Student Handbook - Sweet Briar College

3. The student in question may not be compelled to testify against herself, and the
jury will be instructed not to draw a negative implication from her refusal. Any
prior “bad acts” of the individual are inadmissible.
4. The College Chaplain or professional medical staff with whom the student has
entered into a confidential, privileged relationship cannot be compelled to
testify, except with the permission of the student in question.
5. The accused student or organization may select or be assigned an Advocate to
aid in the preparation and process for a Conduct Trial.
6. Student(s) making a charge against another student may select or be assigned
an Advocate to aid in the preparation and process of a Conduct Trial.
a. The student in question and her Advocate/Representative from the College
community, have the right to be present for the entire evidentiary phase of
the Trial.
b. The student in question and the student accuser(s), if applicable, have the
right to question all witnesses called by the Student Investigator, subject to
limits of appropriateness and relevancy determined at the discretion of the
presiding officer.
7. After the conclusion of the Student Investigator’s presentation, the accused
student has the right to introduce evidence and call witnesses subject to the
same limitations, governing evidence and fundamental fairness imposed on the
Student Investigator. Should there be new evidence or witnesses, the Chair
must have copies and/or names of persons not less than 24 hours in advance.
8. If the student in question fails to appear, after waiting a reasonable amount of
time, the Trial will proceed and a binding decision rendered without her. There
shall be a single written record of all trials and hearings. The record shall cite
the violation(s), the decision (responsible or not), a brief statement of the facts
upon which the finding is based, and the disciplinary sanction(s), if applicable.
B. Jury
1. The Jury for an Academic Conduct Trial is to be composed of four students and
four faculty members. The Jury for a Non-Academic Conduct Trial will be six
students and two faculty members.
a. Faculty jurors are the two members annually elected to the Judicial
Committee as Faculty Advisors; the other two for Academic Conduct
trials are to be selected by the Dean of the Faculty.
i. The faculty juror(s) may be excused by the Chair or Dean to avoid a conflict of
interest.
ii. The Dean will appoint any faculty replacements.
b. Student jurors are to be drawn randomly from the Judicial Committee and
the Student Government Association Board.
i. The Chair or Secretary will notify jurors personally at least 24 hours in
advance of the Trial with the time, place, confidentiality rules and procedures
of the Trial.
ii. If the student jurors drawn randomly from the Judicial Committee are unable
to fulfill their duties, the Judicial Secretary will randomly select other Judicial
Committee members as jurors.
iii. If enough jurors cannot be found through the Judicial Committee, the Judicial
Secretary will randomly select members of the Executive Committee from the
Student Government Association as jurors. If enough jurors are still not
available, jurors will be selected randomly from the student body.
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