Due Process Policies and Procedures for Greek Organizations

Revised: 8/27/19; Reviewed: 10/13/21
Contact: Student Life

The creation of this document was prioritized by the Greek Strategic Planning Steering Committee, as part of the William Jewell College Greek Strategic Plan of 2004-2005. This document was formally approved and endorsed by the Greek Strategic Planning Steering Committee on July 28, 2005. Special thanks to Kansas State University, Miami University (Ohio), Hope College and Rhodes College for their assistance in creating this document.

The Strategic Planning Steering Committee is made up of Greek undergraduates, Greek alumni, faculty, staff, administrators and Liberty, Missouri, community members.

Greek Strategic Plan Mission Statement
The mission of the William Jewell College Greek community is to develop and support our men and women by upholding the core values of the College, emphasizing integrity and excellence through:

  • Scholarship
  • Leadership
  • Responsible community living
  • Lifelong brotherhood and sisterhood
  • Service to members, college, and community

Greek Strategic Plan Vision Statement
Greek Life at William Jewell College will be:

  • A model of ethical leadership and responsible self-governance
  • Distinguished by its academic achievement
  • A unified community
  • Attractive to all students and welcoming of diversity
  • Encouraged by parents
  • Respected by the entire campus community
  • Supported by an involved and trained team of alumni
  • A model of superior residential facilities that promote community
  • A premier system recognized nationally

Fraternities and Sororities at William Jewell College

Fraternities and sororities are independently chartered social organizations recognized by William Jewell College as a viable part of the educational tradition. Guidelines for student affiliation with any Greek organization are established by the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils and are subject to administrative approval.

Students living in Greek housing are subject to all residential policies. Students living in these areas are expected to adhere to all residential guidelines and the Standard of Conduct. First-Year students (students completing their first full year at the College) are not eligible to move into Greek housing until the fall of their sophomore year.

If college regulations are not enforced and/or violations of policy are tacitly condoned, the Greek Judicial Council (GJC) may call for a disciplinary hearing and/or review of organizational status. The Board of Trustees gives Student Life administrators the responsibility to share any information related to alleged violations with the GJC.

William Jewell College reserves the right to prohibit a student from living in Greek housing due to the student’s disciplinary history. The William Jewell College Greek system has set minimum academic standards for activation and continued membership. According to National Panhellenic guidelines, only full-time students with a minimum 2.50 grade point average (GPA) may become active members in sororities at William Jewell. All fraternity men must have a minimum GPA of 2.50 in order to become an active member. Additionally, all Greek system members (both men and women) must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 for continued membership. All Greek residents must maintain a 2.50 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and maintain full-time status with a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.

In accordance with national fraternity and sorority policy, William Jewell College prohibits any physical or mental harassment of students as part of pledging or initiation procedures for any student organization. All new member education programs must be outlined and provided to the Office of Student Life prior to the start of each academic year. In addition, all initiation week times and activities shall be registered with the Office of Student Life. (Refer to the official college hazing policy on page 59 of this handbook.)

Group social behavior where alcohol or illegal substances are present is a major concern, not only of the college staff, but also of the national officers of each fraternity and sorority. It is expected that Greek organizations adhere to all risk management guidelines; federal, state, and local laws; William Jewell College policies; and individual chapter policies outlined by the national/international headquarters. It is the responsibility of the officers of the organization and alumni advisors to ensure compliance.

It is the responsibility of the Greek Judicial Council to respond to all alleged violations of college policy by Greek organizations. As previously outlined, the College Conduct Committee reserves the right, with cause, to review the standards and behavior of each organization at any point throughout the year. Re-evaluation of recognition status and actions may be assessed upon this review.

Policy Concerning Individual/Group Responsibility for Greek Organizations

William Jewell College is a community that exists to promote educational and academic goals.  The standards of behavior set forth for students and organizations within this community may be higher than those found elsewhere in society.  Upon registration or recognition by the College, each student organization becomes responsible for acting in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct and all applicable College and community policies and standards.  Official College action will be taken when the behavior of the members of a student organization violates community standards and interferes either with the College’s educational purpose or with its duty to protect individual health, welfare and property.

