OSARP: Frequently Asked Questions
This page is intended to assist the JMU community with their questions regarding OSARP and our policies and processes. We hope to address many of the questions that are frequently asked of our staff, but we encourage you to visit the Student Handbook or contact our office if you have additional questions or can’t find the answer here.
Receipt of Information and Determining/Notification of Alleged Violations
OSARP typically receives information regarding alleged policy violation(s) from JMU Public Safety, the Office of Residence Life, Parking Services, the Harrisonburg/Rockingham Court System, Title IX Office, and JMU faculty/staff. Students can also directly report alleged policy violations to OSARP. All reports received are reviewed by the Associate Director of Case Management, who determines if there is any evidence that a policy may have been violated.
For more information on how OSARP determines alleged policy violation(s), see the Student Handbook.
JMU reserves the right to hold students accountable for off-campus behavior that falls within the “Jurisdiction” of the university, as defined in the Student Handbook. Alleged violation(s) of alcohol, drugs, and felonies that occur in the City of Harrisonburg or Rockingham County will be addressed by OSARP in accordance with university policies and procedures. Student behavior that is against the mission of the institution, including felonies or Sexual Misconduct, may be addressed by OSARP regardless of the location where it allegedly occurred.
Administrative Case Reviews are set based on the student’s academic schedule and will typically be held in person in the OSARP offices, but may occur virtually as determined by OSARP. Instructions for attending the meeting will be included in the notification email. Directions to our office can be found on our contact page.
JMU and OSARP are committed to ensuring that our programs are equally inclusive and accessible to all students. If you need accommodation of a disability to support your participation in the Accountability Process, send an email to the Office of Disability Services at disability-svcs@jmu.edu (please copy osarp@jmu.edu on that email) to request assistance in communicating your need with our office. OSARP will then consult with the Office of Disability Services, once they have communicated with you, to determine reasonable accommodations for your participation in the Accountability Process. All requests must be communicated to OSARP at least three business days prior to your Administrative Case Review, so please contact the Office of Disability Services immediately. Additionally, if you want to share your preferred name or pronouns to be used during the Administrative Case Review and the Accountability Process, email osarp@jmu.edu.
OSARP processes are entirely separate from the criminal and civil court processes. University proceedings may occur before, during, or after the resolution of a criminal or civil case. The resolution of a case in civil or criminal court has no bearing on the University's disciplinary process. Our staff members are not lawyers or in any way associated with the criminal legal system.
OSARP may initiate an adjudication process prior to the outcome of a court or other adjudicative decision. If the Accountability Process, or Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudication Process for alleged violation(s) in OSARP stem from a current criminal case, civil case, Honor Council case, or case being adjudicated by another conduct process on JMU’s campus, the case may be heard concurrently by OSARP. If the case was heard concurrently and the Accountability Process or Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process concludes prior to the resolution of the criminal process, civil case, Honor Council process, or other adjudicative process on campus, the case in OSARP will not be revisited at the conclusion of the other adjudicative process.
Additional information about our Off-Campus Adjudication Policy can be found in the Student Handbook.
Visit the “Guidelines for Sanctioning” section of the Student Handbook for a list of major, minor, and flexible policy violations.
Accountability Process
JMU's Standards of Conduct & Policies are outlined in the Student Handbook. It is the responsibility of every student to read and understand the expectations and responsibilities of being a JMU student and a member of the JMU community. If you have questions, please contact our office.
Students who are notified of an alleged policy violation should review the Accountability Process Roles, Rights, and Restrictions.
For cases alleging a violation of Sexual Misconduct, review the Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process Rights, Roles, and Restrictions.
Yes; giving every student the opportunity to share their perspective is the purpose of the Administrative Case Review. Students are given the opportunity to meet with a Case Administrator (staff member in OSARP) to discuss the alleged policy violation and their perspective on the alleged incident. There is a separate processes for cases alleging a violation of Sexual Misconduct or Title IX Sexual Harassment, which can be found in the Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process and Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudication Process sections of the Student Handbook.
The Administrative Case Review is the first level of the Accountability Process and is a one-on-one meeting between the student and their Case Administrator (except in certain circumstances – see the next FAQ for more information). The Case Administrator will review student rights, the information provided to OSARP for the alleged violation(s), and inquire about the perspective of the student. Once a decision has been made about whether the student is responsible or not responsible for the alleged violation(s) of policy, the Case Administrator will verbally share that decision with the student and explain any educational sanction(s) that have been assigned (if applicable). If the student accepts the decision of the Case Administrator, the Accountability Process is complete. If the student rejects the decision of the Case Administrator, or wants time to think about their decision, the student will be rescheduled for an Accountability Board advising appointment to learn more about that process.
The Accountability Board Case Review is comprised of faculty, staff, and student Board Members and occurs after a student formally rejects the decision made by their Case Administrator during the Administrative Case Review.
Board Members assigned to conduct the Accountability Board Case Review may render a decision less severe, more severe, or the same as the decision rendered at the Administrative Case Review. The Board Members assigned to the Accountability Board Case Review will not be informed of the decision rendered for the case at the Administrative Case Review. A student may not choose to accept the decision rendered at the Administrative Case Review after a decision or recommendation is rendered at an Accountability Board Case Review.
