TABLE OF CONTENTS
General
To whom does the Student Code of Conduct apply?
The Student Code of Conduct applies to all full and part-time students, including undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, the Student Code of Conduct applies to registered student organizations at The University of Tampa.
Can I get in trouble for something that happens off-campus?
The Student Code of Conduct applies to student behavior and registered student organizations regardless of the location of the alleged offense.
How do I request my conduct record?
If you are requesting your conduct record, please contact the Office of Student Conduct at conduct@ut.edu. If another institution or employer is requesting your conduct record, please attach any relevant FERPA release forms to your email.
How do I know if a hold I have on my account is from the Office of Student Conduct?
Students should log into MyUTampa and click on the Workday chiclet. Once in Workday, click on the Academics icon, and scroll down to My Holds. If a Student Conduct hold has been applied to your account, the hold will reflect “Student Conduct Hold.”
What should I do if my roommate is violating the Student Code of Conduct?
If a student has knowledge of University policy violations, we encourage them to speak with a resident assistant in their residence hall and/or contact Campus Safety. Students may submit reports to the Office of Student Conduct by completing an incident form or a Silent Witness form if a student wishes to stay anonymous.
What if my conduct incident also involves an arrest and criminal charges?
Procedures under the Student Code of Conduct may be carried out before, simultaneously with or following a civil or criminal proceeding on or off-campus. Therefore, it is possible you will receive an outcome to your student conduct violations prior to having your criminal charges adjudicated.
What if I went home for winter/summer break before I could meet with the Office of Student Conduct?
The Office of Student Conduct will contact you to set up a virtual meeting to review your incident during the winter/summer. This ensures that all incidents are reviewed prior to the beginning of each semester. The Office of Student Conduct is open during all University break periods except for days that the University is scheduled to be closed.
Incident Review Meetings
I just received a “Notice of Incident Review” email from the Office of Student Conduct. What is it and what should I do?
The purpose of the email is to notify you of a scheduled meeting (date, time and location) to discuss a submitted incident report in which you were documented. This email will also include valuable information regarding the incident report such as the date and location of the incident and any assigned University violations. It is important that you attend your incident review meeting as it is your opportunity to review the incident that was reported and provide any relevant information on your behalf.
What will happen at the incident review meeting?
You will be asked to describe the incident as you remember it occurring. After discussing the filed report and your assigned violations with your incident reviewer, you will be asked if you believe you are responsible for a violation of the University Student Code of Conduct.
What will happen if I admit to violating University policy?
If you admit responsibility for any assigned violations, the incident reviewer will assign appropriate sanctions. After meeting with an incident reviewer many students admit to violating the University Student Code of Conduct.
What will happen if I deny violating University policy?
While many students admit responsibility, some students deny responsibility and request a University hearing board to be convened to determine whether their actions constituted a violation of University policy violations. The Office of Student Conduct will determine what type of University hearing board is appropriate for making this determination.
What role does the incident reviewer play in my meeting?
The incident reviewer's role within the incident review meeting is to serve as a facilitator for the student conduct process. The incident reviewer does not determine whether you have violated University policy but can make recommendations regarding your educational sanctions if you admit responsibility for violations during your incident review meeting.
How long are the incident review meetings?
Incident Review meetings typically last 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Meetings will be scheduled around academic obligations. If you need to reschedule your meeting please contact conduct@ut.edu as soon as possible.
What happens if I do not attend my incident review meeting?
Failure to attend the scheduled meeting will result in your incident being referred to an appropriate University hearing board.
University Hearing Boards
What is a University hearing board?
Student conduct cases that are not resolved during an incident review meeting are referred to a University hearing board for resolution. At a University hearing board meeting you will be asked to provide information regarding the incident to the hearing board. The hearing board may also hear from witnesses to determine if University policy has been violated. At the conclusion of the University hearing board, the hearing board will determine whether University policy has been violated.
When does a University hearing board occur?
A University hearing board will occur at a separate date from your incident review meeting. The Office of Student Conduct must provide you at least one business day to prepare for your University hearing board. Therefore, University hearing board meetings will not occur on the same day as your incident review meeting.
Are there different types of University hearing boards?
Yes, there are two different types of University hearing boards. Student Conduct hearing boards are comprised of three (3) undergraduate and/or graduate students who have been trained to review student conduct incidents and review cases of lower severity. Administrative hearing boards are comprised of three (3) faculty and/or staff members trained to review student conduct incidents and review cases that can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.