William Jewell College has published the following policy to ensure that leaders and members of student organizations understand and accept responsibility for the actions of their organization and all of its members. The following policy applies to all recognized or registered student organizations.

Student organizations may be held responsible for the acts of individual members. Acts include, but are not limited to, the following categories:

  • when a member of an organization is violating local, state, or federal law or College regulations and other members present, by failing to discourage such activity, tacitly condone the behavior;
  • when the acts grow out of or are directly related to the student organization’s activities or an environment created by the organization;
  • when the acts are those of guests of an organization, or by persons authorized or perceived to represent themselves as connected with the organization;
  • when an organization places prospective members in a subordinated status prior to achieving full membership, or imposes any kind of probationary period prior to full membership, and hazing occurs.

Liability on the part of the student organization may be mitigated if members of the organization take reasonable steps to prevent infractions of College regulations by their fellow members. Such steps will usually include clear establishment of standards (preferably in writing), documented education of members as to the standards established, and documented endorsement of standards when violations occur. The specific steps necessary to avoid this liability (or to mitigate consequences) will vary according to the circumstances of the situation, the seriousness of the behavior, and the possible harms which could have arisen from the behavior. When more serious behavior and harm is in question, the student organization has the duty to take clear and firm action that is reasonably calculated to prevent and/or stop the behavior in question.

Every member of any student organization is obligated to respond to the conduct of other members when those members engage in behavior, which violates the law or College and/or organizational policies. The degree to which an organization is responsible for the activity of its members is not necessarily dependent upon the number of members engaging in the activity, but depends upon whether the activity is related to the organization as described in the four previously mentioned categories – in contrast to being the private activity of individuals who happen to be members. The factors to be considered include whether the activity is one normally considered part of student organization life and whether the atmosphere in the particular organization encourages or condones the particular group activity of the members. It is the duty of every organization to create an atmosphere that makes misconduct during its activities inconsistent with membership in the organization.

The duty described in the previous paragraph applies not only to members who are directly involved in the activity, but also to passive participants and members who have knowledge of the activity. For example, a member who knows about and protects the identities of members involved in illicit activities can be held culpable for the misconduct. All members must be on notice that their misdeeds may result in the sanctioning of their student organization through the Greek Judicial Council.  In addition to the group being held culpable, members and officers may be cited and held responsible as individuals for their roles.

In summary, William Jewell College’s policy is that every student organization member has the duty to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent infractions of College rules growing out of or related to the student organization’s life. This policy pertains, but is not limited to, incidents involving hazing, discrimination, vandalism, theft, alcohol, or substance abuse, dishonesty, disorderly conduct, violence, and misuse of organizational and/or College funds. Specific policies governing student behavior are listed in the Student Code of Conduct.

This policy was recommended by the Greek Alumni Council on Due Process and adopted by William Jewell College on August 4, 1999. This policy was endorsed by the Greek Strategic Planning Committee on July 28, 2005.

Greek Organizational Due Process

Greek Judicial Council Recognition and Authority
William Jewell College recognizes that students bring to campus a variety of interests and develop new interests as members of the college community. Therefore, students are free to organize and promote their common ideas specifically through affiliation with Greek organizations. Students shall have the right to assemble as long as they do not: a) violate the civil law or the college standard of conduct, b) destroy property, c) disrupt classes and any other regular and essential operation of the college, or d) in any way infringe upon the rights of other individuals or other organizations.

Greek organizations at William Jewell College have successfully petitioned the college for recognition, and recognition has been granted and re-approved based upon the following criteria: a) its purpose is consistent with William Jewell’s mission, heritage and values, b) the group has a special purpose and/or objectives beyond mere affiliation, c) membership requirements are clearly defined and documented,  d) the group meets an area of interest not already served by an existing organization, and e) the group complies with William Jewell College’s policies and rules.

