by Suyan Wang

After adopting an initial interim Student Conduct Code on January 1, 2026, UC Santa Barbara has now finalized its conduct policy on July 1, 2026. Notably, the new Code introduces changes to the hearing and appeal processes that directly affect students navigating the university’s disciplinary system. This article examines these changes and their implications for students, aiming to clarify the University’s student conduct procedures.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Life Suzanne Perkin and Monique Grant, Assistant Dean and Director of the Office of Student Conduct (OSC), announced the finalized changes in a July 6 email to UCSB students. The announcement highlighted several updates to the student conduct process and clarified how cases would be handled during the transition between policies. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the applicable procedures may be determined by when an incident occurred and/or when the written notice initiating the student conduct process was issued.

The revisions follow updates to PACAOS 100 (Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students), the systemwide University of California policies governing student conduct, rights, and responsibilities. UCSB and other UC campuses have consequently revised their local conduct procedures to align with the updated systemwide policy.

For UCSB, however, the transition began months before the July finalization. An interim version of the revised UCSB Student Conduct Code took effect on January 1, 2026. The Office of Student Conduct informed the A.S. Office of the Student Advocate (OSA) of the procedural changes, and OSA began incorporating the new Investigation and Resolution Framework into its casework and advising during the interim period.

With the final code now in effect, the revised Student Conduct Code and Investigation and Resolution Framework are available through the Office of Student Conduct’s webpage.

A New Investigation and Resolution Framework

One of the most significant structural changes is separating UCSB’s student conduct policies into two documents: the Student Conduct Code and the Investigation and Resolution Framework.

Previous versions of the Student Conduct Code were significantly longer because they combined conduct standards and disciplinary procedures into a single document. Under the 2026 structure, the two components are separate: the Student Conduct Code continues to establish conduct standards and potential sanctions, and the Investigation and Resolution Framework outlines the procedures for investigating and resolving alleged violations.

In February, OSC met with the 2025-2026 OSA Leadership team to explain the procedural changes associated with the new framework. Since then, OSA caseworkers have helped students navigate cases under the revised process.

Changes to the Hearing Process

Among the most consequential changes in the 2026 framework are revisions to when a student conduct case proceeds to a formal hearing.

Under the previous 2020 Student Conduct Code, a formal hearing could follow the investigation and interview process once a notice of formal hearing was issued. Either a hearing officer or the Student-Faculty Committee could hear cases.

The Student-Faculty Committee consists of faculty and student members appointed by the Chancellor or a designee. The 2026 Code retains the Student-Faculty Committee and its core membership structure, but the circumstances under which a case reaches a formal hearing have changed.

Under the revised process, the Student Conduct Administrator may first issue an Administrative Resolution after determining that a student is responsible for violating University policy. The Administrative Resolution identifies the outcome and any applicable University action or sanction. If the student accepts the resolution, the outcome becomes final without proceeding to a formal hearing.

For cases involving suspension or dismissal, a student who wishes to contest the outcome may request a Formal Hearing by notifying Student Conduct of their intent within five business days. Either a hearing officer or the Student-Faculty Committee may then hear the case.

Because of this change, formal hearings are now concentrated primarily among contested cases involving the more serious sanctions of suspension or dismissal, rather than serving as a more routine stage of the conduct process.

Several procedural protections remain in place. Students continue to have the right to an advisor or attorney during the hearing process, and Student Conduct must be notified at least three working days before the hearing that an advisor will be present. Minutes of a hearing are also made available to the student within seven days after the hearing, after which the student may submit written comments for inclusion in the record.

New Appeal Deadlines

The revised framework also introduces important distinctions in the appeal process.

When an Administrative Resolution does not include suspension or dismissal, a student who wishes to challenge the outcome may submit a written appeal within 10 business days of receiving notice. Cases involving suspension or dismissal, however, now require an additional procedural step. In that case, students must first provide written intent to proceed to a Formal Hearing within five business days of the Administrative Resolution. After submitting written intent, students must submit the actual written appeal within 10 business days of the Administrative Resolution.

This written-intent requirement is a significant departure from the previous Code and makes awareness of procedural deadlines especially important for students navigating the conduct process.

Overall, the revised conduct structure makes formal hearings less likely for cases involving lower-level sanctions, while also introducing additional procedural stages and deadlines that students must understand and follow. Many of these procedures and timelines are now consolidated in the UCSB Investigation and Resolution Framework. Students seeking help understanding deadlines can also visit OSA’s new Student Conduct Deadline Calculator.

From “Interim Suspension” to “Interim Action”

The 2026 revisions also updated the terminology for actions the University may take in response to student conduct matters.

One of such changes is the introduction of the broader term “University Action,” which encompasses measures such as alternative resolution, no-contact directives, supplemental education, and educational conversations. Under this revised framework, certain measures previously classified as “Other Disciplinary Action” in the 2020 Code have been reorganized under “University Action”.

Additionally, UCSB’s Investigation and Resolution Framework replaces the previous Code’s term “interim suspension” with “interim action.” Consistent with PACAOS 107.00, interim action may involve temporary exclusion from classes, University activities, or particular areas of campus while a matter is pending.

While some words have changed, interim measures remain temporary actions, not final determinations of responsibility.

What the Changes Mean for UCSB Students

As UC campuses implement the revised systemwide policies, the Office of the Student Advocate is communicating with student advocate offices across the UC system to better understand how the new procedures are affecting students.

In a recent conversation with UCSB OSA, the UC Davis Student Advocate Office reported seeing fewer cases reach the formal hearing stage. UCSB OSA has observed a similar emerging pattern locally and will continue monitoring how the revised procedures affect the UCSB student body.

Separating the Investigation and Resolution Framework from the Student Conduct Code may make the University’s investigative procedures easier for students to identify and follow. At the same time, adding procedural stages and time-sensitive requirements makes it especially important for students to understand which procedures apply to them and when they must act.

OSA remains in communication with the Office of Student Conduct and continues to provide free, confidential peer support to UCSB students navigating University processes. Students with questions about the revised conduct process, or who need help navigating a student conduct matter, can schedule an appointment with the UCSB Office of the Student Advocate or contact osa-intake@as.ucsb.edu.