In matters where a student, student organization, or athletic team are referred through the formal resolution process to a CSRB hearing, all participants will abide by procedures set by the board and within the Student Handbook and Resource Guide.

Listed below is the general process that takes place during a CSRB hearing:

1. The hearing facilitator will manage hearing proceedings, recognizing persons who may speak and ensuring fair and orderly presentation of facts. Only those CSRB members who hear the entire case may participate in making final decisions and determine sanctions.
2. All CRB hearing proceedings are audio recorded for use by the College (if needed) during an appeal.
3. The board members hearing a case, in consultation with the advisor to the board (who is a designated administrator within the Division of Justice, Equity, and Antiracism), will decide what information is admissible. (For information submitted prior to the hearing, the advisor to the board in consultation with the Office of Community Standards and Student Accountability, will decide what information is admissible.)
4. Persons appearing before the board may be accompanied by a supporter (a current faculty, staff, or student member of the Hampshire College community), but may not be represented by another person or by an attorney. Please see the Support Person Roles and Expectations [2] section for more information.
5. Witnesses may be removed from the hearing at the discretion of the board, in consultation with the advisor to the board. In no case will the respondent(s) or the complainant(s) be required to leave while information is being given. However, the board may go into executive session at any time, excluding all persons other than the board and its advisor(s) from its deliberations.
6. The board members hearing a matter may seek additional guidance on the hearing at the discretion of the hearing facilitator, including, but not limited to, College legal counsel or community standards admnistrator, or the Senior Vice President for Justice, Equity, and Antiracism.
7. Every effort will be made to conclude the hearing at one sitting. The board may choose to extend the hearing to more than one session, especially in complicated cases.
8. Board members must excuse themselves if they are unable to hear a case with objectivity.
9. The hearing will be over when the board has determined, through careful examination of all information presented, that it has sufficient information to determine an outcome or that there is insufficient information available to make a determination. Outcomes and findings will be communicated typically within two (2) to three (3) business days after the hearing has concluded.

The failure of the student, student organization, or athletic team or the reporting individual to appear at a hearing does not prohibit the board from addressing and resolving the matter and alleged policy violation. The board will review all available information and will then make a determination if sufficient facts exist to resolve the matter/incident. In the case that the board feels sufficient information is available, it will proceed with the hearing as usual. As with all cases, the board may come to a finding of “not responsible” if they cannot determine that it is more likely than not that community standards were was violated by the students, student organization, or athletic team.

The findings and the accountability and community restoration plan [1] determined by the board will be decided upon in an executive session of the board following a hearing. A majority agreement of board members present for a hearing is required in the board’s determination of findings and sanctions based on a preponderance of the evidence. standard. The findings, outcome, and accountability and community restoration plan [1], if applicable, are to be communicated in writing by the Office of Community Standards and Student Accountability on behalf of the board members to the student, student organization, or athletic team within three (3) business days after the conclusion of the hearing. In rare circumstances, as deemed appropriate by the CSRB advisor, the hearing board may make a request to the CSRB advisor and the Office of Community Standards and Student Accountability for additional time to finalize their decision.

Responsibilities of the Reporting Individual
The reporting individual is not required to attend a hearing; however the board may dismiss a case if they feel there is insufficient information to determine an outcome without the reporting party appearing. The reporting individual must be truthful. The reporting individual is subject to referral to the community standards process if they knowingly lie to the board.

Rights of the Complainant
In addition to the rights and responsibilities in conduct meetings and hearings [3] listed for reporting individual in the formal resolution process section, participants in CSRB hearings have the following rights:

• The reporting individual shall be provided with a copy of any reports or statements issued to the community standards review board and the student respondent who is alleged to have violated policy.
• The reporting individual has the right to know the date of the hearing at least five (5) business days before the hearing.
• The reporting individual has the right to request a postponement, which may be granted for reasonable cause by the CSRB advisor or Office of Communtiy Standards and Student Accountability, providing they notify the CSRB advisor at least 36 hours in advance of the scheduled hearing. The request for postponement must be put in writing to the CSRB advisor.
• The reporting individual may provide compelling reasons to challenge the participation of any board member; the decision shall be made by the board hearing the case in consultation with the CSRB advisor.
• The reporting individual may choose not to answer questions posed by the hearing participants or members of the community standards review board.
• The reporting individual has the right to ask questions of the board, respondent, and witnesses (both their witnesses and the reporting individual witnesses). All questions must be directed through the board.
• The reporting individual shall be allowed to present witnesses, excluding character references, on their own behalf and to be accompanied by a supporter of their own choice. The supporter shall be a current faculty, staff, or student member of the Hampshire College community.
• The reporting individual in any conduct hearing/meeting shall have the right to appeal, as explained in the appeals section [4].

The board shall not permit the consideration of statements by witnesses not available for questioning, but this may be waived for good cause if the board hearing the case, by majority vote, determines that admission of such a statement enables of a thorough review of the matter, allows the case to be adjudicated in a fair and equitable manner, and will not cause undue prejudice to either party.

Responsibilities of the Respondent
A respondent is not required to attend a hearing; however a decision will still be made regardless of whether or not the respondent is present. The respondent must be truthful. The respondent is subject to referral for a community standards violation if they knowingly lie to the board.

Rights of the Respondent

• The respondent shall be provided with a copy of any reports or statements issued to the community standards review board and reporting individual, which includes a list of alleged violation(s) of policy prior to the hearing. 
• The respondent has the right to know the date of the hearing at least five (5) business days before the hearing.
• The respondent has the right to request a postponement, which may be granted for reasonable cause by the CSRB advisor or Office of Community Standards and Student Accountability, providing they notify the CSRB advisor at least 36 hours in advance of the scheduled hearing. The request for postponement must be put in writing to the CSRB advisor.
• The respondent may provide compelling reasons to challenge the participation of any board member; the decision shall be made by the board hearing the case in consultation with the CSRB advisor.
• The respondent may remain silent during a hearing, but, by doing so, is not immune from a determination of responsibility and accountability measures if applicable.
• The respondent has the right to ask questions of the board, reporting individual, and witnesses (both their witnesses and the reporting party witnesses). All questions must be directed through the board.
• The respondent shall be allowed to present witnesses, excluding a character reference, on their own behalf and to be accompanied by a supporter of their own choice. The supporter shall be a current faculty, staff, or student member of the Hampshire College community.
• The respondent shall be provided a copy of the outcome letter, which may also include an accountability and community restoration plan if the respondent is found responsible for violating community standards.
• The respondent shall have the right to appeal, as explained in the appeals [4] section.

The board shall not permit the consideration of statements by witnesses not available for questioning, but this may be waived for good cause if the board hearing the case, by majority vote, determines that admission of such a statement enables of a thorough review of the matter, allows the case to be adjudicated in a fair and equitable manner, and will not cause undue prejudice to either party.