Can I choose which University hearing board reviews my incident?
No. The decision of which University hearing board reviews your incident is solely at the discretion of the Office of Student Conduct.
Can my parents attend my University hearing board meeting?
No. University hearing board meetings are closed to the public and therefore parents are not permitted to attend.
Do I need an attorney to participate in a University hearing board meeting?
No. Since University hearing board meetings are closed to the public, attorneys are not permitted to participate in University hearing board meetings. Students may consult with an attorney prior to attending a hearing board meeting but will not be permitted to have an attorney present during the hearing.
Can anyone assist me during a University hearing board meeting?
Yes. Students are permitted to have a University support person present with them during a University hearing board meeting. A University support person is defined as any current student, faculty member or staff member. University support persons are not permitted to speak on behalf of a student but may be present only to provide assistance or advice to the student they are supporting.
How long will it take to receive a decision regarding my University hearing board meeting?
The Office of Student Conduct will notify you of the outcome of your University hearing board meeting within 10 business days of your scheduled hearing date.
Student Conduct Outcomes
What happens if I accept responsibility for my assigned violations at an incident review meeting?
Students who accept responsibility for their assigned violations during their incident review meeting will be assigned educational sanctions by their incident reviewer. You will receive this information in an outcome letter sent to your Spartan email account. If you decide to accept responsibility for your assigned violation(s) you cannot appeal this determination.
What happens if my assigned violations are dismissed at my incident review meeting?
If the incident reviewer determines that they can dismiss the assigned violations during your incident review meeting, the violations will be removed from your student account, and you will receive an outcome letter indicating that you are not responsible for the assigned violations.
What happens if I change my mind after my incident review meeting and want to deny responsibility?
When a student accepts responsibility at an incident review meeting the decision is final and cannot be changed.
What happens if a University hearing board determines I am responsible after my hearing board meeting?
If you are found responsible by a University hearing board you will receive an outcome letter providing you a detailed rationale of their determination. Additionally, the University hearing board will recommend appropriate educational sanctions to the Office of Student Conduct. This information will be included in the outcome letter.
Can I appeal a determination made by the University hearing board?
Yes. If you are determined to have violated a University policy by a university hearing board you are eligible to appeal that determination. Appeals must be received within two (2) business days of receiving your outcome letter. Specific information on appeals will be contained within the outcome letter. Students will be notified within 10 business days of the appeal determination via their university email account. All appeal determinations are final.
Student Conduct Sanctions
What is the purpose of student conduct sanctions?
Student Conduct sanctions are intended to be developmental and educational in scope and are determined at the sole discretion of the University. If you have questions regarding your assigned sanctions, please contact conduct@ut.edu.
Where can I access a list of my assigned University sanctions?
Students can access all letters sent by the Office of Student Conduct, including outcome letters, by accessing the Advocate chiclet in MyUTampa.
I have a prevention fee/restitution fee and I am no longer on campus. How can I pay my fee?
Prevention fees cannot be paid online. All prevention fees must be paid in person at the Bursar's Office, located in Plant Hall Room 428. A prevention fee can be paid with cash, money order, personal check or credit card. If a student is no longer on campus, a check or money order must be sent to the Bursar’s Office. If paying by mail, it is important to indicate that you are paying a prevention fee for the Office of Student Conduct to avoid your payment being processed differently.
Student Conduct Records
What happens to my student records if I am found in violation of a policy found in the Student Code of Conduct?
Student records are maintained within the Office of Student Conduct for seven years in accordance with the Office of Student Conduct Records Retention Policy. This student conduct record may also be shared with other members of the academic community with a legitimate need to know in instances of housing termination, suspension or expulsion. It is important to note that student conduct records are not noted on the student's academic transcript.
Who has access to my conduct record?
The University recognizes that all violations of University policies documented in a student’s conduct file are part of that student’s educational record. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 provides confidentiality of students’ educational records and protects these files and their contents. This confidentiality allows only persons who meet appropriate disclosure requirements to have access to these records.
Parents/Family
For more information regarding FAQs and student rights, please visit our Parents and Family page.
Office of Student Conduct
Vaughn Center, Room 202
Phone: (813) 258-7228
Email: conduct@ut.edu