Frequently Asked Questions for Parents

Our primary responsibility is to investigate and adjudicate students who are accused of violating the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (Code). We do this in support of individual development and a safe, effective educational environment. Our jurisdiction includes on-campus conduct and off-campus conduct that adversely affects the university community. We also provide support to the university’s Title IX office, adjudicating complaints of sexual misconduct. Finally, our office has responsibilities in regards to Clery Act compliance, admissions, academic misconduct, and student organization misconduct

When the complaint is referred to the Office of Student Conduct, a staff member reviews the complaint, confirms jurisdiction, and invites the accused student to come to a preliminary meeting. At that meeting, the staff member will review with the student the Student Conduct process (PDF) and the specifics of the complaint. The student is given an opportunity to respond to the complaint and provide additional information. When the complaint review is completed, the staff member may charge the student with violations of the Code or dismiss the complaint.

Most students attend conduct meetings on their own, however, if students wish, they are allowed to bring one person to the meeting as an advisor who is a support person for them. An advisor or support person of the student’s choosing may accompany them to any and all interviews, appointments, meetings and hearings involved in the assessment, investigation and resolution of the complaint. As a general rule, the advisor may be any person who is not involved as a witness in the complaint. The advisor can assist the student in understanding the questions and the process but cannot speak for the student or otherwise participate directly in the process. See our Advisor FAQs for more information.

All students, regardless of the location of their actions, must demonstrate good character as members of the Ball State University community. The University will address all violations of the Code that occur on-campus, as well as off-campus incidents. The University exercises the right to hold students accountable for their actions before, after or simultaneously with a legal proceeding. Campus disciplinary outcomes are not subject to change because criminal charges related to the incident were reduced or dismissed.

If a student is found responsible for violating a university policy, an official record will be kept with the Office of Student Conduct. However, this record will not be attached to the student's Academic Transcript and the conduct record will not be revealed without permission from a student via the submission of a signed Consent to Disclose form to the Office of Student Conduct.

It depends. Student conduct records are educational records protected by FERPA, just like transcripts or course grades. The circumstances in which we share student conduct records without a student’s permission are rare; we encourage students to provide us permission to share with persons they believe can be helpful to them.

The typical hold we impose is for incomplete sanctions. Many of the sanctions we impose have deadlines (alcohol education, community services, etc.); students are informed of those deadlines in writing after we meet. When a student does not meet a deadline, we notify them that we have imposed a hold on their ability to conduct registration activities. As with paying their financial services account, the student is responsible for completing the sanction before we remove the hold.

Please call us at 765-285-5036 so that we can assist you and still hold your student accountable.