The Office of Housing and Residence Life is committed to fostering a residential community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and empowered to learn from their experiences. We take an educational approach to student conduct by working with residents to reflect on their decisions, build accountability, and develop the skills necessary to thrive in a shared living environment. When a resident violates housing policies, Housing and Residence Life staff respond promptly to address the behavior in a manner that promotes personal growth and maintains community standards.
In addition to Cal State LA’s Student Code of Conduct, there are Student Housing Community Standards & Policies that apply to students, guests, and visitors while they reside or are present in student housing facilities or surrounding areas. Student Housing is a year-round operation; therefore, these policies are in place throughout the calendar year. Finally, students are considered personally responsible for the behavior of their guests and visitors. The following outlines the rights, responsibilities, and procedures that guide how residents and staff address policy violations and foster a respectful and supportive residential community.
Important Information
If a resident or their guest is alleged to have violated a housing policy, an incident report will be filed and forwarded to the Office of Housing and Residence Life. The resident will be notified via their Cal State LA email address about the nature of the alleged violation and provided details for a scheduled incident meeting. This meeting will be conducted by a designated hearing officer, which may include a Residence Life Coordinator, Assistant Director, or Associate Director of Residence Life. The purpose of this process is to ensure that concerns are addressed fairly, consistently, and in accordance with university policies.
During the incident meeting, the student will be informed of the alleged violation and given the opportunity to share their perspective with the hearing officer. The hearing officer will review all available information and evidence before determining whether the student is responsible for the alleged violation. In the Housing conduct process, a student may be found responsible if the evidence indicates it is more likely than not—meaning a likelihood of 51 percent or greater—that the violation occurred. If a resident fails to appear, the housing conduct process will proceed without the benefit of their input and a decision (including potential sanctions) will be issued based on the available information.
Housing Conduct Process
Step-by-Step Process
The following is a brief overview of the housing conduct process for violations of the Standards for Student Conduct and Housing Handbook.
STEP 1: Referral - A hearing officer receives a report documenting an alleged violation of the Standards for Student Conduct and/or the Housing Handbook and begins an investigation.
STEP 2: Notice -A hearing officer notifies the resident in writing through their @calstatela.edu email of the report. The letter will include specific information as to the alleged policy violation, date of the incident and appointment time or a deadline date to schedule the appointment.
STEP 3: Meeting - During the conduct meeting, the resident will have an opportunity to hear and respond to the allegation. If the resident admits to the policy violation, the hearing officer will issue a sanction. If a resident denies responsibility for an alleged policy violation, the hearing officer must make a decision based on the information and evidence available. If the resident is found to be responsible, the hearing officer will issue a sanction.
Warning: written warning places the student on specific notice of violating behavior and affords the student the opportunity to correct themselves. These letters only require that the student not repeat the violating behavior and that any repetition of the behavior will result in more severe disciplinary action.
Educational Sanctions: are deigned to foster self-reflection, increase awareness of university policies and community expectations, and promote responsible decision-making. Such sanctions aim to help residents understand the impact of their actions on themselves, others, and the residential community, while equipping them with strategies to prevent future violations.
Restitution: Payment made to compensate for damages, loss, or harm caused by the student’s action. Damages include personal or University property, or costs related to an injury. This may include appropriate services and/or monetary material replacement.
Fine: A fine requires the responsible student to pay a sum of money as a consequence for violating a rule or policy. The judicial officer shall determine the amount. Fines may be imposed separately or in addition to any other sanction(s).
Housing Disciplinary Probation: This is an official notice to the student that their behavior has reached a level that has jeopardized their privilege of living in Student Housing. This level of sanction should be taken seriously by the student as a time to reevaluate their willingness to abide by the community standards established in a student housing environment. Conditions of probation will usually be in conjunction with more severe sanctions and a referral to the Office of Student Conduct.
Referral to Office Student Rights, Responsibilities & Resolutions: Residents should be aware that concurrent judicial proceedings might occur for policy violations. Cases of a serious nature are referred to the Office of Student Rights, Responsibilities & Resolutions, who has the authority to hear the case involving any student violation that occurs on campus. This process can result in the suspension or permanent dismissal of the student from Housing and the University. Violations of city, country, state or federal laws may also result in civil proceedings or criminal charges.
Standard of Proof: Individuals are always innocent until proven otherwise; however, unlike a court of law, the standard of evidence is less stringent and is known as “a preponderance of the evidence.” In other words, imagine weighing the evidence on some imaginary scale, the housing hearing officer must be more than 50 percent sure that a policy violation occurred.
Residents have the right to appeal a decision made during an incident meeting. Appeals must be submitted within three working days of the conduct meeting. All requests for housing conduct appeals are available through an appeals link included in the decision letter. Approval for an appeal hearing will be determined by the Associate Director of Residence Life or the designee and will be based on at least one of the following criteria:
Presentation of new or relevant information that was unavailable at the time of the original hearing
Procedural Error
Clear abuse of the discretion of the hearing officer or designee
Frequently Asked Questions
Usually, incident meetings are only rescheduled for academic obligations; however, we are flexible as long as you give us 24-hour advance notice of a scheduling conflict. Asking to reschedule the same day as your appointment is not acceptable.
Contact your hearing officer immediately. It is the resident’s responsibility to regularly monitor their university-issued email account and promptly review all official communication.
A housing hearing officer will go over the report and information gathered from the incident. You will have an opportunity to explain what happened from your perspective. A housing hearing officer will explain the housing conduct process and outline possible next steps. You will receive a follow up letter after your conduct meeting.
The meeting is usually attended by a housing hearing officer and the resident.
Tell the housing hearing officer in the meeting and they will take it into consideration as part of their investigation.