Legal System vs. Conduct System

What is the difference between the university student conduct process and the legal system?

The university's philosophy on student conduct is educational in nature. The Office of Student Accountability focuses on redirecting student behavior into more appropriate modes of expression. The following chart depicts the main differences between the legal system and the Student Conduct Process.

 

Legal System	Student Conduct Process
Prosecutes criminals who violate the law	Discipline students who violate institutional rules
Higher standard of proof - "beyond a reasonable doubt"	Lower standard of proof - "preponderance of evidence"
"Rules of evidence" often applied in state and federal courts	"Rules of evidence" do not apply to Student Conduct meetings or hearings.The hearing officer or panel will weigh all evidence - including issues of credibility and relevance - when making a determination.
More severe punishment	Educational and corrective accountability
Can imprison people	Maximum consequence is expulsion
State and federal laws set minimum standards for the safe and orderly operation of society	Set standards requiring ethical and moral behavior of students to create and maintain a productive University living and learning community
Legal system may choose not to prosecute a certain action or behavior	Campus resolution may proceed before, during or after civil or criminal actions are concluded. Civil and criminal processes do not affect the Student Conduct process.
Punishment	Educational Sanctions
"Guilty" or "Not Guilty"	"Responsible" or "Not Responsible"
"Plaintiff" and "Defendant"	"Complainant" and "Respondent"