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General
Policies,
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FAQs for Witnesses
1. What do I do as a witness? As a witness you will share information you have about an incident that will help the JA Designee, Administrative Hearing Officer, or the University Hearing Board Members gain a better understanding of what happened. Your testimony is very important to the case, and therefore you must be truthful. 2. What should I do if I witnessed a violation take place but wasn't involved? The University believes community members share the responsibility to uphold community expectations. As a result, any student who witnesses a possible Code of Conduct violation is encouraged to report the occurrence. If you witness a violation report it to University Police immediately, it could mean the well being of yourself and the Penn State Community. 3. What if I don't feel comfortable being a witness? The Judicial Affairs staff will work with you before and during the discipline process to make sure you feel comfortable giving your statement. As a Penn State student we believe that you have a responsibility to the Penn State University community to help keep our campus safe and positively add to the learning community. 4. Will I have to face the accused student? In order to provide a process that respects the due process rights of the accused student, the accused student does have a right to ask questions of his/her accusers. However, there are a variety of options that would allow witnesses to be asked questions while at the same time providing an atmosphere that feels as safe and comfortable as possible to them. For example, by using a partition to separate you from the accused student, you would still be able to provide testimony and answer questions without having to actually see the accused student. It is also possible for you to provide testimony and answer questions from an off-site location via the telephone or other electronic means. You may also choose to be questioned by and provide answers to the accused through a third party during the hearing. The JA Designee handling the case will work to address your concerns. 5. What if I don't want to be caught in the middle of the parties involved in the incident? As a witness, we believe you have a responsibility to the Penn State Community to share what you know about the incident. However, we realize that this is not the easiest thing to do, and in some cases it could hurt some relationships that you have with your friends. The Judicial Affairs staff will work on making the process as easy as possible for you, and there are services available to you to help you move forward through the process. 6. Will I be assigned an advisor? You will not be assigned an advisor but the Judicial Affairs designee handling the case will meet with you and inform you of what you need to do. They will be your contact person throughout the process. 7. What should I do if someone asks me to lie? If at any point someone asks you to lie for them it is important that you inform Judicial Affairs as soon as possible. The Pennsylvania State University values the safety of its students therefore any altering of the facts involved with the case may comprise the safety of the Penn State Community. 8. What should I wear? When you meet with you Judicial Affairs designee it is acceptable to wear your everyday clothes. 9. What if the information I share would lead me to incriminate myself? The Office of Judicial Affairs responds to reports made regarding possible violations of the Code of Conduct. If while providing information about an incident you self report that you were involved in a violation of the Code of Conduct Conduct, we would not respond to that information since the allegation you are making is against another student. However, if we were to receive a report that does accuse you of violating the Code of Conduct, then you may be charged with violating the code of conduct.
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Updated October 17, 2007