Similarly, the Greek Judicial Council (GJC) was granted recognition by the Committee on Organizational Recognition (COR), based upon its stated consistencies with the aforementioned criteria and based upon the idea that the GJC promotes principles of self-governance, free discussion of ideas and opinions, and leadership within the William Jewell Greek community.

With this recognition comes great responsibility; a responsibility that carries with it the accountability and credibility of an entire system. In order to uphold the high standard set by the Greek Strategic Plan (William Jewell College, 2004), the Greek Judicial Council will exist to insure peer accountability. This Council was designed and is recognized to promote proper and responsible behaviors that foster a positive learning environment within the William Jewell College Greek system.

This Council is an impartial board that maintains the highest standards consistent with the Missions of William Jewell College, Inter-Fraternity Council, and Panhellenic Council, as well as the values outlined in the collective Greek rituals that exist within each organization. Therefore, this Council will address any and all infractions of the rules/policies/laws set forth by the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, State of Missouri, City of Liberty, Missouri, William Jewell College, as well as all policies set forth by: Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Zeta, Kappa Alpha Order, Lambda Chi Alpha, Phi Gamma Delta, and Zeta Tau Alpha.

Membership of the Greek Judicial Council

The Greek Judicial Council shall consist of a total of 11 members:

  • Chief Justice
  • Associate Chief Justice
  • Nine Justices (Six student Justices and three Faculty/Staff Justices).

The Greek Judicial Council shall also consist of a total of 2 Ex Officio members:

  • Ex Officio Members are non-voting members of the committee who provide technical advice and historical precedence on disciplinary matters. These members are made up of members of the Student Life staff.

Membership Selection for the Greek Judicial Council

  • Chief Justice- The Chief Justice of the GJC will be a rotating position shared by the IFC President and the Panhellenic President. The IFC and Panhellenic presidents will alternate on a case by case basis as the Chief Justice of the Council. The Chief Justice will be responsible for running all GJC hearings and will have full authority in procedural matters. The order as to which President will sit as Chief Justice for the initial case each year will be determined by the flip of a coin. The Chief Justice may not hear a case involving his/her own organization. The CJ will be asked to recuse him/herself in such a case. 
  • Associate Chief Justice– The Associate Chief Justice position will be filled by the Panhellenic/IFC President that is not currently serving as the Chief Justice. The Associate Chief Justice will be responsible for taking detailed notes during the hearing so that a record of the hearing can be placed on-file with the Student Life Office.
  • Justices- Nine Justices will sit on the GJC. Three faculty/staff members will serve as faculty/staff Justices.  Faculty/Staff are selected for service by the president of the College.Six student Justices will sit on the GJC, one representing each of the six Greek organizations. The Justice representing the organization in question is required to excuse herself/himself during the hearing. This leaves 10 members of the committee who have voting/participatory privileges.Each organization may present two candidates each year to serve as Justices on the GJC.  Each of the candidates is required to complete an application and interview process in order to be selected as a Justice. Applications will be made available to organizations each spring. Interviews for Justice positions will be completed by the IFC/Panhellenic Presidents and Greek Advisor. Chapter Presidents may attend the interview process and provide written feedback to the selection panel; however, they may not participate in the actual selection process.

Requirements for Membership

  • Students on the GJC must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Students must be classified as a full-time (12 credit hours) at William Jewell College.
  • Students must be in good standing with their own fraternity/sorority chapter in order to sit on the GJC.
  • Students on the GJC cannot have a disciplinary history with the college in order to serve. A disciplinary history includes a student who has been found guilty of a violation of the College’s Standards of Conduct. Students with disciplinary records will be expected to share the nature of their case with the GJC selection panel.  he GJC and Office of Student Life will determine, based upon the details of the case, whether continued participation on the GJC is warranted.  
  • Membership on the GJC requires a minimum commitment of one academic year and allows Justices to serve a maximum of two years.
  • Students selected to serve on the GJC are required to attend all judicial training sessions coordinated by the Greek Advisor.
  • In the event a Justice does not meet the aforementioned criteria for participation on the GJC, the GJC will allow the represented organization to present an alternate for the Justice position. The IFC/Panhellenic presidents and Greek Advisor must approve this alternate prior to any alternates being allowed to participate in any GJC business.  However, if a particular chapter cannot present enough qualified/interested members, then the GJC may not have representation from that particular organization until such time as the organization can present qualified and interested candidates.

