Center for Student Conduct

Preparing for an Appeal

The purpose of the appeal process is to ensure that students who engage in the University of Vermont’s conduct process, through the Center for Student Conduct, have the opportunity to fully participate in and are treated fairly in this process. The appeal process is not a reconsideration of the original conduct case, but is an opportunity for the appealing party to request a review based on one or more of the following bases of appeal.

If one or more of these grounds of appeal have been met, the result of the original conduct case and/or sanctions could be modified:

A procedural error that unfairly and materially affected the outcome of the case;
Material evidence has been discovered that was not reasonably available at the time of the conduct meeting;
A clear abuse of discretion on the part of the Conduct Meeting Facilitator(s) or Academic Integrity Council.

Recommendations for Preparing For an Appeal

Carefully Review the Conduct Process and Your Conduct File

To be well prepared and informed in the appeals process, it is recommended that you carefully review all correspondence and information you have received pertaining to the conduct case. If you have any questions about the process, it is important to get clarification from an official University source [e.g., Center for Student Conduct or Dean of Students Office (DOS)]. You also have the right to request information in your student conduct file by contacting the Center for Student Conduct at (802) 656-4360 or sconduct@uvm.edu. There is also information about the student conduct process and resources on the Center for Student Conduct website and Dean of Students website.

Adhere to All Deadlines

Because the conduct and appeals process includes many steps and procedures, it is critically important to adhere to all deadlines and to provide any requested information. Failure to do either may impact your ability to fully participate in the process or receive a full review of your appeal.

How to Submit a Thorough Appeal

When submitting a written appeal, you should state your ground(s) for appeal clearly and thoroughly. This includes providing a detailed rationale for your appeal and any supporting information or documentation to support your appeal. For example, if you reference the resolution of a civil court case as new evidence that was not reasonably available at the time of your conduct meeting, you should provide a copy of the court resolution. Please be aware that any information you provide may be independently verified before being considered in the appeal.
Some questions for you to consider when outlining your grounds for appeal are:
Clear Abuse of Discretion of the Conduct Meeting Facilitator or Academic Integrity Council
Is the sanction inappropriate (i.e., too severe or too lenient) for the conduct? If you believe it is, what information or evidence supports this claim?
Does the evidence in the record (for the conduct case) support the findings by the Conduct Meeting Facilitator or Academic Integrity Council? If it doesn’t, describe how.
Procedural error that unfairly and materially affected the outcome of the case
What was the procedural error and who made the error?
How did this error materially and unfairly affect the outcome of the case? In other words, what difference did the procedural error make?
Important Note – Not attending your conduct meeting because you did not read your University e-mail notifying you of the meeting does not constitute a procedural error.
New evidence which has been discovered, that was not available at the time of the original conduct meeting
What is the new evidence and what is the relevance and impact of this new evidence to the case?
Why was this new evidence not reasonably available at the time of the conduct meeting?
If you present new evidence in the form of a witness statement, the person submitting this information needs to include:
Their full name and contact information
The following statement along with their signature and date: The information that I have provided in this statement is true and accurate. I have made this statement freely without expectation of a benefit or reward, without threat of punishment, and without coercion. I understand that providing false information in this statement may subject me to penalty of perjury.

Important Notes:
Information that was shared during the original conduct meeting will not be reconsidered as new evidence.
Character witnesses (e.g., people who can attest to your contributions to the community or your good character) are not considered in the appeal process.