11.14. Conclusions to Investigations for Class I Charges

Any charge which cannot possibly be of the Class II variety according to the requirements delineated in Sec.  11.12. and Sec. 11.13. is automatically of the Class I type. At the end of the investigation, the accused must enter a written plea of “liable” or “not liable.” The accused subsequently is dismissed from the room.

11.14.1.

If the accused pleads liable to the charge, then the panel must vote to accept or reject that plea.

11.14.1.1.

Under extraordinary circumstances, the panel may reject a liable plea and decide to dismiss the charges against the accused.

11.14.1.2.

Much more commonly, the panel accepts liable pleas. The matter is then sent to a judicial panel for establishment of appropriate sanction. If a sufficient quorum is present at the investigation, an impromptu meeting of the corresponding judicial panel can be convened at this time to establish the sanction. If a sufficient quorum is not present, a meeting of the judicial panel is scheduled within the next ten academic business days for the purposes of establishing the sanction.

Accused persons who plead liable and whose plea is accepted by the investigatory panel must accept the sanction meted out by the judicial panel. Neither the plea nor the sanction can later be appealed using the provisions of Sec. 11.23. Further, such persons automatically waive any future appearances before the honor council related to the charge to which the accused has pleaded liable.

11.14.2.

If the accused pleads not liable to the charges, the panel members will confer and try to reach a consensus on how to proceed. Ultimately, the panel will vote for one of the following possibilities:

11.14.1.1.

The panel finds the accused not liable. The charges are dismissed and the matter is concluded.

11.14.1.2.

The panel finds there is sufficient reason to believe that the accused may, in fact, be liable. The case is sent for a hearing before a judicial panel.


If the case requires a subsequent meeting of a judicial panel (either to establish the sanction following a liable plea or because the panel has found sufficient reason to believe the accused may be liable even though he/she/they pleaded not liable), then that hearing must occur within ten full academic business days of the investigation.