Students FAQs

The Student Conduct Officer will:

1. Conduct an impartial and reliable preliminary fact-finding investigation.
2. Meet with the Complainant and/or any available witness(es);
3. Make a determination:
   • If the allegation(s) have merit; or
     • Send a notification of the allegations to the Respondent.
   • If the allegation(s) has no merit;
     • Dismiss and/or administratively resolve the report.
     • The SCO may request a non mandatory meeting with the Respondent to discuss the information stated in the report. The meeting will be scheduled at the discretion of the SCO.
4. Consider an informal resolution if either party makes a request, as long as the other party agrees; 
5. The Respondent either:
   • Schedules a meeting; or
   • Submits a written statement.
6. Written Statement:
   • The Student Conduct Officer reviews the written statement where the Student Conduct Officer will:
     • Ask clarifying questions
     • Allow the Respondent the opportunity to provide any available witness(es), if any.
     • Allow the Respondent the opportunity to provided any relevant documentation or information, if any.
     • Make a determination on responsibility based on all the relevant information provided by all parties and witness(es), if a potential violation(s) occurred or not.
7. Conduct the Student Conduct Officer meeting where the Respondent will:
   • Be able to provide witness(es).
   • Be able to provide any relevant information or documentation.
   • Be able to tell their side of the story regarding the alleged incident.
8. The Student Conduct Officer will make a determination on responsibility whether “more likely than not” a potential violation occurred or not based on all the relevant information provided by all parties and witness(es) at the conclusion of the Student Conduct Meeting.

The Student Conduct Officer will conduct an impartial and reliable preliminary fact-finding investigation to determine if the allegation(s) have merit, or not; and/or if they can be resolved administratively by the Student Conduct Officer. 

The Student Conduct Officer may request a meeting with you, as the Complainant, to gather more information and/or ask clarifying questions regarding the alleged incident. The Student Conduct Officer will explain the Student Code of Conduct grievance process and available options to resolve this incident.

If there is sufficient information that a policy violation may have occurred the student is notice for a potential violation under the Student Code of Conduct. However, if there is insufficient information that a policy violation occurred, the report is dismissed and/or administratively resolved.

Educational Opportunity: The Student Conduct Officer will send an email to the student (Respondent) requesting a non-mandatory meeting to meet and discuss the issue and remind the student of their responsibility as a UH West O`ahu student. If the request is declined an email will be sent outlining the reporter’s issue, request, and remind them of their responsibility. If the behavior continues, the student may be notice for a potential violation. 

If the Respondent (student) is notice, the Respondent is required to meet with the Student Conduct Officer for an opportunity to tell their side of the story. If the Student Conduct Officer makes a determines whether “more likely than not” the Respondent either:

Violated the Student Code of Conduct: The Respondent will be formally charged (found responsible) and sanction(s) imposed. A record of the discipline is placed in the student’s disciplinary file.

Did not violate the Student Code of Conduct: The Respondent  will not be formally charged (found not responsible) and the case is dismissed and/or administratively resolved.

Informal Resolution: If either party request for an alternate form of resolution and the other party agrees. The parties will engage in an informal resolution.

If the informal resolution results in mutual satisfaction by both parties the case is closed.

If the case is not resolved, it may be forwarded to the Student Conduct Officer for a formal resolution. 

Note: Informal resolution is available for cases involving both Sex Discrimination [Article III(B)(4)(a-i)] and Discrimination [Article III(B)(5)] only if a formal complaint has been filed and both parties agree to informally resolve the complaint (Interim AP 1.204 IV(C)(1-6) & AP 1.202 III(C)(3)(a-f)). In addition, Sex Discrimination requires the approval of the Title IX Coordinator.

Visual Illustration: The Student Code of Conduct Grievance Process.

Yes! If either party requests an alternate form of resolution and the other party agrees, the parties will engage in an informal resolution. 

If the informal resolution results in mutual satisfaction for both parties, then the case will be considered resolved. 

If the case is not resolved, the Student Conduct Officer may move to a formal resolution and both parties will be informed.

Note: Informal resolution is available for cases involving both Sex Discrimination [Article III(B)(4)(a-i)] and Discrimination [Article III(B)(5)] only if a formal complaint has been filed and both parties agree to informally resolve the complaint (Interim AP 1.204 IV(C)(1-6) & AP 1.202 III(C)(3)(a-f)). In addition, Sex Discrimination requires the approval of the Title IX Coordinator.

If you fail to contact the Student Conduct Office, fail to schedule an appointment, or fail to submit a written statement within five (5) working days of the date stated in the written notification (excluding Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays), a hold will be placed on your account until you respond to the notification, which may delay registration or other institutional transactions.

The Student Code of Conduct shall apply to a student’s conduct even if the student (Respondent) withdraws from classes at UH West Oʻahu after a report was submitted or while a disciplinary matter is pending.

If an individual has violated the Student Code of Conduct on UH West Oʻahu property while not enrolled as a student at UH West Oʻahu, but then later seeks to enroll, he or she must first contact the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs (VCSA) (or his or her designee). The same Due Process procedures listed in Article IV(A)(1-27) will be followed to determine an admission decision.

The people who are involved in the Student Conduct Officer Meeting are the Respondent (student) and the Student Conduct Officer. 

The Complainant and witness(es) are not present at the Student Conduct Officer Meeting. The Student Conduct Officer will meet  with the Complainant and/or witness(es) during the preliminary fact-finding investigation to gather information regarding the incident before the Student Conduct Officer Meeting occurs.

The University of Hawai’i–West Oʻahu prohibits and will not tolerate retaliation as defined in the UH System Executive Policy EP 7.205 and the UH West Oʻahu Student Code of Conduct. 

Retaliation will be reviewed as a separate offense under the Student Code of Conduct; that is a student can be found responsible for retaliation even if not found responsible for the underlying reported Student Code of Conduct violation.

Yes! As the Respondent or the Complainant, you may appeal the decision reached by the Student Conduct Officer (SCO). You will be provided information regarding the appeal process in the “Responsibility Letter” sent to you along with the link to the online appeal form. 

For more information regarding appeals, please refer to Article IV(D)(1-6) in the Student Code of Conduct.