Academics

Student Handbook: School of Law Section

Financial Aid Agreement

Every student at a private university who has accepted a scholarship, loan, fellowship, grant-in-aid, or any other financial aid given or guaranteed by the federal government or state for assistance, is deemed to have agreed to observe the rules and regulations of the university.

The governing authority of the university shall review, or cause to be reviewed, the record of each financial aid recipient who committed any act likely to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the campus' activities and who was:

1. Arrested and convicted of any public offense arising from that act; or
2. is found to have willfully and knowingly disrupted the orderly operation of the campus; or
3. has been suspended from the university for these acts.

The governing authority of the university shall, as soon as practicable, notify a university hearing board of the name of any financial aid recipient who has engaged in the foregoing activities.

Establishing the Hearing Board

There are no statutory guidelines on how the university hearing board is to be established. Presumably the university hearing board can be called on an ad hoc basis or can be a standing committee. The statute also does not address any qualifications of those serving on the university hearing board or how many members must comprise the University Hearing Board.

Notice of Hearing

Once the university hearing board has received notice of a report concerning a financial aid recipient who has engaged in the disorderly conduct defined above, the university hearing board must immediately give the aid recipient a written notice of the report. This notice must inform the aid recipient of the pendency of the proceedings for the suspension of financial assistance. The notice shall inform the aid recipient that he/she may present evidence of mitigating circumstances to the university hearing board within 14 calendar days of the date of the mailing of the notice. The notice shall specify the procedures by which such evidence is to be presented, including the date at which any hearing is to be held. The hearing may not be held sooner than seven (7) days after the date of the mailing of the notice.

Effect of Recipient's Failure to Respond

If the recipient does not respond to the notice, the university hearing board may suspend further assistance to the aid recipient. The suspension shall remain in effect not to exceed the ensuing two academic years.

If a Hearing is Held

If a hearing is held, the university hearing board shall, by majority vote, determine whether further assistance to the aid recipient shall be suspended. The following limitations apply:

1. If a financial aid recipient is arrested and convicted of a public offense arising from the disruptive act on campus, the recipient may be determined to be ineligible for any state aid for a period not to exceed the two ensuing academic years;
2. If, after a hearing, an aid recipient is found to have willfully and knowingly disrupted the orderly operation of the campus, but has not been arrested and convicted, he/she may be determined to be ineligible for state aid for the period as the university hearing board determines, not to exceed the ensuing two academic years;
3. If an aid recipient is suspended for such acts, the aid recipient shall be ineligible for state aid for a period of not less than the time of the suspension.

The findings of the university hearing board must be in writing.

Notifying External State Agencies

The university hearing board must notify the appropriate state agencies of any suspension of state financial aid. The statute does not delineate which state agencies must be notified, but presumably the statute is referring to those agencies responsible for extending state financial aid.