Southern University and A&M College Student Conduct & Academic Misconduct Defense

Southern University and A&M College is the flagship of the only historically Black university system in America, chartered in 1880 and a land-grant institution under the Second Morrill Act of 1890.

The Office of Student Conduct has formally integrated restorative justice practices into the conduct process as a preventive and interventive method, alongside traditional disciplinary procedures.

The student judicial process is explicitly separate from the criminal legal system; students may face both simultaneously for the same incident.

A graduated academic dishonesty sanction structure applies: probation for the first offense, one-semester suspension for the second, and expulsion for the third.

A parent or guardian has no official role in the judicial process and may not speak at a hearing, even if present; FERPA protections apply.

Disciplinary files are maintained separately from academic transcripts and retained for five years.

Academic grievances (grade disputes) are handled separately and are not processed by the Office of Student Conduct.

The university is a Carnegie Research 2 institution and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Who handles academic misconduct cases at Southern?

Community Standards Review Board (CSRB) has jurisdiction over academic misconduct matters at Southern. Ten members total: eight faculty/staff and two students. A quorum of five members (four faculty/staff and one student) is required to hear discipline and grievance matters. The Board is appointed by the Office of Student Conduct. Members who served on an initial hearing board may not serve on the Community Standards Review Board for the same matter. Hears student cases, provides outcomes, and delivers sanctions to students found responsible for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Residence Life and Housing staff separately address violations by residence hall students on or around residence hall property.

What is the evidence standard at Southern?

Southern applies Preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not) under SUBR Student Code of Conduct (Code 1.1 (academic dishonesty); Codes 1.6 and 2.2 (disruption/obstruction)). Community Standards Review Board uses this standard when determining whether a student is responsible for an alleged violation. The evidence standard is critical because it determines how strong the evidence must be before a finding of responsibility can be made.

What rights do I have during a Southern conduct proceeding?

Under SUBR Student Code of Conduct, students facing a Community Standards Review Board proceeding have specific procedural rights, including the right to written notice of the allegations and scheduled hearing; be present at the hearing; bring an advisor (including an outside advisor at personal expense); advisor may not speak during the hearing; review the conduct file, including any video recording, audio recording, or transcript of the disciplinary hearing. Exercising these rights correctly from the first notice can materially affect the outcome of your case.

How is an academic misconduct case initiated at Southern?

Any member of the campus community (faculty, staff, or student) may submit a report alleging a Student Code of Conduct violation. For academic dishonesty, the instructor must notify the Office of the Dean of Students in writing when a penalty grade is assigned and may request that the Office initiate a disciplinary hearing for additional sanctions. Greek-letter organization complaints must be filed with the Office of Student Life. The Office of Student Conduct administers the overall process, which includes restorative justice practices. Title IX matters are referred to the Office for Compliance / Title IX Coordinator for separate handling.

What sanctions can Southern impose for academic misconduct?

Community Standards Review Board can impose a range of sanctions depending on the violation, including penalty grade, disciplinary probation for the remainder of matriculation, suspension for one full semester, and more serious outcomes including suspension and expulsion. The specific sanction depends on the facts, the student's prior record, and any mitigating factors presented during the proceeding. Sanction-phase advocacy is often as important as the responsibility phase, since even a first finding can carry long-term consequences on transcripts and graduate school applications.

How do I appeal a decision at Southern, and what is the deadline?

The appeal deadline at Southern is 72 hours from the Community Standards Review Board's ruling. A student found responsible by the Community Standards Review Board has the right to appeal. The appeal is heard by the Community Standards Review Appeals Board, which is composed of three members, none of whom may have served on the initial hearing board for the same matter. The Appeals Board may reverse the decision, lessen the sanction, or order a new hearing. If an appeal results in a reversal or lesser sanction, the University must reimburse any tuition and fees paid for an erroneously imposed suspension or expulsion period. During a pending appeal, all imposed sanctions remain in effect until a final decision is reached. At a new hearing, all previous and new information may be used, and new sanctions that are lesser or greater than the original may be imposed if the student is again found responsible. Appeal grounds typically include unverified: needs human research (specific enumerated grounds for appeal are not fully reproduced in publicly available search results; the code of conduct pdf should be reviewed directly for the complete list). Appeals that succeed are usually the ones that ground each argument in the record and the specific policy language, not emotional or general objections.

Can I bring an advisor to my Southern hearing?

Yes. Under SUBR Student Code of Conduct, students have the right to bring an advisor (including an outside advisor at personal expense); advisor may not speak during the hearing. AdvocatED can serve as that advisor and help you prepare your response, question witnesses where allowed, and navigate Southern's specific procedural rules. What an advisor can and cannot do varies from school to school, and at Southern the rules are set out in the governing policy.

Do I need a lawyer for a Southern Community Standards Review Board proceeding?

In most cases, no. Southern's proceedings follow university policy under SUBR Student Code of Conduct, not the legal system. What you need is someone who understands Southern's specific procedures, the evidence standard, and how sanctions are assessed. An education advocate typically provides stronger, more targeted guidance than a general-practice attorney because the body of law here is university policy, not criminal or civil procedure. AdvocatED brings deep, specialized expertise in these exact processes at a fraction of a law firm's cost.

How does Southern handle Title IX cases?

Southern handles Title IX matters separately from general academic misconduct, through the Office for Compliance (Title IX). The Office for Compliance oversees ADA, Disability Services, and Title IX for Southern University and A&M College. Title IX complaints and inquiries may be directed to titleix@subr.edu or by visiting www.subr.edu/titleix. The office is located in Augustus C. Blanks Hall. Multiple coordinator names appear across official SUBR web pages (Dr. Sojourner Gibbs and Cedric Upshaw, J.D. are cited on different official pages; Jeremiah J. Sams, Esq. appears on the current compliance overview page). The current coordinator's name should be confirmed directly with the Office for Compliance at (225) 771-5565. Title IX matters follow a separate grievance procedure from the general Student Code of Conduct process, including a separate appeal form for dismissals, findings, and sanctions under the power-based violence or Title IX formal grievance procedure. The University has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct. The Southern University System Board of Supervisors adopted a system-wide Title IX policy effective August 14, 2020. Title IX proceedings have their own procedures, evidence standards, and timelines. If you are a respondent in a Title IX case at Southern, you should not conflate the process with general conduct cases, and you should respond carefully to any notice you receive.

What are the most common academic misconduct violations at Southern?

At Southern, the most frequently cited violations include: academic dishonesty: cheating, plagiarism, falsification of information, fraud, unauthorized access to academic records (code 1.1); providing assistance to another student for purposes of academic dishonesty; disruption or obstruction of an official university function such as teaching, research, or administration (codes 1.6 and 2.2); physical abuse or assault (fighting). Knowing which violation is alleged is the foundation of an effective defense, because the response strategy differs substantially based on whether the case involves plagiarism, AI use, exam cheating, collaboration, or a procedural technicality.

What are the key deadlines in a Southern conduct case?

At Southern, the most consequential deadlines are: Appeal of Community Standards Review Board ruling: must be submitted within 72 hours of the ruling; Parking citation appeal: must be submitted within 7 calendar days of the date issued; Office of Student Conduct business hours for in-person matters: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Missing any of these windows can eliminate procedural options that are otherwise available. If you have received a notice from Community Standards Review Board, document the dates on the notice immediately and calendar every deadline, even ones that do not seem urgent.