In addition, a group of students chose to remove a full press run of the BDH , a course of action that potentially violates the Standards of Student Conduct. In taking this action, those students silenced the voice of the BDH and deprived individual members of the Brown community of the right to read the paper. The University was thus bound by its own Standards of Student Conduct to investigate the matter for possible disciplinary action. While there are those who believe that such an investigation should not proceed, the University cannot selectively and hence capriciously decide when to investigate potential violations of the disciplinary code. The Office of Student Life follows an established protocol for investigations of nonacademic disciplinary matters, outlined in the Student Handbook .
All proceedings are strictly confidential.
Students against whom an allegation is made are notified and given an opportunity to meet with the case administrator to discuss those allegations. The University will proceed only on the basis of credible identification information, not on the basis of hearsay or rumor. The letter I received from the faculty questioned why only a few students have received notification when there were 50 to 100 students involved in the action. Simply put, the answer is that at this stage of the investigation, these individuals are the only ones who have been identified by name. Following the investigation, the Office of Student Life will determine the next steps in the process - which could include structured negotiation between the parties involved, a dean's hearing, a UDC hearing or a determination that there be no further disciplinary review.