Student Code of Conduct Resources for Families

Winona State University’s Student Code of Conduct is designed to uphold the safety and well-being of the WSU community, and the promotion and protection of the University’s mission.

Learn more about the Student Code of Conduct

Here is information you may find useful if your student is a victim or has a complaint filed against them.

File a Conduct Complaint

There are many reporting options to file a complaint. If your student would like to talk to someone they should contact Campus Safety, Vice President for Student Life and Development, Housing Area Coordinator, or their Resident Assistant.

If your student chooses to file a complaint (which is also referred to as an incident report), they may be asked to participate in the case to explain what they saw or heard and to answer questions about the incident.  If they do not want to do this, they can always file an I Witness report, which is anonymous.

Filing a complaint with Campus Safety is not the same as filing a criminal charge. Campus Safety can help students contact the local police department if they wish to file a police report.

Cases that are handled informally are often resolved in a matter of weeks. When a formal hearing is required, the process takes longer. All parties have a right to develop their respective arguments. It can take 4-6 weeks to schedule a hearing meeting. 

Support for Victims 

Winona State is first and foremost concerned about your student’s safety. Campus Safety, Housing & Residence Life or the Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Development staff can assist students with safety planning as well of inform them of the various options for resolving their complaint. 

Campus Process vs. a Criminal Charge

The rules governing the handling of student conduct matters at institutions of higher education are different from criminal statutes.

The university’s student conduct process does not lead to anyone being “convicted of a crime”. 

It is a process to determine if a student is to be found responsible for violating the Student Code of Conduct and other campus regulations. It can only result in a student discipline record that is maintained for a finite time.

The standard of proof is a “preponderance of the evidence” (which means more likely than not). The person is alleged to have committed the violation must be connected to the University. See the Student Code of Conduct for full details.

Conduct Appeal Process 

Students may appeal any decisions made through a Judicial process. Once a decision has been made, the student has a set amount of time to file a notice of appeal. 

Appeals are generally limited to specific conditions such as:

• Procedural error
• New evidence not available during the hearing
• The conclusion reached was not supported by the information provided in the hearing
• The sanction imposed is unduly severe compared to the nature of the violation