I. Policy Statement- The Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees delegated to the College President authority to adopt policies and procedures as are reasonable and necessary for the proper conduct of the operations and activities of the College.
- The President delegated to the Vice President for Student Affairs authority to adopt policies and procedures as are reasonable and necessary for the health and safety of the students and the campus.
- The Vice President for Student Affairs or designee (hereinafter, the VPSA) may suspend a student from the College for an interim period, pending the resolution of disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings or other relevant behavioral assessment or evaluation. The VPSA may do so, at his/her sole discretion, if there is reliable information available that the student’s conduct poses a substantial and immediate threat to the safety, health, or welfare of persons or property on campus, and/or ongoing threat of substantially disrupting or materially interfering with the teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or the performance of normal College functions.
- An interim suspension will be notified in writing via email, personal delivery, or U.S. mail. The notice will explain the reason for the interim suspension, as well as any conditions that may apply.
- During the interim suspension, a student is excluded from all College properties and facilities, which includes an immediate and temporary prohibition to attend any classes and any other College activity or program.
- The interim suspension does not delay or void the regular disciplinary process. Following the imposition of an interim suspension, standard College disciplinary procedures shall be provided as expeditiously as possible unless circumstances render the implementation of standard disciplinary procedures impossible or unreasonably difficult (e.g., the student is under the custody of law enforcement).
- During any time that a student is excluded from the College, the VPSA may grant the student permission to come to campus for a specific purpose, such as meeting with college officials. Such permission may be initiated by college officials or requested by the student. Failure to abide by the terms of the interim suspension may result in additional disciplinary sanctions pursuant to the Student Conduct Policy and/or law enforcement proceedings.
- The student under interim suspension may submit a written request to meet with the VPSA. The written request must be submitted to the VPSA within five working days from the effective date of the interim suspension. This meeting shall be held to consider only the following issues related to the interim action: (1) The reliability of the information alleging the student's conduct; and (2) whether the conduct and surrounding circumstances reasonably indicate that the student's presence on campus or continued unrestricted participation in campus affairs poses an ongoing threat to the safety, health, or welfare of oneself or others on campus, or a threat of substantially disrupting or materially interfering with the teaching, research, administration, disciplinary procedures, or other conduct of business of the College The VPSA will assess whether the interim suspension will continue based on the student’s response and other known, relevant information at the time.
After notice and opportunity to be heard, the VPSA may decide to lift the interim suspension, modify the interim suspension, or continue the interim suspension, potentially until disciplinary and/or criminal proceedings have been resolved. The interim suspension will remain effective until the College’s standard disciplinary proceeding is complete.
|
III. Responsibilities For following the policy: All students For enforcement of the policy: Office of Student Affairs For oversight of the policy: Vice President for Student Affairs For notification of policy: Policy Librarian For procedures implementing the policy: Vice President for Student Affairs, Dean of Students, and Student Conduct Coordinator |
