Anyone may file a complaint against a student or organization for alleged misconduct. 

The complaint must be prepared in writing, signed (or, in the case of nonacademic misconduct, submitted via email from a registered ucr.edu email address or other recognized means), and directly submitted to SCAIP in 119 Costo Hall. 

Submissions must be verified by SCAIP and the submitter must be willing to meet with SCAIP staff to attest to the contents and answer questions regarding the report.

Submit complaints as soon as possible after the event takes place.

Many students allege that staff members or police officers have assured them they will not get in trouble. Only SCAIP (or the adjudicating office) has the authority to determine whether or not a conduct code has been violated.

The Standards of Conduct addresses off-campus conduct when the behavior has an adverse impact on the university environment. The University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students also applies to university-sponsored events, activities, trips, etc. that may occur off campus.

Yes, every student is afforded the opportunity to explain what happened during the incident and to present additional relevant information through witnesses and other means.

Lack of knowledge is not an excuse for misconduct. Every student is responsible for knowing UCR rules, regulations, and student conduct policies.

If the student or organization (respondent) has failed or refused to respond, or to participate in or cooperate with the disciplinary process, despite reasonable efforts to contact the Respondent, or the Respondent has withdrawn or failed to re-register while discipline is pending, SCAIP may proceed, without a formal hearing, to determine if a violation exists, and impose discipline if a
violation is found. Unilateral action may include, but is not limited to: placement of holds in
accordance with 5.0.5 of the Student Conduct Procedures

An accused student has the right to consult an advisor of their choice before, during and after any meeting, review, or appeal. The selected advisor may advise the student but may not represent the student in any way.

Even in the case where criminal charges are pending, an attorney is not allowed to represent the student. Learn more about student rights in the conduct process on this page.

All decisions shall be made on the basis of whether a preponderance of the information (more likely than not) supports the allegation(s) or not. At the conclusion of a review, the conduct officer or review panel will determine whether the student has violated each policy that the student was alleged to have violated. Decisions of a conduct committee will be determined by a majority vote.

Sanctions may be imposed independently or in combination with other sanctions. Sanctions may be assigned to an individual student, group of students, and/or a student organization(s). Sanctions are determined on a case-by-case basis in a way that reflects the individual student’s needs, the cumulative disciplinary history, and the impact of their behavior on the community. Please view the the sanctions page for a list of possible sanctions. Changes in student disciplinary standing are usually assigned in combination with educational assignments to maximize the educational outcome of the process.

A Transcript Hold is placed on student records in accordance with PACAOS 104.81, and remains on the student's record until the conduct process has been fully resolved, including the completion of any assigned sanctions. This hold prevents students from obtaining copies of their transcripts, but will not interfere in any other University processes. Please also note that graduating students will have an Administrative Hold, including a degree hold, placed on their records pending the resolution of the case and/or completion of sanctions. In accordance with Section 5.0.5 of the Student Conduct Procedures, in the Notification of Charges, or any Notice involving a hold, the student will be informed of the hold, the conditions under which a hold will be removed, and the process for allowing the student to request the removal of the hold. A student may submit a written request to SCAIP for the removal of the administrative holds. SCAIP has discretion whether to release administrative holds and the conditions under which they may be released. SCAIP will notify the student in writing of the decision, and their decision is final.

A hold will be placed on their record, restricting the student's ability to add/drop classes and/or obtain copies of transcripts. A student may also face additional disciplinary action. In accordance with Section 5.0.5 of the Student Conduct Procedures, students will be informed of the hold, the conditions under which a hold will be removed, and the process for allowing the student to request the removal of the hold. A student may submit a written request to SCAIP for the removal of the administrative holds. SCAIP has discretion whether to release administrative holds and the conditions under which they may be released. SCAIP will notify the student in writing of the decision, and their decision is final.

With exception of disciplinary suspensions and dismissals, a student's disciplinary record is separate from his/her academic record. A student is considered to have a disciplinary record when a conduct committee or conduct officer finds the student responsible for violating one or more of the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students (and any appeal submitted by the student results in affirmation of the conduct committee's or conduct officer's decision). Students' disciplinary records are kept for seven years after the date of the last violation, pursuant to the University of California system-wide policies. Suspensions and dismissals are posted on the student's transcript. Suspensions are posted for the duration of the suspension period and then removed.

Notations only appear when the student is suspended or dismissed from UCR. However, suspensions only appear on transcripts during the period of the sanction.

No. We believe that students are adults and that if we set our expectations high, most students can and will live up to these standards. Some students may make a mistake, and the educational focus of the student conduct system allows for that, as long as they are willing to learn from their mistakes.

The Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) prohibits educational institutions from disclosing information from a student's educational record to any third party, including parents, without the student's consent. UCR strictly adheres to the provisions in FERPA. The student may come to the SCAIP office, located in 119 Costo Hall, and sign a waiver that grants parents or others access to his/her records. Once the student signs a FERPA waiver, SCAIP can fully discuss the student's case with anyone listed on the waiver. However, all dialogue regarding the case or records will still be between the student and UCR.

The Office of the Registrar provides more information about student rights under FERPA.

A disciplinary record does not automatically exclude a student from further education, jobs, etc. It does depend on the type or severity of misconduct. A disciplinary record may lead an admissions office to scrutinize the student's application more closely. Again, we will only release information about a student's disciplinary record as permitted by federal law.

Developmentally, college is a period of exploration and testing for students. Your student may be in a period of transition from late adolescence to adulthood facing many new challenges. They may also be away from home for the first time and dealing with issues of independence in the more unstructured environment of a university. In addition, students are adjusting to the expectations and values of the university, just as they did at home. As students are testing these expectations and values, they may make choices that are inconsistent with their past choices. This testing is a normal part of the developmental process. However, students must also learn that the choices they make may not be healthy and do have consequences.

Be supportive while holding the student accountable. Provide necessary interventions, such as alcohol or drug education, anger management, and other forms of education, so that your student can be successful at UCR. Allow and expect the student to set appointments, attend meetings, and fulfill sanctions. It is usually not helpful to the educational development of the student for parents to take over the process for their student.

UCR students are subject to all university rules and regulations, including those contained in the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students. Additionally, those individuals are also simultaneously subject to all local, state, or federal laws. The student conduct process does not constitute "double jeopardy" for situations in which a student is facing concurrent criminal proceedings. The constitutional right regarding double jeopardy is solely a criminal law concept and is not applicable to the student conduct process. The student conduct process is an administrative and educational process.

No, the student conduct process will proceed in a timely manner, even when a student is also involved in a criminal or civil case related to the incident for which he or she is facing university action. Although students may choose to remain silent, a violation of conduct regulations may nevertheless be determined based upon the other information presented. Furthermore, a decision by the student to withhold participation in the conduct process may not later be used to appeal the decisions of the conduct body.

If there is pertinent documentation or other information that may help an adjudicating officer/committee make a decision regarding responsibility or appropriate sanctions, this information should be gathered and brought to the meeting. (Please see Student Conduct Procedures for details regarding deadlines for submission of such information.) Students may consult an advisor of their choice to assist in preparation for meetings and to provide support during meetings. Students are strongly urged to read over conduct process information, including the Standards of Conduct, Sanctions, and, if applicable, Academic Integrity Policies & Procedures. 

The conduct process is an administrative process, not a criminal court process. The conduct process is very different from a criminal or civil law process. There may be perceived similarities, but students are expected to observe federal, state, and local laws as well as university rules, regulations, and policies.

Talk to any SCAIP staff member at (951) 827-4208 or email us conduct@ucr.edu.