Depending on the severity of the offense, students who are arrested while attending Purdue face either a Community Standards Board (CSB) panel hearing or a conduct conference. If you are arrested and the Purdue Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities (OSRR) requires you to attend a CSB panel hearing, it means that the allegations are considered severe enough to warrant a possible suspension or expulsion. Because the panel hearing can lead to such serious consequences, it's important to prepare for the meeting in advance.
If you are assigned a CSB panel hearing, you will first receive a notification letter from the Office of the Dean of Students. The letter will describe the alleged Student Conduct Code violations and will inform you of the dates and times of the two required hearings.
At the first meeting, you and a representative from the university will review the applicable sections of the Purdue Student Conduct Code as well as the range of possible consequences so that you have a better understanding of the hearing process. The second meeting is a Community Standards Board panel hearing, which is similar to a trial. A panel comprised of three students and two faculty members will serve as the de facto jury. During Phase 1 of the panel hearing, a member of the OSRR will act as a prosecutor and present the evidence against you. You will then have the opportunity to address the panel, present any evidence, and call relevant witnesses. At the end of the hearing, the panel will decide whether you will be held responsible for the charges against you.
If you are found responsible for the charges, Phase 2 of the hearing will begin. The OSRR representative will suggest possible sanctions or penalties. You will also have the opportunity address the panel, present letters of recommendation and any other evidence in support of a lesser penalty. The panel will then deliberate and decide which sanctions to impose. Possible penalties include:
In addition to one of the punishments above, you may also face secondary sanctions, such as:
The Purdue Student Code of Conduct governs CSB hearings. During the panel hearing, you will be subjected to questioning. You have the right to address the charges laid against you, call your own witnesses and present evidence of your own. However, you may choose to remain silent. You also have the right to bring an advisor with you, such as a criminal defense attorney.
An experienced Lafayette, Indiana criminal lawyer can help prepare you for the panel hearing while protecting your rights in any criminal case. Reasons to retain an attorney who is experienced in representing Purdue students in panel hearings include: