WAC 132F-121-190   Student conduct committee hearings -- In general.  (1) A respondent student has a right to a prompt, fair, and impartial hearing before the student conduct committee on a referral for, or timely appeal of, a disciplinary sanction, except as otherwise provided in these rules.

     (2) Chapter 34.05 RCW and chapter 10-08 WAC govern committee proceedings and control in the event of any conflict with these rules. The district's chapter 132F-108 WAC also governs committee proceedings.

     (3) The chair of the committee shall give not less than seven days advance written notice of the hearing to all parties, as further specified in RCW 34.05.434 and WAC 10-08-040 and 10-08-045. The chair may shorten this notice period if both parties agree, and also may continue the hearing to a later time for good cause.

     (4) The committee chair may provide to the committee members in advance of the hearing copies of (a) the vice-president for student service's notification of imposition of discipline (or referral to the committee) and (b) the notice of appeal (or any response to referral) by the respondent. If doing so, however, the chair should remind the members that these "pleadings" are not evidence of any facts they may allege.

     (5) The committee chair is authorized to conduct prehearing conferences and/or to make prehearing decisions, except as overridden by majority vote of the committee, concerning the extent and forms of any discovery, issuance of protective orders, and similar procedural matters.

     (6) Upon request made at least five days before the hearing by either the respondent or the vice-president, the two of them shall exchange, no later than the third day prior to the hearing, lists of potential witnesses and copies of potential exhibits that they reasonably expect to present in their respective cases, except impeachment or rebuttal evidence. Failure to participate in good faith in such a requested exchange may be cause for exclusion from the hearing of any witness or exhibit not disclosed, absent a showing of good cause for such failure.

     (7) The respondent and the vice-president may agree before the hearing to designate specific exhibits as admissible without objection and, if they do so, whether the committee chair may provide copies of these admissible exhibits to the committee members before the hearing.

     (8) The vice-president shall provide reasonable assistance to the respondent, upon request, in obtaining relevant and admissible evidence that is within the college's control.

     (9) Communications between committee members and other persons regarding any issue in the proceeding, other than procedural communications that are necessary to maintain an orderly process, are generally prohibited without notice and opportunity for all parties to participate, and any improper "ex parte" communication shall be placed on the record, as further provided in RCW 34.05.455.

     (10) Each party may be accompanied at the hearing by a nonattorney assistant of his/her choice. A respondent may elect to be represented by an attorney, but will be deemed to have waived that right unless, at least four days before the hearing, written notice of the attorney's identity and participation is served on both the chair and the vice-president. If the respondent is represented by an attorney, the vice-president may also be represented by an attorney. If both the respondent and vice-president have counsel, the committee will ordinarily be advised by a separate assistant attorney general.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 28B.50.100, [28B.50].130, and/or[28B.50].140 . 03-16-015, § 132F-121-190, filed 7/28/03, effective 8/28/03.]