Administrative Review

The Conduct Officer/Hearing Officer’s decision, or Initial Order, will include information on where to submit your Administrative Review request. Administrative Review requests are typically formatted as a written statement (at least 1 page) outlining your concerns and request for a subsequent review. Please note that the Panel will review all items in your case file in addition to your written statement. Please see more details below on how to format your request. 

SUBMITTING YOUR REQUEST: You may upload your request using the unique link included in the Initial Order or submit your request via email to revcoord@uw.edu. 

Keep in mind that the opportunity to request Administrative Review is time-limited. An Administrative Review must be requested within 21 days of the issuance of the Initial Order. If one is not requested, the Initial Order becomes a Final Order.

Administrative Review may be requested for any or all of the following reasons:

• To determine whether there was a material error that substantially affected the outcome of the fact-finding or sanctioning;
• To consider newly discovered evidence, not reasonably available during the fact-finding, that could substantially impact the outcome; or
• To determine whether the sanction(s) imposed were appropriate for the violation committed and were not excessively lenient or excessively severe;
• If a full hearing has been held, an administrative review can be requested for any other grounds that would warrant modification, withdrawal, or reversal of the order; or
• If a full hearing has NOT been held, an administrative review can be requested to determine whether the issue and interests involved warrant a full hearing.

The purpose of the written statement is to explain to the Review Panel why you believe one or more of the grounds, or reasons, apply and how you would like the decision issued by the Conduct Officer/Hearing Officer to be changed. 

Your written statement may address why you are requesting an Administrative Review. These can be any or all of the reasons above and your request can be organized to help the review panel understand how your arguments align with one or more of these reasons. Some tips are included below:

1. You may include references to any specific documents in the case file that support your request for review. This will help the review panel better understand and assess your request and review the documents you believe are important.
2. If you are arguing that there is new evidence, you can explain why the evidence was not reasonably available during the investigative interview stage and how it should be considered to change the outcome. Include all new documents or pieces of evidence you would like to include as an attachment to your request.
3. If you are arguing that there was a material error, you can indicate or point to the error(s) you believe are present. For example, you may consider if there were error(s) in the report/evidence submitted, Initial Order, or that an error occurred in the investigation process, etc. 
4. If you are arguing that the sanction was excessively lenient or excessively severe, you can indicate why you believe the sanction was excessively lenient or excessively severe. You can also consider detailing what alternative sanction, if applicable, you believe is more appropriate. 

A few suggestions for formatting your request:

• No more than 10 pages, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
• Submit it via the unique link in your Initial Order or email to revcoord@uw.edu 

A Respondent Resource is available to support you upon request. Please note that you remain responsible for tracking time deadlines and making sure to submit your request on time. To request a Respondent Resource, please email cssc@uw.edu.

When the Administrative Review process is initiated, the Review Coordinator will provide a Notice to the parties. This Notice may be seen as confirmation that the Panel has started reviewing your case and your written request. This Notice will include a timeline for when a response to the request is due, identify the reviewing officers, and describe the next steps.

Once the Review Coordinator provides notice of initiating an Administrative Review, the University representative can submit a response to the Request for Administrative Review. A response may include additional information that the Panel may want to consider in their deliberations.

Timelines for the completion of an administrative review depend on who issued the Initial Order.

• When an Initial Order is issued by a Conduct Officer, then the review panel must issue a decision within 20 days of the request for administrative review.
• When an Initial Order is issued by a Hearing Officer following a full hearing, then the review panel must issue a decision within 30 calendar days of receipt of all responses submitted by the parties or oral argument (if any), whichever is later.

If the Review Panel does not issue a decision within these timelines, the request for administrative review is deemed denied.

The Review Panel may reach one of the following results:

• Conclude to affirm and uphold the Conduct Officer’s or Hearing Officer’s decision
• Remand the case – a remand is when the Review Panel refers a case back to the Conduct Officer or the Hearing Officer for further fact-finding or review
• Increase or reduce the sanction(s)

• If a full hearing was not held and the review panel believes one is warranted, the review panel may initiate a full hearing; or
• If a full hearing has been held, in addition to the second bullet point above, the review panel may remand the case for further fact-finding or review

Orders from an Administrative Review will include the outcome, any sanction, and a brief statement of the reasons for the outcome. The Review Coordinator will send the decision from the review panel via email to all parties at the same time.

If the case is remanded, the Initial Order will be rescinded and the review panel will state the reasons for the remand. The Conduct Officer (or Hearing Officer, if a full hearing occurred) will then address the reasons for the remand, and at the conclusion, will issue a new Initial Order. You have a right to appeal the new Initial Order. 

More information can be found in Student Governance and Policies, Chapter 209 Section 13 and Student Governance and Policies, Chapter 209 Section 15.