President Jones Message to Campus Community

May 5, 2016

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Today I am writing to inform you of the outcome of the University’s disciplinary process related to the January 30 bus incident. I am sharing this information to reaffirm our institution’s commitment to accountability and to providing a fair, safe and welcoming educational environment for all.

Three students have been found responsible and held accountable for violations of the Student Code of Conduct. Specifically, Ariel Agudio and Asha Burwell have been dismissed from the university, and Alexis Briggs has been suspended for two years.

Consistent with our established disciplinary process, the determinations of responsibility and recommendations of sanctions were made by the Student Conduct Board, which consists of faculty, staff and students. This panel’s findings and recommendations were reviewed and supported by a separate panel, the Appeal Review Board, which considered appeal requests submitted by all three students. The Vice President for Student Affairs concurred with the findings and sanctions, and has communicated this final determination to the students today.

I appreciate the time that the members of the panels invested to provide a fair and objective process. I fully support the outcomes.

It is important to remember that the University’s student conduct system is separate from the criminal justice process that takes place in the courts. The student conduct process is an internal administrative procedure concerned with violations of our institutional rules. It is not a court of law.

This incident was highly visible and raised many concerns for people on campus and in the community. True to our mission as an educational institution, many of you used this incident as an opportunity to engage with the critical issues around race in our society. I encourage all of us to continue to remain united as we work together to nurture an inclusive and respectful campus community.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
President