Student Rights

Support

You Have the Right to Have a Support Person

Students may bring a support person to any meeting or hearing related to the Student Conduct Process, including but not limited to advocates, attorneys, friends, and family members. Support persons are not permitted to speak for, or on behalf of, the student during any meeting or hearing related to the Student Conduct Process.

While your support person will have limited ability to participate in your University Conduct Hearing, they can attend the meeting with you to provide recommendations and/or support. With permission from the University Conduct Officer, your support person may make a statement and/or ask questions of the student to present relevant information after the conduct officer has completed discussions with the student.

If you choose to do so, please fill out a Release of Information form ONLINE before your meeting. You can do so by following the steps below:

Release of Information

• Go to MyCWU
• Go to their Student Dashboard by clicking “Student” in the top menu
• In the left hand Menu click “Personal”
• When the menu opens, click “Release of Information” (Last option on the menu)
• Then Release of Information window will pop up. At the bottom click “Add Designee”
• Fill out the information
• Enter designees first and last name
• Create a 5-digit access code for the designee and share it only with that designee
• Indicate what access you would like them to have (remember to check off “Disciplinary” for Student Rights & Responsibilities specifically)
• Click Done to save the designee

Information for Parents and Family

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act):

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords certain rights to students concerning their education records. The primary rights afforded are the right to inspect and review the education records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from the records.

Education records are those records, which are 1) directly related to a student and, 2) maintained by an institution or a party acting for the institution. FERPA gives students who reach the age of eighteen or who attend a post-secondary institution the right to inspect and review their own records. An institution is not required to disclose information from a student’s education records to the parents of dependent students but may exercise its discretion to do so.

Section 952 of H.R.6, the Higher Education Amendments, allows institutions of higher education to disclose to parents violations of local, state and federal laws as well as institutional policies and rules governing use or possession of alcohol or controlled substances. Parental notification is one part of CWU’s sanctioning procedure for underage alcohol use and other university violations.

The University reserves the right to contact parents regarding matters that concern students’ safety and wellbeing.

Parental Notification:

CWU may notify parents regarding the following conduct situations:

• Documented behavior indicating a risk of harm to self or others.
• Documented violations of the controlled substance policy.
• Second or third violations of campus alcohol policies or state laws.
• Parents may be notified of a first-time violation of campus alcohol policies or state laws if it involves a medical emergency, vandalism, any violence, or gross disrespect of residence hall staff or law enforcement officials.
• Students will be required to attend an alcohol or other drug education and risk prevent class for first and possibly second-time violations. Failure to attend the class could result in required off-campus assessment. Third-time violation of policies and/or laws may result in suspension or deferred suspension if recommend by the CWU Student Conduct Hearing Officer.

Off-campus violations of underage drinking or other infractions may be referred to the CWU Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities for sanctioning through the discretion of local court officials or law enforcement agencies.

Any questions regarding parental notification, or to seek additional information regarding a parental notification letter that you may have received, can be directed to the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities at 509-963-1817.