Reporting Individual Rights & Responsibilities

Responsibilities of the Reporting Individual
The reporting individual is not required to attend a hearing; however the board may dismiss a case if they feel there is insufficient information to determine an outcome without the reporting party appearing. The reporting individual must be truthful. The reporting individual is subject to referral to the community standards process if they knowingly lie to the board.

Rights of the Complainant
In addition to the rights and responsibilities in conduct meetings and hearings listed for reporting individual in the formal resolution process section, participants in CSRB hearings have the following rights:

• The reporting individual shall be provided with a copy of any reports or statements issued to the community standards review board and the student respondent who is alleged to have violated policy.
• The reporting individual has the right to know the date of the hearing at least five (5) business days before the hearing.
• The reporting individual has the right to request a postponement, which may be granted for reasonable cause by the CSRB advisor or Office of Communtiy Standards and Student Accountability, providing they notify the CSRB advisor at least 36 hours in advance of the scheduled hearing. The request for postponement must be put in writing to the CSRB advisor.
• The reporting individual may provide compelling reasons to challenge the participation of any board member; the decision shall be made by the board hearing the case in consultation with the CSRB advisor.
• The reporting individual may choose not to answer questions posed by the hearing participants or members of the community standards review board.
• The reporting individual has the right to ask questions of the board, respondent, and witnesses (both their witnesses and the reporting individual witnesses). All questions must be directed through the board.
• The reporting individual shall be allowed to present witnesses, excluding character references, on their own behalf and to be accompanied by a supporter of their own choice. The supporter shall be a current faculty, staff, or student member of the Hampshire College community.
• The reporting individual in any conduct hearing/meeting shall have the right to appeal, as explained in the appeals section.

The board shall not permit the consideration of statements by witnesses not available for questioning, but this may be waived for good cause if the board hearing the case, by majority vote, determines that admission of such a statement enables of a thorough review of the matter, allows the case to be adjudicated in a fair and equitable manner, and will not cause undue prejudice to either party.