Responsibilities Associated with Greek Judicial Council Membership

 Chief Justice Responsibilities: 

  • The Chief Justice is primarily responsible for administering and overseeing the hearing process.
  • The Chief Justice will start the hearing and oversee the orderly and fair progression of the process.
  • The Chief Justice is responsible for recognizing any person wishing to address the Council during a hearing. The Chief Justice does not have to recognize anyone within a hearing and serves as the authority to decide who speaks when and for what reason(s).
  • The Chief Justice is an active member of the Board, may ask questions, and but may vote only in the event of a tie in GJC voting.
  • The Chief Justice is responsible for meeting with the Student Life Office to prepare for each hearing.
  • The Chief Justice is responsible for relating relevant events of the proceedings at a later date if necessary (i.e., appellate hearings).

Associate Chief Justice Responsibilities:

  • The Associate Chief Justice will keep accurate records of the hearing and will publish and provide those to the Student Life Office for filing.
  • The Associate Chief Justice will assume the role of Chief Justice in the absence of the actual Chief Justice.

Justice Responsibilities:

  • Justices are responsible for understanding the Promise, Mission, and Values of William Jewell College as well as all Student Life and Greek policies and procedures.
  • Justices are responsible for understanding the Greek Strategic Plan and the William Jewell College Greek System Mission, Vision, and Goals outlined within the Greek Strategic Plan.
  • Justices must attend all scheduled training sessions and meetings of the Greek Judicial Council, unless excused by the Chief and Associate Chief Justices and the Greek Advisor.
  • Each Justice must be willing to sign a form of confidentiality prior to serving on the Council. If confidentiality is broken, the member will be subject to dismissal and possible disciplinary action.
  • Justices must remove themselves from a hearing if they feel they cannot work with the case in an unbiased manner. Student Justices of organizations who are involved in hearings are required to remove themselves from the hearing.
  • Justices are responsible for reading all incident reports and supporting documentation/evidence regarding the case.
  • Justices are responsible for listening to all parties involved in the case.
  • Justices are responsible for understanding the educational purpose of the Greek Judicial Council and to implement this purpose through all decisions.
  • Justices are responsible for rendering all decisions as to whether or not a violation of policy has occurred and to recommend appropriate sanctions for violations.
  • Justices should regard the confidentiality of the hearing process with the utmost of seriousness and importance. Information should not be disclosed to any person, other than a board member or College staff designated as participants in the process.  This includes any deliberation or the votes of individual Justices.

Terms for Removal of GJC Justices: 

  • Any Justice is subject to dismissal for failing to comply with any of the outlined responsibilities within this document.
  • Justices are expected to adhere to all college policies. In the event a Justice violates College policy, that member will have their case heard through the individual disciplinary due process system outlined in the Student Handbook.  At the time that a resolution of that case has taken place, the Justice will be asked to go before the GJC to notify them of the facts of his/her disciplinary case and then the Student Life staff will make a recommendation to the GJC as to that student’s status with the college.  The GJC will then decide whether that student can remain a Justice.
  • If two representatives from a single organization are expelled from the GJC, the Council, by two-thirds (2/3) vote, may deny representation on the GJC to that organization.

