Student Group Accountability Review Process
The Student Group Accountability Review Board (SGARB) provides a fair, educational process to address concerns about student group conduct that may violate University or school policies. CSSI will review all complaints, in consultation with the appropriate school or central department, to determine the appropriate response. Some matters may be resolved informally through education and guidance, while others may proceed to a formal SGARB panel for review and potential sanctions.
Process
Student Group Conduct will review all reports, in consultation with the appropriate school or central department. If the report does not result in a violation of University or school policy, but a possible student council/board policy, the report will be referred to the appropriate Dean of Students (schools), Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs (IGB), or appropriate central administrative oversight (central councils/boards).
In cases where the University or school policy violation is a first offense and is considered not to be a serious policy violation, the school/University recognized student group advisor or Dean of Students, as applicable, may resolve the matter through an administrative resolution with the student group leaders. Student Group Conduct will forward the report to the Student Group Advisor for review and subsequent educational administrative resolution with the student leaders. After the administrative resolution, Student Group Advisors should document a detailed summary of the alleged policy violation(s), areas of improvement, and future prevention expectations discussed with the student leaders. The summary should also document the conversation with the student leaders to ensure transparent communication, sharing the time, date, and location of the resolution to Student Group Conduct. Any future policy violations by the group may result in the Informal Resolution or SGARB process.
In cases where the student group repeated a minor violation of University or school policy, or engaged in a reported offense that does not rise to the level of the SGARB process, then the matter is typically resolved through an Informal Resolution. An Informal Resolution is a facilitated discussion whereby the school/University recognized student group advisor, in collaboration with Student Group Conduct staff, engages in a reflective conversation with the student group leaders regarding the report. An Informal Resolution may include education, training, and a letter of policy reminder or Disciplinary Warning (to be filed in Maxient). All informal resolutions are recorded, and student group leaders are required to attend. Failure to attend will result in a referral to the appropriate individual’s student conduct office for noncompliance. After the completion of the Informal Resolution, any additional policy violation would be referred to the SGARB process, considering the group's prior history and opportunities to correct behavior.
Formal SGARB Review
If the report is deemed to be a potential violation of University and/or school policy after initial review by Student Group Conduct and is not administratively or informally resolved, a Student Group Conduct staff member (an Associate Director) will be designated to review the report. The Associate Director will investigate and determine if the violation reaches the threshold of a policy violation. If it does, charges will be determined and a notice letter will be sent to the student leader(s) (often the president/chair/equivalent position) of the relevant recognized student group to inform them of the potential violation.
All investigative meetings will be recorded by Student Group Conduct so that a recording of the meeting can be added to the recognized student group’s case file. The recognized student group leader may request to review the individual recording of their meeting through the file review process. The student is permitted to schedule an appointment to review the summary of the meeting, type or take handwritten notes from their file, and/or attach their own written addendum to the meeting summary. Appointment requests to review case file contents should be made at least one business day in advance via the online file review form. Please note that meeting recordings can only be reviewed in-person.
Student group leaders are required to attend all investigative meetings. Failure to attend may result in referrals to the individual’s student conduct office for noncompliance.
The student group leader(s) will be notified in writing a minimum of twelve (12) business days prior to the scheduled SGARB panel. The Associate Director will explain the student group accountability process to the student group leader(s) in question, and the student leader(s) may read all statements, reports, or other information relevant to the report. The potential violation(s) will be discussed, and the student group leader(s) will be given ample opportunity to present their own account of the incident in question throughout the process. The Associate Director will create a report that provides all the information collected during the investigative process and compile a file for the student group to examine during the file review process
Preparing for a SGARB Panel
In preparing for a SGARB Panel, the culmination of the formal process, student leaders are required to participate as witnesses and represent the Recognized Student Group in the panel. As a result, witnesses are given certain rights such as the ability to review all documents collected during the investigative process, choose and identify their representatives to Student Group Conduct.
