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Local Advisors and Inter/National Organizations

Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS) is committed to collaborating with advisors and Inter/National organizations (I/NOs) throughout the student organization conduct process at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). This resource is for advisors and representatives of I/NOs participating in the student organization conduct process. On this page, you will find tips, suggestions, and resources for Local Advisors and for Inter/National Organizations through the Conduct Process as well as information on requesting disciplinary checks for individual members of your organization.

 

  1. Report Received & Preliminary investigation occurs
  2. Written Notice of Educational Conference emailed to Student Representative
    • Inter/National Organization or regional representative & local Advisor copied on Written Notice & invited to attend the EC.
  3. Educational Conference (EC)
  4. Investigation: gather and review evidence and witness interviews (timeline varies based on the type of investigation & cooperation from the student organization)
  5. Outcome:
    • No Action Determination – Case closed with no charges

OR

    • Finding of Responsibility & Sanction Recommendations:
      • Notice of Allegations (investigation summary) shared with key stakeholders
      • Follow-up meeting with key stakeholders to discuss potential sanctions/outcomes
      • Sanction recommendations are shared with the organization & all respective stakeholders


Resources for Local Advisors through the Conduct Process

The support of Local Advisors is an integral part of the success of student organizations. During the conduct process, Local Advisors can help provide important historical context on the organization and are an essential supportive measure for the student representatives.

Local advisors are permitted, and encouraged, to attend Education Conferences and follow-up meetings between a student organization and SCCS, as an “Advisor,” as defined in Section 5.3 of the Code. Please note that Advisors are not permitted to speak for or on behalf of a respondent/student organization.

 Local advisors are encouraged to participate in the student organization conduct process as follows:

  • Review the Student Code of Conduct;
  • Review all notices and documents sent by SCCS to the student organization;
  • Attend all initial and follow-up meetings scheduled with SCCS and the student organization;
  • Provide support to the student organization, its president or identified representative, and members;
  • Promote honest, forthcoming, and prompt communication by the student organization, through its president, representatives, and members; and
  • Strive for a fair and amicable resolution between the organization and SCCS.

To promptly resolve conduct cases, SCCS will schedule meetings consistent with students’ class schedules and their availability. Advisors should consult with Student Representative to determine meeting time(s). They may teleconference in if unable to attend in person.


Resources for Inter/National Organizations through the Conduct Process

The University of Tennessee believes in an active partnership with key stakeholders to best address issues of misconduct. Inter/National Organizations and/or regional representatives are an integral part of addressing and investigating misconduct. SCCS prioritizes partnering with stakeholders through communication and collaboration. In the spring of 2022, SCCS made intentional efforts to revise and strengthen collaboration with inter/national headquarters. As such, SCCS sends annual correspondence to inter/national organizations detailing our partnership and collaborative approach to student organization misconduct. The initial letter detailing the change is linked below:

UTK Collaboration Letter to Inter National Organizations

SCCS is always looking for new avenues to improve and adapt the current partnership model. If you have suggestions about how SCCS could improve partnership throughout the Conduct Process, please contact SCCS.

Student Conduct & Community Standards (SCCS) notifies an Inter/National Organization and/or regional representative, along with the organization’s Advisor, of an alleged violation of the Student Code of Conduct through a Written Notice of Educational Conference.

  • When the nature of the incident is more severe, SCCS or the organization’s Administrative Liaison reserves the right to immediately contact the Inter/National Organization. University interim administrative action may also be taken at any point in an investigation.

When the nature of an incident is more severe and/or the student organization’s continued presence poses a significant risk of substantial harm to the health, safety, or welfare of others, interim administrative action may be imposed by the Vice Chancellor for Student Life. University interim administrative action may be taken at any point in an investigation. Generally, SCCS, or the organization’s Administrative Liaison, will contact the Inter/National Organization prior to Interim Action being imposed. Wherever possible, SCCS works with I/NOs to craft language to recommend to the Vice Chancellor that feels appropriate based on the allegations and keeps the members and community at large safe.

In the event that an I/NO becomes aware of new information and imposes internal interim action, the University will generally mirror the restrictions. Please notify SCCS at studentconduct@utk.edu or 865-974-3171 if your I/NO becomes aware of concerning behavior and may impose interim action in response to an incident.

  • Notification: When the nature of the incident is more severe, SCCS, or the organization’s Administrative Liaison, may immediately contact the Inter/National Organization to notify the group, discuss any need for interim action, and connect on an investigation plan.
  • Participating in Witness Meetings: If a FERPA waiver is on file for a member, an Inter/National Organization or regional headquarters may participate in SCCS meetings and interviews with members of the student organization.
  • Collaborating on Investigation Summary: SCCS will often share the Notice of Allegations with the I/NO prior to meeting with the student organization. The I/NO can provide feedback and utilize the information included to draft any outcomes from the I/NO lens.
  • Collaborating on Sanction Recommendations: If SCCS determines it is more likely than not that the student organization violated the Code, SCCS will often work with representatives from the I/NO on the recommended sanctions. I/NOs often have educational programming that is specific to their organization and can create more buy-in for the members. SCCS also values input around any administrative outcomes, including social restrictions. SCCS generally tries to align all recommended outcomes with any outcomes the I/NO is also imposing.


Requesting Individual Member Disciplinary Checks

SCCS has the ability to work with organizations to provide disciplinary records of their individual members to the organization’s Advisors, Inter/National Organization, and/or regional representatives. To provide this information, the students must have completed a Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) waiver. FERPA does not apply to student organizations, but rather only to individual students.

The Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life (OSFL) requests that all incoming members sign a FERPA waiver when they accept membership into their chosen organization. The Center for Student Engagement (CSE) and RecSports do not have the same requirements.

To request a disciplinary check for your organization’s members, please email SCCS at studentconduct@utk.edu. Please be advised that it typically takes 7-10 business days for disciplinary checks to be completed and processed, during busy seasons, it could take longer.