Complaint/Allegation Procedures

Any student, faculty/staff member, administrator, community resident, Greek Judicial Council Justice, IFC/Panhellenic Officer, fraternity/sorority individual chapter, or fraternity/sorority individual chapter member may initiate a formal complaint to the Greek Judicial Council for violating William Jewell College policy, IFC/Panhellenic policy, FIPG and/or national/international fraternity/sorority policy, and/or local, state, and federal laws. Formal complaints must be submitted in writing to the Student Life Office, along with any supporting documentation. The GJC hears complaints and allegations against Greek organizations, not individual members. A complaint filed with the GJC against an individual member shall be forwarded immediately to the Director of Residence Life and resolved in accordance with William Jewell College’s policies and procedures. However, a complaint may be filed against any chapter based on the actions of individuals, if there is reasonable suspicion that a chapter should be held responsible for the behavior of the individual member(s) (See Policy Concerning Individual/Group Responsibility for Greek Organizations on page seven of this document.).

The organization in question will receive formal notification in writing once a thorough investigation of the allegations has been completed and it is determined that there is merit and authenticity to the allegations.  The formal notification will include an outline of the alleged infractions.

Students can submit formal complaints to the Student Life Office and ask for their identity to remain confidential.  If the person filing the formal complaint wishes to remain anonymous, he/she must submit a written/signed document to the Student Life Office.  His/her identity will remain anonymous and the signature will be blackened out on all relevant documents; however, the identity will be shared with the Chief Justice of the GJC.  If the Chief Justice feels as though the identity of the complainant is relevant to the proceedings, the individual’s relationship to the incident will be made known to the GJC. If the Chief Justice believes it is necessary, the relationship of the accuser to the incident may be made known to the accused chapter’s representatives without divulging the identity of the accuser.

Retaliation
It is a violation of this policy to retaliate against any member of the William Jewell Community who reports or assists in making a complaint or who participates in the investigation of a complaint in any way. Persons who believe they have been retaliated against in violation of this policy should make a complaint through the Office of Student Life.

General Greek Judicial Council Hearing Procedures

All GJC hearings are closed to the public.  In order for a hearing to take place, a quorum of GJC members (Minimum of six (6) members of the GJC) must be present in order to call the hearing to order. The chapter in question shall be limited to no more than five (5) representatives for each hearing (which includes the chapter advisor). The chapter in question is allowed to have an advisor present to advise them during the hearing. (The advisor must be a current employee of the College or otherwise approved by the Director of Student Activities per the recognition and review policy.) The advisor shall not be permitted to address the GJC unless recognized by the Chief Justice. Advisors are not guaranteed the right to speak during a hearing; instead, the right to speak is granted by the Chief Justice based upon the circumstances of the hearing.  All participants must be recognized by the Chief Justice before they are allowed to speak or ask questions.

Chapters implicated through allegation(s) have the right to have their case heard by the GJC within a reasonable period of time. However, many times investigations into an alleged incident take time to complete. The GJC reserves the right to hear cases only after a thorough investigation of the matter has been concluded by the Office of Student Life.

It is critical that all participants and members of the William Jewell College Greek system understand that the GJC is an educational disciplinary body.  Civil and criminal court comparisons are not accurate and should not be made with respect to this process.

If a chapter fails to appear before the GJC for any reason, after being notified of the hearing date and time, the GJC may proceed with the hearing and come to a resolution/decision without chapter representatives being present.    

Hearing Process and Procedures

Pre-Hearing Meeting(s)

  • Chapters facing charges related to an alleged violation of policy can request to meet with staff from the Office of Student Life to review the charges, ask questions about the judicial process, and seek advice.
  • Chapter leadership should be a part of any pre-hearing meetings. The chapter advisor is welcome to be a part of any pre-hearing meetings.
  • Some cases, based upon the circumstances, may require that the Chief Justice be a part of pre-hearing discussions. If that need arises, the Dean of Students will call such a meeting in which all compelled parties must attend.

Executive Session (GJC Members Only)

  • The Chief Justice will remind all Justices of their commitment to confidentiality and will ask all Justices to sign the statement of confidentiality.
  • The Chief Justice will insure that the Justice representing the organization in question has left the hearing room.
  • The GJC will read through all documentation related to the case including the letter of charges, the incident report, and any other supporting documentation.
  • A Student Life staff member will be available to answer questions in order to clarify the sequence of events, any nebulous areas, or possible discrepancies.
  • Any members of the GJC who feel they are unable to hear the case based on the incident report should excuse themselves at this time.
  • During this time, the representatives of the organization will be provided the same documentation that the GJC is reviewing. The organizational representatives will be given as much time as they need to review the documentation.

