimony at the hearing, the presiding Chair shall rule on any motions questioning the impartiality of any committee member or the adequacy of the notice of the charges.

4. The individual(s) bringing charges will present the details of the circumstances in front of the full Committee and the student.

5. The individual(s) bringing the charge will then be excused.

6. The student will then be asked by the Committee to respond to the charges. The student may elect to acknowledge the correctness of the charge and offer any explanations of extenuating circumstances he or she feels that the Committee should consider in making its recommendation(s). The student may also dispute the charge and offer his/her defense.

7. At the end of the fact-finding phase of the hearing, the student may introduce additional records, such as character references. The Committee Chair may introduce a copy of the student’s previous disciplinary record, where applicable, provided the student was shown a copy of the record prior to the hearing. No disciplinary record shall be introduced until the determination of unethical or unprofessional behavior in the current case has been made. The records and documents introduced by the student and the School shall be opened and used by the Committee for dispositional purposes, i.e., to determine an appropriate penalty, if the charges are sustained

8. The Committee shall deliberate in closed session. The Committee’s decision shall be based on the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties.

9. The role of the Committee is to listen to the testimony, ask questions of the witnesses, review the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties, render a determination as to the accuracy of the allegation, and any extenuating circumstances associated with it, and institute the appropriate disposition. In the event the student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior, the Committee shall transmit the decision in writing to the student within five days of the conclusion of the hearing.

10. The Committee shall keep minutes pertinent to the case. A disciplined student is entitled to obtain a copy of the minutes of the meeting relevant to their case.

11. All adverse decisions made are subject to the student’s right of appeal.

The following dispositions of a case may occur.

1. If a student is exonerated of charges of unethical or unprofessional behavior, a record of the proceedings will be placed in a file and discarded at the time of the student’s graduation from the program.

2. If a student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior and the Committee recommends sanctions short of suspension or dismissal, the Committee shall notify the student of the disciplinary action. A record will be placed in the student’s school file.

3. If a student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior, and the Committee decides on either an administrative leave or dismissal from the program, the SAPC chair will notify the student in writing of the disciplinary action and their right to appeal the adverse decision to the Dean of the School. A record will be placed in the student’s school file.

4. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will serve as liaison to the Vice President for Student Affairs of City College in reporting disciplinary actions, as appropriate.