The student group’s president, chair, or equivalent position is encouraged to meet with Student Group Conduct either in person or via Zoom to review the report(s) in the case file. The file will include the incident report (IR), investigative report, and any other supporting documentation relevant to the case. This is the group’s only access to the file prior to the SGARB panel. In the interest of privacy, copies of the file will not be distributed nor circulated outside of the SGARB review process and appropriate administrative offices. The student representatives will only be able to take handwritten notes during this file review. Appointment requests to review case file contents should be made at least ten (10) business days in advance via the online file review form.
No more than three student group leaders (including the president) will be allowed in the SGARB panel. All must be Columbia University, Barnard College, or Teachers College students and leaders of the student group. Justification for the presence of people other than the recognized student group president, chair, or equivalent position must be provided to Student Group Conduct seven (7) business days prior to the SGARB panel. Failure to abide by this timeline may result in a denial of additional people at the SGARB panel. Extenuating circumstances must be given if the organization fails to meet the deadlines.
The recognized student group is expected to prepare an opening statement to be read at the SGARB panel which summarizes the events described in the IR after performing their own internal review of what occurred. This statement should include any plans for improvement and their ideas for how to make sure similar incidents do not occur in the future, if applicable. Groups are encouraged to provide the opening statement in writing via email to Student Group Conduct no later than five (5) business days in advance of the SGARB panel if the student group wishes for the statement to be provided to the SGARB.
Any written statement and any applicable evidence, not disclosed and submitted during the investigative process, must be submitted no less than 24 business hours prior to the SGARB panel. Students are also encouraged to meet with an Advisor should they need additional support while going through the process.
The content of a written statement should outline the student group’s perspective on the incident as a whole. Statements submitted for the SGARB panel process should be no longer than five single-spaced typewritten pages, using size 12 Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins. Attachments must be included in the document or attached to the submitted form. Google Drive links will not be reviewed. If relevant additional attachments or information are provided, the material under consideration must be directly cross-referenced in the five-page statement. While submitting a written statement prior to the panel allows the Board Members time to review it before the panel, this is not required. Alternatively, a student group can read an unsubmitted written statement at the SGARB panel.
Use of AI:
All written submissions must be meaningfully authored, reviewed, and adopted by the submitting individual and must reflect that individual’s own knowledge, perspective, and good faith participation in the process. The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in connection with any matter related to a student’s involvement with processes outlined in the Student Group Accountability Policy is subject to the requirements of confidentiality, integrity, accuracy, and good faith participation that govern all aspects of the processes. AI-assisted preparation does not alter this responsibility. The use of generative AI in educational sanctions, which is intended to be reflective in nature, is expressly prohibited.
Student Group Conduct may take appropriate steps to address concerns relating to the use of AI or external tools, including but not limited to, disregarding affected materials or requesting clarification regarding authorship. Nothing in this section shall be construed to abridge disability-related reasonable accommodations approved by the Office of Disability Services.
When Student Group Conduct begins an investigation for a potential SGARB panel, every Recognized Student Group, has a right to adequate notice which will be sent via University e-mail and will include information related to the scope and purpose of the investigative process.
Dates and times for investigative meetings are scheduled by Student Group Conduct in consultation with the student leaders’ academic schedule to avoid conflict. The student leaders are also informed of the next steps in the process and their ability to review the relevant documentation prior to any SGARB panel.
Student leaders are permitted to utilize their assigned student group advisor during each stage of the investigative process, including the SGARB panel. This includes, and is not limited to, preparing before the investigative meeting, coordinating scheduling with Student Group Conduct and asking questions about the formal SGARB process. The student group advisor may also assist student leaders with writing a written statement to be read at the beginning of the SGARB panel.
Student leaders may also request a file review prior to the SGARB panel to review the Investigative Report and all appendices and other documents included for the SGARB members for review.
Student groups and leaders going through the SGARB process are afforded privacy, in accordance with University practices and legal requirements.