Educating students one case at a time

A sign advertises contact information for Students Defending Students outside of the organization’s office in Athens, Ohio. Students Defending Students. Photo by Kate Marijolovic

Since its founding in 1976, SDS has helped students navigate Ohio University’s community standards process. An arm of the Ohio U Student Senate, SDS provides advice and peer representatives to students who have violated Ohio U’s Student Code of Conduct. 

Caleb Alamo, Students Defending Students (SDS) office administrator, has seen a lot during his time as a student representative.

Alamo, a senior English pre-law major, joined the group after changing his major from mechanical engineering. Looking for an organization that would look good on a law school application, he quickly found SDS. 

“It is something I recommend to all students, even if you’re a non-major, because the stuff I’ve heard in this office is just out of this world crazy,” Alamo said. 

SDS’ advisors attend procedural interviews and community standards conferences with students, making sure students are informed of their rights. They also suggest additional resources that may benefit students in legal trouble, such as the Center for Student Legal Services. SDS does not provide legal services. 

Ohio U’s Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility handles the student conduct process. 

The student conduct process begins when Ohio U receives a referral regarding a student’s behavior. This referral can come from Housing and Residence Life, a police department, a faculty or staff member or a student. 

Once a referral has been received, a student is sent a letter from Ohio U detailing the allegations against them and information regarding when their disciplinary hearing will be held. In this letter, students are informed that SDS is a resource available to them. 

Next, a community standards conference is held. During their conference, students speak with a hearing officer to discuss their actions and the charges against them. Students will also be presented with options for resolution based on if they accept or deny the charges against them. 

At the end of the conference, students are given disciplinary sanctions. There is a wide range of sanctions, and each comes with conditions that a student must meet. These conditions are usually a task or project for the student, aimed at preventing further violations of the student code of conduct. 

Students have the option to appeal the outcome of their conference once they have been given sanctions.  

Graham Stark, director of SDS and a senior history pre-law major, said that Ohio U is moving away from punitive punishment and trying to make the community standards process restorative for students. 

Many students are now assigned community service hours or research papers on topics such as alcohol abuse, rather than charged fines or put on probation as they were in the past. 

“We’d really just like to be there for students who are in crisis or need a little extra help,” Stark said. 

Stark said that about half of SDS’ cases involve students who have received a second conduct violation. These violations usually are not related, according to Stark. 

Stark believes that the student conduct process is fair and beneficial for students who might be experiencing mental health struggles. 

“I’ve never seen a hearing officer act disrespectfully to a student. I’ve never seen a hearing officer accuse them of anything that wasn’t true,” he said. 

Alamo said that the role of student representatives is to guide those going through the conduct process. 

“I really try and make sure students understand when they come in that this process really is to try and help them learn and grow,” Alamo said. 

SDS currently has eight student representatives, including its four executive members. Alamo said the group is planning to double its number of representatives in the next month. Typically, they have roughly 25 student representatives each semester. 

Many of the current members, including Stark and Alamo, are in pre-law programs, but any Ohio U student can join. Stark said that the group welcomes anyone interested in student advocacy and community justice.  

“We’d absolutely love to have more people from more colleges,” Stark said. 

SDS is seeking to do more work that will prevent students from violating community standards. The group is exploring ways to educate students on their rights during high-risk times of year, such as Halloween and the spring fest season. 

In 2015, SDS garnered national attention after Issac Smith, then associate director of the group, sued Ohio U for violating his free speech rights. 

Smith was wearing a shirt with the slogan “we get you off for free,” when a university administrator told him not to wear it again. 

Ohio U eventually settled the case, paying Smith $32,000 in legal fees and damages. He was supported by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a national organization dedicated to protecting free speech.

Smith’s case caused Ohio U to change the student code of conduct by clarifying existing language and expanding students’ right to free speech. 

Since then, SDS has continued their mission to help fellow students navigate the community standards process, one case at a time.