Filing a Conduct Complaint Regarding Student Conduct
Students, staff, faculty, or guests may initiate a complaint regarding student conduct using the online Student Conduct Incident Report. A formal complaint may also be in a written statement, a security incident report or via college personnel on behalf of the individual. Written complaints should include the time of the incident, details to the nature of the complaint, any relevant dates, and the names of any potential witnesses and submitted to the Dean of Student Services or designee.
A student who wishes to withdraw a complaint must do so in writing to the Dean or designee. The College reserves the right to take interim action, to protect the peace and welfare of the College community pending completion of an investigation. The College also reserves the right to exercise professional discretion to continue processing a complaint in cases of harassment, endangerment, stalking or other behaviors that pose a threat to the safety, welfare or wellbeing of another person or the Palm Beach State College community. However, the College may also not officially charge students with violations of the Code of Conduct if viable alternatives to disciplinary action are appropriate.
Complaint Process
This complaint process is intended to provide a fair, prompt, and objective determination about whether any College policy or the student code of conduct has been violated. The reporting party and the responding party will be treated with dignity, courtesy, sensitivity and understanding and will not be prejudged or blamed for what occurred. The College will take all reasonable steps to prevent unnecessary or unwanted contact or proximity between both parties. Reasonable attempts will be made to provide support academically and referral to support services.
Students requiring ADA accommodations must contact the Center for Student Accessibility to coordinate support throughout the conduct process.
Any persons thought to have information relevant to the complaint shall be interviewed, and such interview shall be appropriately documented. It is expected that interviewees would cooperate in providing all requested information.
Investigations will include, but are not limited to, visual inspection, copying, photographing, or otherwise preserving text, emails, social media post, voice messages and any other type of documentation or media that support the reporting party’s complaint or are offered by the responding party or discovered in follow-up interviews.
Reports made in bad faith may be subject to equivalent student conduct action.