Peer Judicial Information

There are currently two peer judicial boards, each with a peer appeals board, with a role in the University of Oregon conduct system. Look at these cites to find more information about them.

Residence Hall Peer Judicial Board

Residence Hall Appeals Board

Greek Tribunal

Greek Appeals Board

1. Residence Hall Peer Judicial Board

ARTICLE VII.-CONDUCT SYSTEM

Section 1. Residence Hall Tribunals

A. General provisions

1. Residence Hall Appeals Board
   
   • a. The jurisdiction of the Residence Halls Appeals Board shall be limited to enforcement of the Student Conduct Code and the provisions of the Residence Hall Contract.
   • b. The Residence Halls Appeals Board shall serve as the appeal board for the Peer Judicial Board (J-Board).
   • c. Membership: The membership of the Residence Halls Appeals Board shall consist of eight voting student members and one non-voting adviser.
     • 1. All members shall be appointed for one-year terms, coinciding with the start of fall term classes each year.
     • 2. Members of the Residence Hall Appeals Board shall be selected from the membership of the J-Board.
     • 3. The Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer shall be designated as the nonvoting adviser to the Residence Hall Appeals Board. If the Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer is unable to serve as adviser, the Director of Residence Life shall serve as a temporary adviser to the Residence Hall Appeals Board.
     • 4. Temporary members may be appointed by the Director of University Housing during summer session or at such other times as are necessary.
   • d. Disqualifications
     • 1. The members of the J-Board who were involved with the original case shall be disqualified automatically from participation in that particular appeal.
     • 2. Members of the Residence Hall Appeals Board who have a conflict of interest in a given case shall disqualify themselves from serving on the Residence Hall Appeals Board for that particular case.
     • 3. A member of the Residence Hall Appeals Board may be challenged for conflict of interest by the appellant or another member of the Residence Halls Appeals Board.
       • a. If the challenge is made by the appellant, the seven remaining Residence Hall Appeals Board members shall, by majority vote, determine the challenged member's eligibility to judge the case.
       • b. If the challenge is made by another Residence Halls Appeals Board member, neither the challenged nor the challenging member may vote on the issue; consensus regarding the challenged member's eligibility to hear the case must be reached by the six remaining members. Failure to reach a positive consensus will cause the disqualification of the challenged member.
2. Peer Judicial Board (J-Board)
   • a. There shall be one centralized J-Board with representatives from all six complexes.
   • b. They shall have jurisdiction to hear disciplinary cases arising under the Student Conduct Code and the provisions of the Residence Hall Contract which occur any residence hall complex.
   • c. Membership
     • 1. The membership of the J-Board shall consist of twenty-five students from the residence halls. If possible, representation will be seven from Bean, seven from Hamilton, five from UI/Riley, three from Carson/Earl, and three from Walton. Sub-groups of the J-Board shall meet to hear cases on a rotating schedule. Non-voting Assistant Complex Directors shall serve as advisers to the J-Board. In the event of an emergency, the Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer shall serve as a temporary adviser to the J-Board. A quorum of the J-Board shall consist of five members.
     • 2. The student members of the J-Board shall be selected in accordance with the procedures approved by the Complex Government of the respective residence hall complex. Temporary members may be appointed by the Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer to assure full membership during the summer session or at such other times as are necessary.
     • 3. Members of the J-Board who have a conflict of interest in a given case must disqualify themselves from serving on the J-Board for that particular case.
   • d. Organizational structure
     • 1. A Presiding Officer shall be selected by the students serving on a sub-group of the board. The Presiding Officer is responsible for running the meeting and ensuring that the rights of each person appearing before the board are safeguarded during and after the meeting.
     • 2. The Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer is responsible for notifying defendants of hearing times, processing and forwarding of all paperwork to the necessary recipients, and ensuring that each sanction handed down by the J-Board is carried through.
     • 3. The Staff Adviser to the J-Board is responsible for notifying members of hearing times, advising the J-Board on University and Housing policies in regards to conduct, and ensuring that the rights of each person appearing before the board are safeguarded during and after the meeting.

