Faculty FAQs

Faculty and staff can submit a written incident report to the Student Conduct Office located in C – Building, C 240 or by using the online reporting form.

Yes, you can speak with the Student Conduct Officer, Trudy Asato. 

We are happy to answer any questions or inquiries and provide suggestions and options before submitting an incident report. Also, we will explain the Student Conduct grievance process.

Student Conduct Office:

Email: uhwocode@hawaii.edu

You can contact the Student Conduct Officer Trudy Asato at:

Email: uhwocode@hawaii.edu
Telephone: (808) 689-2936.
Location: C Building room C 240.

Yes! “The UH West O’ahu Student Code of Conduct shall apply to conduct that occurs on UH West Oʻahu’s premises, at UH West O’ahu sponsored activities, and to off-campus conduct that adversely affects the UH West O’ahu community and/or the pursuit of its objectives.” The Student Conduct Officer shall decide whether the Student Code of Conduct shall be applied to conduct occurring off campus, on a case by case basis, in his or her sole discretion.”

Article III(B) of the Student Code of Conduct, lists the 21 prohibited conduct. Some provisions include acts of dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, and furnishing false information), disruption of teaching or administration, physical abuse or assaults, threats or threatening behavior, theft, and failure to comply with directions of UH West Oʻahu officials or campus security officers.

An impartial and reliable preliminary fact finding investigation will be conducted by the Student Conduct Officer (SCO) to determine whether a policy violation occurred or not. If there is sufficient information that a policy violation may have occurred the student (Respondent) 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.

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

Educational Opportunity: The Student Conduct Officer will send an email to the student 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 student is notice, the student 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 student either:

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

Did not violate the Student Code of Conduct: The student will not be formally charged (found not responsible) and the case is dismissed.

Informal Resolution: 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 by both parties, then the case will be considered resolved. 

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

Visual Illustration: The Student Code of Conduct Grievance Process.

The Student Conduct report form has an option to request that your identity be kept anonymous. In cases involving an anonymous reporter, the Student Conduct Officer may be limited in attempting to resolve the issue or holding a student (Respondent) accountable for an alleged violation, unless additional information becomes available.

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. 

A retaliation, allegation, or report 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.

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 provide 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.

Please let the student know it is important to follow the directions stated in the notification and to contact the Student Conduct Office within the stated date. 

Let the student know if they have questions, the Student Conduct Office can answer any questions or concerns the student may have. They may also visit the Student Conduct webpage for information regarding the Student Conduct grievance process. 

In cases where the Respondent (student) is found responsible for a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, the Student Conduct Officer (SCO) will impose discipline that is consistent with the impact of the offense on the UH West Oʻahu community. Article IV(B)(1-7) (See the graphs on the webpage) lists the potential sanctions a student may receive if they have been found responsible for engaging in prohibited conduct. Some examples may include a written warning, discretionary sanctions, suspension, and/or expulsion. Also, a record of the discipline will be placed on the student’s disciplinary record. 

Either the Complainant or the Respondent (student) may appeal the decision reached by the Student Conduct Officer (SCO). The appealing party has five (5) working days to file an appeal. Both parties are provided information on the appeal process in the “Responsibility Letter” 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. There are only 4 basis to appeal.

1. There was a material deviation from the written procedures that substantially jeopardized the fairness of the process; or

2. There was new information that was unknown or unavailable at the time of the meeting, would have resulted in a substantially different outcome; or

3. There was a demonstrable bias by the SCO (this option is only available in cases where there is a digital recording of the SCO’s meeting and it is available to review); or

4. The sanction was substantially disproportionate to the severity of the violation, given the facts and relevant information. 

Yes! UH West O`ahu has an amnesty provision as of January 30, 2024.

You can find the amnesty provision in Article III(D) of the Student Code of Conduct.