The Hearing (All Participants)

  • The Chief Justice will call the hearing to order.
  • Everyone present will be introduced.
  • The philosophy of the Greek Judicial Council, as well as, the Mission and Vision of the William Jewell College Greek system will be explained.
  • The Chief Justice will ask a representative of the Office of Student Life to present the formal charges and any other pertinent information related to the charges to the entire Council.
  • The Chief Justice will ask the lead representative of the chapter in question to make a statement and/or present evidence on behalf of the chapter. In some cases the chapter may accept responsibility and take responsibility for the charges.  In this event, the GJC may allow a chapter to present a self-imposed set of sanction(s) for consideration by the GJC.  
  • The Chief Justice will then open the hearing up for GJC members to ask questions of the chapter representatives.
  • The Justices may ask questions of anyone in the room.
  • Witnesses may be brought forward.
  • If the accused chapter has questions of any witnesses, they must run all questions through the Chief Justice. The Chief Justice will then approve the question and ask the witness.  If the Chief Justice determines that the questions are not relevant and/or appropriate, he/she can refuse the right of the question being asked.
  • The chapter’s leadership will be afforded a final opportunity to make a closing statement.
  • After all questions and statements have been completed, the Chief Justice ends the hearing and excuses everyone except for GJC members for the deliberation portion of the hearing.

Deliberation/Executive Session (GJC Members Only)

  • The GJC will decide whether the information is clear and if conflicts are resolved.
  • The GJC may ask to speak to individual participants again, including witnesses, Student Life staff members, or chapter leaders.
  • The GJC has the right to review the chapter’s disciplinary history as part of any deliberation.
  • The GJC will then decide guilt or innocence based on majority vote of the GJC members present. The vote’s outcome shall be noted in the record of the proceedings and will be made public.
  • If the chapter is found not responsible for the charges, the hearing will be adjourned by the Chief Justice and the chapter will be notified of the decision within a reasonable amount of time (24 to 48 hours).
  • If the chapter is found responsible, the GJC will then deliberate over appropriate sanctions. Once the sanctions have been determined, the GJC will determine appropriate language to be used in the notification of the chapter and will appoint an appropriate College representative to draft the letter to the chapter.
  • The chapter will be notified by the Chief Justice and a staff member of the Office of Student Life that the committee has found them responsible for the charges and of the sanctions within a reasonable amount of time (24 to 48 hours).
  • The Chief Justice will adjourn the hearing.

Post-Hearing

  • The decision of the GJC is communicated to the organization in writing and signed by the Chief and Associate Chief Justices. If found responsible, the letter will also explain, in detail, any sanctions.
  • Organizations found responsible are required to notify their national headquarters and have their national headquarters contact a member of the Student Life staff confirming that they are aware of the details of the case and that the chapter has been found responsible. (Organizations can contact their regional officers representing the inter/national headquarters, but the Office of Student Life must receive confirmation from someone working at the inter/national headquarters.)
  • The organization will also be told what the appellate process is and how to proceed with an appeal of the GJC decision, if they deem that necessary.
  • Per the Greek Strategic Plan, GJC charges and actions against particular organizations may be shared publicly in an effort to communicate to the greater campus community the seriousness by which the WJC Greek system is taking the issue of self-governance. Transparency, not secrecy, is a necessary step to gaining credibility within the campus community therefore, disciplinary decisions may be shared in particular public forums.  However, appropriate levels of confidentiality will be maintained to protect individual members’ privacy rights.
  • All records of the hearing will be kept on file in Student Life.

Appeals Process
As indicated previously, any Greek organization has the right to appeal any decision, for any reason.  All appeals of GJC decisions go to the Office of the President at William Jewell College.  The president of the College is solely responsible for completing the appellate process.