1. Initiating the process
   • a. All alleged violations occurring in a residence hall complex shall be referred to the Complex Director. The Complex Director may then refer the case to the J-Board, or hear the case him or her self. If the case is to be heard by either the Complex Director or the J-Board, the student must be apprised of his or her right to have an informal hearing with the Department of Student Judicial Affairs, or a formal "contested case" hearing before the University Hearings Board.
   • b. Cases which are deemed by the Complex Director to be very serious, such as those involving the possibility of a sanction beyond the authority of the J-Board or Complex Director may be referred directly to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.
   • c. Beginning with the last week of classes of any term or semester and through the period until the first day of classes in the next term or semester, all cases not resolved by the Complex Director shall be referred directly to the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.
2. Contested case hearing
   • a. The student shall be given written notice which shall include:
     • 1. A statement of the student's right to a contested case hearing, or a statement of the time and place of the hearing.
     • 2. A statement of the authority and jurisdiction under which the hearing is to be held.
     • 3. A reference to the student's right to present witnesses and to submit either or both oral or written statement(s) to the Board concerning the charges.
   • b. The hearing shall be scheduled by the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.
3. Informal hearing
   • a. A student may waive, in writing, the right to a formal, contested case hearing.
   • b. The Complex Director may then immediately refer the case to the J-Board.
   • c. The J-Board shall hear the case as soon as possible, but not earlier than 36 hours after the referral.
   • d. The student shall be given written notice which shall include:
     • 1. A statement of the matters asserted or charged,
     • 2. A statement of the time and place of the hearing,
     • 3. A reference to the student's right to present witnesses and to submit either or both oral or written statement(s) to the Board concerning the charges.
   • e. Should the 36 hour notice be inadequate for the student to prepare an adequate defense, the student may request an extension by consulting with the Residence Life Judicial Affairs Officer prior to the hearing. If the request is denied, at the hearing the student may ask the J-Board to reconsider the request. A reasonable delay shall be granted as merited by the student's request with a showing by the student that preparation of an adequate defense was not possible in the time available.
   • f. Each party shall have the opportunity to present testimony. The way in which questions are to be addressed in the hearing shall be determined by the presiding officer. After the parties have made their presentations and the Board believes that it has all the necessary information, the presiding officer shall request a final statement from the referring party and the defendant.
   • g. All hearings shall be closed unless the student charged submits to the board a written request for the hearing to be open. To the extent necessary to preserve order, however, the presiding officer may limit attendance at the hearing. The presiding officer shall first request, for good cause, that specified person(s) leave the hearing. Impairing or interrupting the due course of proceedings is itself a violation of the Student Conduct Code.
   • h. Deliberations of the J-Board shall be in closed session.
   • i. A majority vote of a quorum of the Board shall determine the decision and the sanction, if any sanction is required. A quorum shall be five members of the J-Board.
   • j. The decision shall be announced at the end of the closed sessions, and the student shall be informed of the right to appeal the decision.
   • k. All sanctions shall be in conformity with the laws and rules applicable to these hearings.
     • 1. Failure to comply with the terms of any disciplinary sanction imposed in accordance with the Student Conduct Code is itself an offense under the code.

1. Contested case hearings
   • a. The student may appeal the final order of the University Hearings Board to the University Appeals Board as described in the Student Conduct Code.
   • b. The decision of the University Appeals Board may be appealed to the Court of Appeals on the grounds and according to the procedures specified in ORS chapter 183.
2. 2. Informal hearing
   • a. The student may appeal the decision of the J-Board by filing a written appeal request with the Residence Hall Appeals Board adviser within 24 hours after the decision has been announced.
   • b. Sanctions shall be stayed automatically during the time of appeal unless the seriousness of the violation or sanction, such that the J-Board directs immediate execution of sanction.
   • c. Within seven days of the decision being appealed, the student shall provide the Residence Hall Appeals Board adviser with specific written justification for seeking the appeal, such as errors made by the J-Board, failure of the J-Board to consider all evidence presented, new evidence not known or not available at the time of the hearing, or anything else which may have denied the student a fair and impartial hearing. Failure to file a written appeal justification within seven days shall result in the appeal request being canceled.
   • d. Requests for an extension of time to prepare for the appeal shall be made by consultation with the Residence Halls Appeals Board adviser. If the request is denied by the adviser, at the hearing the student may ask the Residence Halls Appeals Board to reconsider the request.
   • e. A reasonable delay shall be granted as merited by the student's request with a showing by the student that the student was unable to prepare an adequate defense in the time available.
   • f. Cases heard by the J-Board may be appealed to the Residence Halls Appeals Board. The Residence Halls Appeals Board's decision shall be final and may not be appealed.

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2. Residence Hall Peer Judicial Board