UHAS Student Representative/Student Panel Member Position Description
The Office of Community Standards is looking for students to serve as Student Representatives. This role comprises three components: 1) hearing lower-level group cases, 2) serving on separation-level hearing panels, and 3) serving on the Student Handbook review committee to offer edits. Student Reps are a critical voice as students and student organizations engage with Northwestern's community standards and the student conduct process.
The Student Representative serves as a hearing officer, with a staff member from the Office of Community Standards, in non-separation level cases of alleged violations of university policy involving student organization/groups. The Office of Community Standards recently developed this process to allow students a meaningful role and voice in the adjudication process of student organizations/groups.
The second part of the position, a student panel member, involves serving on a three-person panel inclusive of students, faculty, and staff to hear cases and make decisions of alleged violation of University policies (non-sexual misconduct) that have the potential to result in separation (suspension, expulsion) from the university. A panel convened for a hearing will typically consist of two faculty/staff members and one student members.
The third part of the role involves sitting on the Student Handbook Committee. This group shares the student prospective on proposed Handbook revisions of both policy and process, and can bring suggested revisions of their own.
Students are expected to adhere to strict ethical and professional standings, including rules governing confidentiality, objectivity, and personal conduct.
Student member responsibilities include:
• Attend initial training and ongoing training; students are expected to attend approximately 4 hours of initial training to learn the philosophy, process, procedures, and skills necessary to be effective in the role.
• Respond to emails and calls from the Office of Community Standards within 24 hours.
• Attend all scheduled hearing and meetings related to the case to which you are assigned, unless alternative arrangements are made with the Office of Community Standards staff prior to the scheduled hearing.
• Attend monthly meetings consisting of case review, policy and process development, and sanction management.
• Attend meetings in the late winter and spring quarters to discuss and give feedback regarding changes proposed to the Student Handbook for the following year.
• Respect confidentiality of all parties involved in any violation of community standards.
In order to be considered for this position you must meet the following expectations:
• Complete the application process, which includes both an application and a brief interview.
• Be in good academic and disciplinary standing (i.e. you may not currently be on probation or suspension, and may not have any outstanding sanctions)
• Be available for the 2020-21 academic year (i.e. not studying abroad)
• Attend the mandatory training sessions (both the initial and on-going training sessions)
• Maintain a cumulative and semester GPA of 2.5
• Be available for at least one to two hearings each month during the academic year
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS February 1, 2021. Online interviews will take place in early February and training will take place in February. Training information will be discussed during the interview process.