Hearing and Appeals Procedure
A student who wishes to appeal a disciplinary decision by the vice president for student affairs or the president's designee regarding an assigned sanction of restitution, reprimand, restriction, disciplinary probation, or failing or lowered grade, must file a written notice of appeal through the president's office for review by the hearing body within five business days of notification of the decision. The person filing the initial complaint against the student must be notified of the hearing date.
If the vice president for student affairs or president's designee recommends a sanction of disciplinary suspension, disciplinary expulsion, interim disciplinary suspension, or system-wide expulsion, the matter will be referred to the hearing body by the vice president for student affairs. The student need not file a written notice of his or her desire to appear before the hearing body. However, the person filing the initial complaint shall also be notified of the hearing.
The student will then have the right to appear in a hearing before a hearing body assigned by the president or their designee within ten business days to present evidence and/or testimony. If the student has been placed on an interim disciplinary suspension, the hearing must be held as soon as possible, preferably within five days. The student has the right to be assisted by any single advisor they choose, at their own expense. The student is responsible for presenting their case; therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or participate directly in any hearing before a hearing body. The hearing body may consist of a single person or group from the Athens Technical College community. There shall be a single official record of all hearings before the hearing body, such as a tape recording. The official record shall be the property of the college. The standard of proof in all hearings shall be a preponderance of the evidence. The chairperson of the hearing body shall notify the president and the vice president for student affairs in writing of the hearing body's decision. The president or their designee will notify the student in writing of the hearing body's decision.
If the student appeared before the hearing body to appeal to the vice president for student affairs or president's designee's sanction of restitution, reprimand, restriction, disciplinary probation, or failing or lower grade, then the hearing body's decision regarding the appeal is final. A copy of the hearing body's written decision will be provided to both the student and the person who filed the original complaint.
If the student appeared before the hearing body after the vice president for student affairs or president's designee recommended disciplinary suspension, disciplinary expulsion, interim disciplinary suspension, or system-wide expulsion, the student should may appeal directly to the president. If entitled to an appeal to the president, the student shall have five business days after receiving written notification of the hearing body's decision to request in writing an appeal. The student shall ensure that all relevant information is included with this request. In addition, the person who filed the original complaint shall be notified of the student's appeal.
The president of Athens Technical College or their designee's review shall be in writing and only consider evidence currently in the record. New facts not brought up in earlier stages of the appeal shall not be considered. The president or their designee shall deliver the decision to the student and the person who filed the original complaint within ten business days. The decision of the president or their designee shall be final and binding.