Once the organization has been notified of the GJC’s decision in the case, the organization’s leadership must then express their intent to formally appeal the decision within 48 hours after the initial decision is delivered (verbally or written, whichever is first) to the Office of Student Life. The following guidelines related to appeals must be understood and adhered to precisely in order for the appeal to be heard and addressed:

  • All appeals will be heard by the president of the College.
  • Organizations must submit their formal appeal in writing to the Office of the President by the date and time specified by the Office of Student Life. Chapters will be given three working days to prepare any written appeals that will be turned over to the president.
  • The appeal will be reviewed by the president of the College. The president may request additional information and/or request a meeting with the chapter’s leadership, the GJC Chief Justice, the entire Greek Judicial Council, and/or the Student Life staff to discuss the appeal.  The president is not under obligation to meet with the parties involved in the case.  He/she may make the decision to proceed on the appeal without having an additional hearing.
  • The president has the authority and autonomy to uphold the decision, reverse the decision all together, or change the decision by making the decision/sanctions either more or less severe.
  • The president will deliver a final decision related to the appeal in writing to the chapter’s leadership, the Dean of Students, and the Greek Judicial Council.

Sanctions

The following sanctions, or any combination of them, can be imposed as a result of the disciplinary process, and may be levied as a result of a disciplinary hearing before the Greek Judicial Council. This list is not exhaustive and sanctions are based on the circumstances of the charges. The GJC, as an educational disciplinary system, has the right to create and impose sanctions that are not listed within this document.  The merits of each case will be considered before sanctions are levied. It is the intent of the Greek judicial system that the sanction(s) imposed be in response to the behavior and disciplinary history of the involved organization.

Verbal/Written Warning
Documented warning, placed on file in the Office of Student Life, that the behavior demonstrated by the organization was and is unacceptable. Warnings remain in the organization’s file permanently and can be used as contextual support if the organization were to demonstrate that behavior again.

Disciplinary Probation
An official state of warning from the college and Greek community which states that if the organization violates any college policy, state/federal law, inter/national policy during the probationary time, the organization could face more severe sanctions depending upon the severity of the violation. Organizations will be notified of the parameters of the probation status, in writing, from the Greek Judicial Council.

Restitution or Monetary Fine
Financial accountability for damage to property and/or continued disciplinary problems caused by the organization or a fine that is deemed appropriate for the offense.

Community Service
A project or amount of hours served by the organization (in some cases individuals of the organization) for the good of the community. This is usually completed at William Jewell. If the service is approved to be done off-campus, it must be at a not-for-profit organization and the Greek organization cannot receive any kind of payment or in-kind reimbursement for their work.  The Office of Student Life, in conjunction with the Chief Justice, approves all community service sites.

Partial Suspension of Organizational Privileges
A formal suspension of organizational privileges by the college.  This may include the removal of social privileges and/or the removal of the organization’s right to recruit members during formal recruitment periods sponsored by the college.  The loss of certain privileges is based upon the context of the violation.

Full Suspension of Organizational Operations
A formal suspension of operations and a loss of organizational recognition from WJC for a specified period of time. The period of suspension and loss of recognition can range from one semester to an indefinite period of time.

Expulsion/Permanent Loss of Organizational Recognition
Permanent suspension of operations and loss of organizational recognition without the option of being able to return to the college community.   

Many times, Greek organizations may self-impose sanctions in an attempt to communicate to the GJC that they are taking seriously their commitment to self-governance. The GJC encourages organizations to always act in the best interest of their organization and the Greek system by creating an internal self-governance structure. The GJC also is willing to consider all self-imposed sanctions as part of their deliberations. The GJC reserves the right to approve outright, adjust or clarify, or completely change any self-imposed sanctions if they end up being part of the final decision endorsed and imposed by the GJC.  

 Document Review and Amendment:  Sole authority for reviewing and amending this document falls with the Office of Student Life. This document shall be reviewed on an annual basis.