Filing a Complaint

Written complaints alleging violations of the Code may be submitted online at CICF.brown.edu. Individuals who are unable to access or use the online form should contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at [email protected] or 401-863-2653. Complaints must include the name(s) of all known witnesses or others who may have information concerning the allegation of prohibited conduct and all known facts about the incident. There is no time limit by which complaints must be submitted after an incident. However, the ability of the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards to fully investigate an incident is impacted by how much time has elapsed since an incident occurred. In addition, a complaint alleging a Code violation by an individual who is no longer a student at the University will be reviewed but may not be investigated unless that individual re-enrolls at the University. Complaints that are submitted anonymously will be reviewed; however, anonymity may limit the ability of the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards to fully investigate an incident.

What Happens to a Complaint

The Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards receives reports containing allegations of prohibited conduct from several sources, including the Department of Public Safety, Providence Police, University offices/employees, and persons unaffiliated with the University. All reports are reviewed before a resolution method is determined. If your complaint involves violations related to COVID-19 requirements, please read the COVID-19 Student Conduct Procedures. 

Preliminary Review. Some complaints/reports do not contain sufficient information to determine a resolution method upon initial review. For such cases, a Preliminary Review may be conducted to gather more information. This may include meeting with involved parties or witnesses and requesting statements and/or documents that will help determine whether charges, an Investigative Review, or no actions are warranted.

Investigative Review. An Investigative Review is utilized when the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards receives allegations that, if substantiated, could warrant a student’s (or student group’s) separation from the University. The review, which includes interviews with the parties and relevant witnesses and a collection of all relevant documents and other evidence, may culminate in a comprehensive report that will be reviewed by the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards (“the Director”). If the complaint is not complex in nature, it may be reviewed by collecting statements and documents from the parties and any relevant witnesses before a summary and packet of information are provided to the Director for review. After review, the Director will determine whether there is a basis to file charges against a student (or student group) and at what level, if any, the matter should be resolved. The possible resolution recommendations from the Director are as follows:

  1. Disciplinary, Higher Level. Matters that may result in a community status of suspension or higher will be resolved through an Administrative Hearing, a Student Conduct Board Hearing, or a Restorative Board Hearing.
  2. Disciplinary, Lower Level. Matters that will not result in a community status of suspension or higher may be referred to Letter Adjudication, an Administrative Review Meeting, a Student Group Administrative Review Meeting, or a Restorative Conference.
  3. Non-disciplinary Actions. If it is determined that a disciplinary proceeding is not warranted (due to a lack of information or a determination that the alleged behavior is not a violation of the Code), the matter may be handled with a warning letter or a Dean’s Conference or may be referred to mediation, counseling, alcohol/drug education, restorative circles, or other referrals as appropriate.
  4. No Action. If there is no basis to file charges and no follow up is warranted, the Director may recommend that the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards close the case and take no action.
  5. Withdrawal of Charges. The Director has the authority to withdraw charges once they have been made. This may be done when the information that was provided was false or misleading and should not have resulted in charges being filed.

All references to the Director of Student Conduct & Community Standards (“the Director") should be understood to include their designee.