Witness Information

Number 1

1. You will need to decide whether you will participate as a witness at the upcoming hearing. As you are deciding, you can reference the information on this page. (If you have questions that are not answered here, please contact the Hearing Coordinator.)

Number 2

2. Once you've made a decision about how you'd like to engage with the process, respond to the outreach message from the Hearing Coordinator with your decision and availability (if applicable).

Number 3

3. The Hearing Coordinator will confirm they have received your response and answer any questions you may have asked in your prior message.

Number 4

4. At least one day before the hearing, the Hearing Coordinator will provide you with the logistical information you'll need to participate in the hearing.

Number 5

5. On the hearing day, you'll be asked to arrive at the designated hearing location five minutes ahead of the requested time. 

Number 6

6. After you enter the hearing space, you will be asked questions by the Hearing Officer and, in some cases, the party's advisors.

Number 7

7. Once there are no more questions, the Hearing Officer will thank you and ask you to leave the hearing space.

Number 8

8. After a witness has been excused, their participation in the process has concluded and they will not be contacted further.

Witness FAQs

What if I do not want to serve as a witness at the hearing?

If you decide not to participate as a witness, you can notify the Hearing Coordinator of this decision by the deadline provided in their outreach email.

Will serving as a witness appear on my student record?

No, serving as a witness at a hearing will not appear on your academic or disciplinary record.

Who will be present at the hearing?

The Hearing Officer, the Hearing Coordinator, and the parties directly involved in the incident (and their Advisor and/or Support Person, if applicable) will be present at the hearing. All of the individuals present at the hearing will be able to see and hear you. If this presents a challenge or raises concerns for you, please make Hearing Coordinator Erin Slater-Wu (hearingcoordinator@berkeley.edu) aware when you provide your availability for the hearing. It's possible for alternative arrangements to be considered.

How is the information provided by a witness used?

The Hearing Officer will use all of the information available to them, including witness testimony, to determine whether or not a University policy was violated.

I do not feel like I know much about the situation.  Why am I being requested to attend the hearing as a witness?

Typically, witnesses are identified by the parties directly involved in the hearing. The Hearing Officer reviews the list of requested witnesses and then determines if the witness has information that might fall within the scope of the hearing. 

How long will I need to make myself available?

A witness is typically released from the hearing less than an hour after the time they are requested to arrive by. If you have scheduling conflicts that you are aware of, please let Hearing Coordinator Erin Slater-Wu (hearingcoordinator@berkeley.edu) know when you provide your availability for the hearing. Additionally, the schedule on the hearing day can change from the initial estimate provided to you by the Hearing Coordinator. If that happens, the Hearing Coordinator will notify you via phone or email and may also ask you to be available earlier or later on the designated hearing day.

What if someone tries to retaliate against me for serving as a witness?

The UC Berkeley Code of Student Conduct prohibits any attempt to retaliate against, influence, or interfere with any witness or party in a University investigation or student conduct process. Although extremely rare, any attempt to retaliate, influence, or interfere with a witness should be reported directly to the Center for Student Conduct (phone: 510-643-9069 / email: studentcondcut@berkeley.edu) so that appropriate action can be taken.

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Disclaimer: The text found on this page is not a formal part of the PACAOS Appendix E: Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Student Investigation and Adjudication Framework, Interim Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Student Investigation and Adjudication Framework for DOE Covered Conduct (PACAOS Appendix F), or the UC Berkeley Code of Student Conduct. The information found here should be considered one of many resources available to students when navigating these policies and procedures.