PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University President Kirk Schulz today announced the appointment of a 15-member task force that will undertake a comprehensive review of the university’s student conduct process.
Craig Hemmens, professor and chair, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, will lead the task force of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and donors representing WSU campuses statewide. Five staff members will serve as ex officio advisors to the task force.
The task force will recommend ways to improve the fairness and educational value of the current student conduct process. Members will examine conduct processes used by other universities, review current research in the field, and consider other information that could assist their efforts.
“Our goal is to revise our conduct process to reflect best practices nationally,” Schulz said. “We are committed to implementing conduct standards that provide a fair and equitable process for all students while protecting the safety and rights of the entire WSU community.”
The in-depth review was prompted by feedback Schulz received from the WSU community after he began his presidency in June. Individuals and organizations suggested the university’s conduct process could be improved and represent WSU’s values better. The president planned to review the process at the end of the calendar year, but the timeline was expedited when Whitman County Superior Court in mid-November overturned the suspension of a WSU student-athlete and cited procedural errors the conduct board made as the basis for the ruling.
Timeline
The task force’s work is expected to take three to four months to complete. The group will documents its findings in a report and make recommendations to Schulz, who will submit any proposed changes to the Board of Regents for consideration and possible adoption.
The WSU community and the public are invited to submit input about the student conduct process online (https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qraZLUVQOsWFQp), and multiple opportunities to provide additional comments will be provided, including public comment periods at Regents’ meetings and a hearing at which the public may comment on any proposed new rules and revisions to existing rules. The Regents will vote on any recommended revisions to WSU rules.
The university hopes to have a revised student conduct process in place for the beginning of the 2017 fall semester.
The broad review of the task force will be complemented by the narrower review led by the law firm Lyons O’Dowd, which is examining the specific issue of alleged racial and ethnic bias in the student conduct process. That report is expected to be available in early to mid-January and will be considered by the task force as part of its deliberations.
Additional details about the conduct review are available online at https://president.wsu.edu/student-conduct-boards/.
Immediate changes to conduct process
In the meantime, the university will implement some emergency rules for student conduct hearings occurring prior to the adoption of the task force recommendations. That decision was made after Division III of the Washington Court of Appeals ruled December 1 that WSU and other public institutions of higher education in the state must use a full adjudication process in cases where students face expulsion or are accused of sexual assault. WSU does not plan to appeal the court’s decision.
Task force members
The following individuals will serve on the 15-member task force. Ex officio members will serve only in an advisory capacity.
Chair
Craig Hemmens, chair and professor, Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology
WSU Pullman
Members
- Ray Acuna-Luna, academic coordinator/retention specialist for the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), WSU Pullman
- Manuel Acevedo, director of Multicultural Student Services, WSU Pullman
- Kakali Chakrabarti, senator, Graduate and Professional Student Association, WSU Pullman
- Taylor Christenson, president, Associated Students of Washington State University Pullman
- Garrett Kalt, senator, ASWSU Pullman
- Mike King, WSU alumnus, President-Elect, WSU Alumni Association
- Vice President, Kidder Mathews
- Chris Meiers, vice chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Services, WSU Tri-Cities
- Jim Mohr, vice chancellor for Student Affairs, WSU Spokane
- Grant Norton, dean, Honors College, and professor, School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, WSU Pullman
- Don Pelo, member, WSU Alumnus, Member, WSU Foundation Executive Committee, President, Pelco Investment Management
- Paul Pitre, chancellor, WSU North Puget Sound at Everett
- John Wong, associate professor, Sport Management, WSU Pullman
- Nancy Youlden, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment, WSU Vancouver
- Jane Yung, WSU alumna and assistant attorney general, University of Washington
Ex officio
- Kim Anderson, executive director, Office of Equal Opportunity, WSU Pullman
- Danielle Hess, senior assistant attorney general, Office of the Attorney General, WSU Pullman
- Melynda Huskey, interim vice president for Student Affairs, WSU Pullman
- Bill Gardner, chief of police, associate vice president, and executive director of public safety, WSU Pullman
- Anne McCoy, deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator, WSU Pullman
News media contact:
Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu
