WAC 495A-400-090. Appeals

(1) All parties, including the student conduct officer in their capacity as a representative of the college, have the right to appeal from the determination of responsibility and/or from a dismissal, in whole or part, of a formal complaint during the investigative or hearing process. Appeals must be in writing and filed with the vice president of student services within 21 days of service of the initial order or notice of dismissal. Appeals must identify the specific findings of fact and/or conclusions in the initial order or notice of dismissal that the appealing party is challenging and must contain argument as to why the appeal should be granted. Failure to file a timely appeal constitutes a waiver of the right to appeal and the initial order or notice of dismissal shall be deemed final.

(2) Upon receiving a timely appeal, the vice president of student services office will serve a copy of the appeal on all parties, who will have 10 days from the date of service to submit written responses to the president's office addressing issues raised in the appeal. Failure to file a timely response constitutes a waiver of the right to participate in the appeal. Upon receipt of written responses, vice president of student services shall serve copies of the responses to the other parties.

(3) Parties receiving a copy of the responses shall have five days in which to submit a written reply addressing issues raised in the responses to the vice president of student services.

(4) Vice president of student services, based on their review of parties' submissions and the hearing or investigative record, will determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether a dismissal is affirmed or denied, or if the disciplinary sanctions and conditions imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and, if amended, set forth the new disciplinary sanctions and conditions.

arties' submissions and the hearing or investigative record, will determine whether the grounds for appeal have merit, provide the rationale for this conclusion, and state whether a dismissal is affirmed or denied, or if the disciplinary sanctions and conditions imposed in the initial order are affirmed, vacated, or amended, and, if amended, set forth the new disciplinary sanctions and conditions.

(5) The vice president of student services shall serve the final decision on the parties simultaneously.

(6) All administrative decisions reached through this process may be judicially appealed pursuant to applicable provisions of chapter 34.05 RCW including, but not limited to, the timelines set forth in RCW 34.05.542 .