The Student Conduct Board is accepting applications through Sept. 9.
Levi Harrel, dean of students, said the Student Conduct Board meets whenever an issue involving the student code of conduct cannot be resolved between a student and a student conduct officer.
“The student conduct board is a hearing panel comprised of students and university staff members that adjudicates hearings from a student-conduct-perspective when a mutually agreed upon outcome cannot be reached between a student conduct officer and a student,” Harrel said.
Lilly Bermúdez, associate dean of students, said the Student Conduct Board is rarely used.
“In my three years here, I’ve had two conduct board meetings, because 99.9% of the time, students accept the conduct outcomes that we issue through the conduct office,” Bermúdez said.
Bermúdez said whenever the Student Conduct Board does meet, they strive to treat all students with respect.
“For us, students are always learners. For us, students are always deserving of all of our respect of openness and dialogue. We see the conduct process as a learning opportunity because we are an institution of higher education,” Bermúdez said.
Harrel said the Student Conduct Board is looking for applicants with an open mind.
“We are looking for students who can remain cool, calm and collected under pressure, students who can remove biases from situations, and students who have mutual respect for their community members,” Harrel said.
Harrel also said the Student Conduct Board can be a great opportunity for students who want to take on leadership roles.
“I also think that it is an important leadership role for students who believe in community accountability,” Harrel said.
Abby Banks, political science, philosophy, and economics junior and SGA president, said she thinks the Student Conduct Board is a great way for students to learn about the university’s practices.
“It allows you to learn about policies and procedures the university has in place, and I think that’s really valuable because you start to understand why these things are the way they are,” Banks said.
Banks also said the Student Conduct Board can open up opportunities for students to educate their peers.
“I think it’s overall helpful to the community to have student leaders who are passionate about these kinds of things being able to educate the rest of our student body about it,” Banks said.
Bermúdez said there are certain qualifications students must fit in order to apply for the Student Conduct Board.
“First and foremost, I am looking for someone who has been here for at least two full semesters. That’s part of our requirement. Secondly, I’m looking for someone who has a good grade point average of 2.5 GPA, at least, as a full-time student. I’m looking for someone who is willing to participate in our trainings,” Bermúdez said.
Bermúdez also said availability is an important factor in considering applicants.
Bermúdez said the number of accepted applicants usually depends on the number of applications they receive.
“Our cutoff is usually ten to twelve, depending on how many people apply,” Bermúdez said.
Applications are open through Sept. 9.
Students interested in applying can contact Lilly Bermúdez at elbermudez@okcu.edu and Levi Harrel at ljharrel@okcu.edu.
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