Restorative Accountability Process

The Restorative Accountability Process provides students and student groups with a pathway to resolving interpersonal conflict and empowers all parties to participate fully in the accountability process.

The Restorative Accountability Process is an entirely voluntary process and can be altered at any time. It can be used as an alternative to, alongside or at the conclusion of the Administrative Accountability Process.

The Restorative Accountability Process can be used for incidents in which no policy violation has taken place. Situations involving interpersonal conflict or harm caused to others can be resolved through this process.

Some examples of cases where a Restorative Accountability Process may be used include:

  • roommate conflicts
  • social media conflicts
  • possible harassment or cyberbullying
  • vandalism

Any incident can be considered for a Restorative Accountability Process by the Director of SARP.

Why Opt into the Process

When students agree to participate in the Restorative Accountability Process, they engage in a dialogue about the harm that has been caused, the impact of that harm and what needs to be done to repair the harm.

The process is designed using a restorative philosophy which supports accountability that is formulated with involved parties. In other words, the process enables the person who was harmed in the situation to participate in deciding what should happen to repair the harm that was caused to them. This is unique to the Restorative Accountability Process as compared to the Administrative Accountability Process.

Students who have experienced harm choose to participate in a Restorative Accountability Process so that:

  • They can continue to add their voice to the outcome and accountability of the person who caused them harm.
  • They can tell the person who harmed them how the harm had an impact.
  • They can hear from the harming party about what they were thinking when they caused harm.

Regardless of motivation, most students enter the process because they want some sense of closure to their incident. They may not walk away having a completely restored relationship with the other party, but the process gives them an opportunity to address the situation in way that feels more personally meaningful than the student conduct process can provide.

For students who represent a harming party, given that a requirement to participate in a Restorative Accountability Process is admission that they caused harm to another person in some way, one of the benefits to participation is having the opportunity to explain their thought process and apologize for their actions. Though a direct apology is not required, participants are able to accept the impact of their actions and seek to make things right. 

How it Works

1

All Parties Agree to Participate

Once it is determined that the Restorative Accountability Process is appropriate for a given case, parties will be contacted and invited to participate. All parties must be willing to participate.

2

Pre-Work Meetings Take Place

All parties participate in pre-work meetings where they are asked to answer 4 key questions that will be discussed during the Restorative Circle. They discuss their answers with one of the circle facilitators. They may also be given critical information about what other parties might say during the circle. This helps everyone be prepared to respond thoughtfully and contribute to the dialogue.

3

The Restorative Circle Takes Place

Once all parties have completed pre-work meetings, a Restorative Circle will be scheduled. During the circle, all parties are given an opportunity to identify harms, discuss the impact of those harms and formulate an agreement for actions that must happen to repair the harm.
 

4

SARP Notifies Parties of Completion and Agreements

SARP tracks the completion of the agreement and notifies parties of completion or failure to complete. If agreements are not upheld and the case could possibly involve policy violation(s), it could be referred back to the Administrative Accountability Process.

The Restorative Accountability Process Versus the Administrative Accountability Process 

The Administrative Accountability Process is educational and punitive. The university is investigating possible policy violation(s), evaluating its relationship with the student and imposing Accountability Action(s), when appropriate.

The Restorative Accountability Process is restorative. The involved parties agree that harm has been caused, are evaluating their continued relationship with one another and deciding what actions must happen to repair the harm.

In the Administrative Accountability Process, all students are afforded Due Process as described in the Code of Accountability.

To complete the Restorative Accountability Process, all parties must agree to participate, and the harming party must admit they caused harm and agree to abide by any requirements that come out of the circle.

The Administrative Accountability Process:

  • student alleged to have violated policy(s)
  • student's Support Person as determined
  • witnesses

The Restorative Accountability Process:

  • harmed party
  • harming party
  • other impacted party(s)
  • Support Person(s) as determined
  • facilitators

As part of the Administrative Accountability Process, an Accountability Resolution Meeting takes place where the student can agree or disagree that their actions violated policy(s). An informal investigation or Hearing will then take place and a decision is made. Once a decision is made, Accountability Actions are assigned as appropriate.

In order for the Restorative Accountability Process to take place, harming and harmed parties must agree to participate. Then, all parties meet for pre-work meetings to prepare for the Restorative Circle. Once the Restorative Circle is facilitated, all parties involved agree upon what actions need to occur to repair the harm.

The Administrative Accountability Process will most likely include both an educational and punitive component determined by the university to hold the student accountable for their actions and help them consider their impact on others.

The Restorative Accountability Process may include any actions agreed upon by parties during the Restorative Circle. It is important to note that the university does not mandate certain outcomes. Instead, parties determine any actions that the harming party must complete.

Student records are kept private if they participate in the Administrative Accountability Process. Only the Student is given their outcome.

Any party who participates in the Restorative Accountability Process will know the outcome and the actions the harming party is asked to take.