Dean of Students/Office of Student Conduct

Dean of Students/Office of Student Conduct

The primary mission of the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) of the Dean of Students Office (DOS) is to ensure a safe campus environment through providing an educational process in which students can be afforded due process and education pertaining to University expectations. For information regarding student rights, the Code of Student Conduct, and contact information visit www.students.msstate.edu

Students will always be contacted through your Mississippi State University email or over the phone from the Dean of Students Office. Read letters thoroughly and follow any instructions and/or suggestions. Choosing to not engage in the process does not eliminate you or your chapter’s responsibility and the process will move forward without your involvement.

Any reports provided will be redacted in accordance with Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) and standard practice of the Dean of Students Office.

During any meeting with OSC you will be able to have an advisor of your choosing. Your advisor will not be able to represent you and/or your organization and will not be able to speak during the informal meeting and hearing. They are present to guide and advise you. Remember this is a guide concerning student conduct at MSU. The actual policy, OP 91.100 will govern the process.

The following outlines information you need when contacted by the Dean of Students Office.

Investigation request: The following checklist will be in your letter. The Dean of Students Office strongly suggest you follow the instructions. You will need to identify any incidents that may have occurred based on the letter and report back with your findings.

Violation Report Checklist:

  • Call a meeting of the organization or individuals present at the alleged violation.
  • Contact your organization Advisor and/or (Inter)national headquarters.
  • Individually interview those present or involved to ascertain their level of involvement and individual knowledge of the events in question.
  • Determine if and when information regarding events was communicated to chapter.
  • Where was the event(s) held?
  • Who knew about the event(s) in question?
  • How many members were present? Were any of those members executive officers? Who were they?
  • How was the event funded?
  • Establish a timeline leading up to the event(s), during the event(s), and after theevent(s).
  • What was the organization's response after the fact?
  • Did you notify an advisor that is your contact for the University (i.e. Office of Fraternity and Sorority, Dean of Students Office, Center for Student Activities) ofthe event(s)? If so, when? What information did you share with said staffmember?
  • Are individuals directly responsible? Who? Have you filed conduct referrals for them with  the Office of Student Conduct? (if so, please attach and/or forward to Student Conduct).
  • Submit the report and any necessary attachments to the Dean of Students Office. If you should need a reasonable extension, contact the Dean of Students Office before the deadline.                               

Informal Meeting: This meeting is a one on one meeting with a Hearing Officer in the Dean of Students Office. During this meeting the following will occur:

  • Opportunity to review your student rights
  • Dean of Students Office representative will review the informal process (including charges, purpose of restorative action plan, resolution options)
  • Opportunity to tell your understanding of the events you either witnessed, took part in, or discovered as a part of your internal investigations
  • Conversation with the Dean of Students representative about how the behavior did or did not align with University expectations, which include but are not limited to, the Code of Student Conduct, Student Organization Policies, Housing and Residence Life, and Administrative Regulations
  • If responsibility is accepted or found, a conversation around the appropriate restorative action plan that will help the chapter learn and grow, repair harm, and restore trust with the University community
  • An outcome of the informal meeting will be one of the following:
    • Accepting responsibility and restorative action plan, end of process
    • Found not responsible, end of process
    • Not accepting responsibility, provided a restorative action plan, go to formal hearing
    • Dean of Students Office representative will review the reports received, including your reportsubmitted