For more information on the Administrative Case Review or Accountability Board Case Review, please visit the Student Handbook.
Administrative Case Reviews are one-on-one meetings with a Case Administrator in OSARP; third parties, including parents/guardians and attorneys, are not permitted to be a part of these meetings except in cases where potential outcomes include suspension or expulsion from the university. If a student is notified of that potential, they are afforded additional rights in the Accountability Process and can have a Support Person of their choice at the Administrative Case Review.
At an Accountability Board Case Review, a student’s parents/guardians can provide information as a witness in the case. Guidelines for Support Persons and attorneys apply to parents/guardians; if a parent/guardian does not meet those guidelines, they may not serve in that capacity.
Further guidelines apply to Support Persons and witnesses in the Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process and Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudication Prcess.
Sanctions assigned depend on the alleged violation(s), the severity of the offense, the impact of the violation on the Reporting Party and/or the university community, whether the student has a university disciplinary record, and the circumstances of the particular case. A list of educational sanctions is available in the Student Handbook.
The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prevents OSARP from disclosing information regarding alleged policy violation(s) to parents/guardians, unless a student is found responsible for an alleged violation of alcohol or drugs in the Accountability Process, Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process, or Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudication Process and the student is under the age of 21 at the time of adjudication.
Sanctioning and Educational Programs
Sanctions assigned depend on the alleged violation(s), the severity of the offense, the impact of the violation on the Reporting Party and/or the university community, whether the student has a university disciplinary record, and the circumstances of the particular case. A list of educational sanctions is available in the Student Handbook.
If the outcome of case includes being sanctioned to complete an educational program, workshop, or Restorative Practice, and the student accepts the decision of their Case Administrator at an Administrative Case Review, the Case Administrator will review the instructions for completing or scheduling sanction(s) with the student.
If the program or workshop is offered virtually, the student will receive more information in their JMU email, including instructions and deadlines for completion.
If the program or workshop is offered in-person, the student will be scheduled to attend the next available sanctioned educational program that fits their academic schedule. If a program or workshop is not available that fits their academic schedule, the student will be placed on a waitlist for the next available session and given a deadline to contact our office.
If a decision was made in the student’s absence, or the student was sanctioned by the Accountability Board, they will be given a contact deadline to call and schedule their sanctioned program or workshop.
- Three Strikes
- Parental/Guardian Notification
- Off-Campus Adjudication
- Enlightened Citizen Amnesty Process
A complete description of these strategies can be found in the Student Handbook.
Probation is a period where the student may be given a more significant sanction if found responsible for additional violations while on probation. Probation is not reflected on a student’s academic transcript, nor are students placed on any additional restrictions as a function of the probation period.
No; students who are interested in our programs or workshops for personal reasons or court sanctions can contact our office to enroll. Students who self-enroll will not be charged the program administrative fee (if applicable).
Miscellaneous
A student may hire an attorney at their own expense, but it is not required for any OSARP process. The Accountability Process, Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process, and Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudiation Process does not follow the same criminal or civil procedures used in a court of law. If a student receives notification of an alleged violation of university policy that is also being adjudicated in a court of law, they may find it helpful to seek the services of an attorney.
Information about the role of a Support Person or attorney in the Accountability Process, Sexual Misconduct Accountability Process and Title IX Sexual Harassment Adjudication Process can be found in the Student Handbook.
Support Persons not complying with the restrictions set forth in the Student Handbook may be removed from the proceedings.
OSARP staff members are not lawyers or in any way associated with the criminal or civil legal system.
OSARP may address JMU student behavior that allegedly violates policies listed in the Student Standards of Conduct & Policies section of the Student Handbook.
For more information, please visit our “Reporting an Alleged Violation” page.
The effect that a university disciplinary record may have on a student's ability to gain entrance to a graduate program, transfer to another institution, receive an offer of employment, or participate in campus activities and programs (including Study Abroad) is at the discretion of the individuals managing those processes. These positions, programs, and processes may ask for information regarding a student's university disciplinary record, but OSARP cannot release information regarding a student's university disciplinary record without the permission of the student. University disciplinary records are maintained for a minimum of eight (8) academic years from when adjudication of the case occurs. Records for cases alleging violations of Sexual Misconduct, Title IX Sexual Harassment, any case resulting in suspension or expulsion from the university, and any case that is considered "pending," will be maintained indefinitely. See the "Records and Transcript Notations" section of the Student Handbook for more information.
Most graduate school applications, transfer applications, and study abroad programs ask for information regarding a student’s criminal or university disciplinary history. Some universities require more information, so students should carefully read what information the application is requiring. OSARP also receives requests for background checks from government agencies, state bar associations, and other entities.
Students should always be honest about their university disciplinary history when it is requested. Occasionally, OSARP is contacted to verify the information a student has provided on their application or documentation. Most applications or documentation include a waiver, and by signing the application, a student is typically granting access to their university disciplinary records.
