Indiana · Private University
DePauw University Student Conduct & Academic Misconduct Defense
Facing a Community Standards Office / University Review Committee proceeding? AdvocatED advisors know DePauw's specific process, not generic advice, but guidance built around how your institution actually works.
⏱ DePauw gives you just three business days to appeal in both its conduct and academic-integrity systems, a second academic offense automatically triggers a hearing, and you cannot withdraw from a course while a charge is pending. The window to act is short, so contact us as soon as you're notified.
If you just received notice
What to do right now at DePauw
- 1Note the exact date on your notice letter and calendar every deadline it lists. DePauw's response and appeal windows are short, and missing one forecloses your options.
- 2Do not respond substantively yet. Before you reply to the Community Standards Office / University Review Committee, read Student Handbook (Code of Conduct) / Academic Handbook (Academic Integrity) so you know the specific procedure that applies to your case.
- 3Preserve everything related to the allegation: emails, drafts, timestamps, citations, and messages with classmates. This evidence often decides the case.
- 4Confirm your right to an advisor. Most schools, including DePauw University, allow you to bring an advisor to a Community Standards Office / University Review Committee proceeding. AdvocatED can serve in that role.
- 5Contact AdvocatED for a free case review before your DePauw meeting. We will explain how the Community Standards Office / University Review Committee approaches cases like yours and what response gives you the strongest position.
DePauw University's Academic Integrity & Conduct Process
DePauw runs two separate systems. Non-academic conduct goes through the Community Standards Office, where a Community Standards Representative or a Community Standards Review Board decides responsibility, and a Suspension Evaluation Process led by the Assistant VP for Student Affairs handles any case that could bring suspension or expulsion. Academic integrity begins with the faculty member and escalates to the University Review Committee. All tracks use the preponderance standard, and every expulsion is automatically reviewed by the President.
This specific institutional knowledge is what separates AdvocatED from generic advisors. We provide guidance tailored to how DePauw's actual process works, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Key Things to Know About DePauw's Community Standards Office / University Review Committee
- →Two separate systems plus Title IX: non-academic conduct (Community Standards Office) and academic integrity (faculty plus the University Review Committee)
- →Non-academic cases are handled by a Community Standards Representative or a Community Standards Review Board; suspension or expulsion runs through a Suspension Evaluation Process led by the Assistant VP for Student Affairs
- →All three systems use the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard
- →Academic dishonesty begins with an Academic Dishonesty Settlement Form; a second violation automatically triggers a University Review Committee hearing and can bring suspension or dismissal
- →Every student expulsion is automatically reviewed by the President of the University
- →Appeals are due within 3 business days — Community Standards to the VP for Student Affairs, academic to the VP for Academic Affairs
How AdvocatED Helps DePauw Students
Academic Misconduct Defense
Student Handbook (Code of Conduct) / Academic Handbook (Academic Integrity) violations, plagiarism, cheating, AI use, collaboration issues
Learn more →Conduct Hearing Preparation
Coaching and preparation for presenting your case before Community Standards Office / University Review Committee
Learn more →Academic Dismissal Appeals
Building a compelling appeal through DePauw's appeals process
Learn more →Title IX Defense
Navigating DePauw University's Title IX investigation and hearing procedures
Learn more →DePauw Resources & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions: DePauw Students
Who decides my case at DePauw?
It depends on the system. Non-academic conduct is handled by the Community Standards Office: a Community Standards Representative handles intake and admitted violations, while a Community Standards Review Board (the Assistant VP for Student Affairs plus two students) hears cases where responsibility is denied. Academic integrity begins with the faculty member and escalates to the University Review Committee (three faculty and two students). These are separate tracks with different boards and deadlines, so identifying the right one matters.
What standard of proof does DePauw use?
All three of DePauw's systems — non-academic conduct, academic integrity, and Title IX — use the preponderance-of-the-evidence standard, meaning 'more likely than not.' In academic cases the burden is expressly on the faculty member to establish responsibility by that standard. Because this is a far lower bar than the criminal 'beyond a reasonable doubt,' the careful presentation of facts is decisive.
How does academic integrity work at DePauw?
The instructor confers with you and presents a written charge and proposed penalty on an Academic Dishonesty Settlement Form. You have three business days to accept it or request a University Review Committee hearing disputing the charge or the penalty — and no response means the case is automatically referred to the URC. A second violation automatically triggers a disciplinary URC hearing that can bring suspension or dismissal, and a hold is placed on your transcript so you cannot withdraw from the course while the charge is pending.
Who can suspend or expel me at DePauw?
Suspension and expulsion in the conduct system come only through a Suspension Evaluation Process run by the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs — a Community Standards Representative cannot impose them. In the academic system, only the University Review Committee (not an individual instructor) can suspend or dismiss. Importantly, every student expulsion is automatically reviewed by the President of the University. Because separation triggers these heightened processes, that is where a prepared defense has the most leverage.
How do I appeal a decision at DePauw?
In the conduct system, you appeal in writing to the Vice President for Student Affairs within three business days, on grounds that depend on how the case was decided — up to four grounds (new evidence, procedural error, a substantial policy-interpretation error, or the appropriateness of the sanction) after a Review Board or Suspension Evaluation. In the academic system, you appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within three business days. Both decisions are final, so the short window and the framing of grounds are critical.
I'm in a fraternity or sorority — is anything different at DePauw?
Potentially, yes. DePauw's Community Standards process includes a parallel organizational-accountability track, and chapter-linked charges can trigger notification to the Fraternity & Sorority Life office, your chapter advisors, and your national organization — consequences that reach beyond the individual case. If your matter is tied to a chapter or event, we help you understand both the personal and the organizational exposure and respond to each.
Related guides for DePauw students
Topic-specific guides that cover the situations DePauw students most commonly face.
Facing a DePauw Conduct Issue?
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