Frequently Asked Questions for Families

My student received a letter from Student Conduct Education and Administration (SCEA).  What does that mean?

If your student received a letter from this office, this means she/he has been charged with violating the Code of Conduct and needs to schedule an appointment to see the assigned hearing officer in Student Conduct Education and Administration. This appointment is private and information from the meeting cannot be shared with others, including parents or other family members, without a written release from the student.  Please see information on FERPA for complete rules about confidentiality, as well as reasons why confidentiality could be broken.

Can I come with my student to the meeting with Student Conduct Education and Administration?

According to Student Code of Conduct, students are allowed to bring one advisor to the meeting with them, but the advisor may not speak or ask questions on behalf of the student. The advisor is there in a supportive role, but may whisper to the student and confer with the student while not participating directly in the meeting.  The advisor can be a parent or family member, friend, or anyone else of the student's choosing.

My student told me she/he did not do the things suggested in the letter. What happens now?

The college years are a time of experimentation, growth, and change for most college students. For many, this is the first time they are away from home and their family’s supervision. Your student will need to follow the instructions given in the letter and make an appointment to discuss the alleged violation(s) with the assigned University hearing officer. After talking with your student and getting her/his side of the story, the University hearing officer will make a decision regarding the student’s responsibility in the alleged violation. If the student is found responsible for the violation(s), educational and corrective sanctions may be applied. Your student needs to be prepared to tell the truth during the meeting and make sure she/he has read the current Student Code of Conduct, which is available online and in print from Student Conduct Education and Administration.

Why does my student have to come to a disciplinary hearing when they are already going through the legal system for an offense? Isn’t that double jeopardy?

Under authority granted by Article 6, Sections 31 and 31a of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma and Title 70, Oklahoma Statues, Sections 3412 (1), (15), Oklahoma State University is granted full authority to adopt policies and procedures governing the conduct of its students.

By enrolling at Oklahoma State University, students accept responsibility for compliance with all University policies and contracts.  Disciplinary action may also be taken for any violation of local ordinances, state or federal law, on or off campus that adversely affects the University community or the pursuit of the University's lawful educational mission, process or function.  The University reserves the right to take necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the campus community.  Students shall have the right of due process and appeal as prescribed in the Code of Conduct and other relevant University policies, rules or regulations.  Students may be subject to civil and criminal penalties in addition to campus sanctions.  Campus resolution may proceed before, during or after civil or criminal actions are concluded and is not subject to challenge based on the action or inaction of civil authorities.

What is a sanction and why was my student given one?

Sanctions are educational or corrective measures designed to teach students why certain behavior is inappropriate and not condoned and to ensure that certain behavior does not occur in the future. Sanctions are not designed to be punitive but, rather, the focus is on education. College is a time of learning, and sanctions help facilitate learning when a student has engaged in behaviors that violate the University’s Code of Conduct.  Sometimes, behavior is so serious that the University is forced to become more punitive, up to and including sanctions of suspension or expulsion. However, for the most part, sanctions are educational in nature. Sanctions are typically discussed with the student and the student is given a chance to participate in designing sanctions that would be educational. The following reflective objectives/desired outcomes apply to University sanctions:

A. Self Reflection

Promote self-awareness of behavior, awareness of appropriateness/inappropriateness of behavior, awareness of institutional expectations.

B. Impact on Others

Promote student understanding of how behavior impacted or could have impacted others.

C. Impact on University Community and/or Society

Promote student understanding of community and/or societal standards and norms.

D. Impact on Personal Being

Promote self-awareness of potential physical or psychological impacts of behavior.

E. Impact on Personal Future

Promote self-awareness of potential impacts of behavior on student’s future (choice of career, course of study, etc.).

F. Clarify Values

Clarify personal values and goals as well as impact of behavior on goal attainment.

G. Strong Deterrence and Awareness Raising

Serve as a serious and/or uncomfortable intervention to make clear the behavior is not condoned.

Adapted from A Guide for Effective Sanctioning: From Theory to Practice (1999) by Rick Olshak, p. 27.


I pay for my student's education. Why can't you tell me anything about the incident she/he was involved in?

All records maintained by Student Conduct Education and Administration are protected educational records according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This federal law prevents records regarding students from being released to a third party without the consent of the student. Educational records, such as discipline records, may be released to a parent or other family member if the student signs a release form granting SCEA permission to discuss the file with the parents or other designated family member. There are some exceptions to this law which permit information to be released without the student's consent, such as in the case of a health or safety emergency or if a student is under age 21 and has violated an alcohol or drug policy.

While information from individual student records may usually not be discussed with others without a student's consent, Student Conduct Education and Administration staff may always discuss issues of process with you.

What kinds of off-campus behavior could be subject to University disciplinary action?

Examples of off-campus behavior which may be subject to University disciplinary action include but are not limited to: selling or otherwise providing alcohol to underage students, selling or distributing illicit drugs, sexual violence, hazing, actions which result in the serious injury or death of another person(s), repeated alcohol or drug offenses, or any alleged violation that jeopardizes an individual's or community's educational opportunities.  Sanctions for these violations will generally result in suspension or expulsion from the University.