Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Academic Dishonesty: Clarify faculty members' role in investigating and sanctioning most academic dishonesty violations, with academic deans providing support. The student conduct officer will continue to receive and maintain records, retaining discretion to initiate conduct proceedings for repeat offenders or offenders across academic areas. This approach aligns with Washington state's model student conduct codes and existing grade appeal policies that provide procedural protections for students.

Service of Conduct Documents: Designate a student's college email address as the primary method for receiving student conduct documents, with first-class mail retained as an alternative. This update ensures more timely and secure notifications while enhancing privacy for recipients. The change is consistent with Washington state's model codes, which support the use of modern communication methods for official notices.

Hazing: Revise the student conduct code to incorporate state provisions from Sam's Law and federal requirements under the Stop Campus Hazing Act. These updates follow Washington state's model student conduct codes for addressing hazing and holding student organizations accountable.

Title IX Adjudication and Contracting: Preserve Olympic College's (college) discretion to appoint an administrative law judge or other qualified external professional as the decision-maker in Title IX and sexual misconduct cases involving student respondents, a practice initially adopted through emergency rule making. Additionally, clarify that the college may contract external investigators and advisors to ensure fair, compliant, and technically proficient case handling, given the complexity and infrequency of such cases. These provisions are aligned with Washington state's model student conduct codes and guidance from the attorney general's office.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: United States Department of Education.

Process for Developing New Rule: Proposed changes are being presented to the campus community for feedback and a public meeting will be held.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Renee Lafreniere, 1600 Chester Avenue, Bremerton, WA 98337, phone 360-475-7102, email rlafreniere@olympic.edu, website www.olympic.edu.