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SCCS Annual Report 2024-2025

Annual Report 2025

Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS)

Promoting Accountability • Supporting Integrity • Building Community

Department Overview

The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS) is a central component of Wichita State University’s commitment to fostering a campus culture defined by integrity, accountability, respect, and personal growth. SCCS upholds community standards through educational, fair, and restorative processes that empower students to take responsibility for their actions and engage in meaningful reflection.

Grounded in the belief that every interaction is a learning opportunity, SCCS encourages ethical decision-making and holistic development—transforming moments of challenge into opportunities for growth. The department serves as both an accountability body and an educational partner, ensuring that student behavior aligns with the mission and values of the institution.

SCCS’s dual focus on student conduct and academic integrity enables it to address both behavioral and academic concerns through a developmental lens. Each case, conversation, and educational intervention is designed to not only uphold university policy but also strengthen a student’s sense of belonging, civic responsibility, and personal excellence.

Mission and Values

The mission of SCCS is to promote a safe and inclusive learning environment through the fair and equitable administration of the student conduct and academic integrity processes. The department strives to:

  • Educate students on personal and community responsibility.
  • Empower ethical decision-making and accountability.
  • Engage students through reflection and restorative dialogue.
  • Collaborate with campus and community partners to support holistic well-being.

SCCS embodies the values of Accountability, Growth, Integrity, Respect, Equity, and Community, reflecting Wichita State University’s dedication to student success and social responsibility.

2024–2025 Year in Review

Case Management and Outcomes

During the 2024–2025 academic year, SCCS supported more than 900 students through conduct and academic integrity processes. The department resolved both behavioral and academic concerns through transparent, educational, and developmentally focused interventions that align with best practices in student affairs.

Key Metrics:

  • Total Individuals Reported: 911
  • Total Charges Issued: 432
  • Total Sanctions Assigned: 574
  • Total Holds Placed: 641
  • Total Holds Removed: 78

Trends:
The highest reporting months were September (143), October (114), and March (90)—periods that align with mid-semester academic stress and increased student engagement. Conduct cases most frequently occurred on Mondays and Wednesdays, reflecting patterns of classroom and campus activity.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity continues to be a significant focus for SCCS, reflecting the evolving challenges of higher education in the digital era. In 2024–2025, the department managed 156 academic integrity cases, addressing a range of violations from plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration to emerging issues related to artificial intelligence (AI) in academic work.

Common Violations:

  • Plagiarism: 108 cases
  • Unauthorized Use or Possession of Materials: 74 cases
  • AI Misuse: 65 cases
  • Academic Interference or Misrepresentation: 11 cases

Resolutions:

  • 130 Accepted Sanctions: Completed through educational outcomes emphasizing reflection and ethical decision-making.
  • 13 Committee Hearings: 10 resulted in findings of responsibility, while 3 resulted in no violation.

Academic Partnerships:
SCCS strengthened its collaboration with Academic Affairs, the Faculty Senate, and the Academic Integrity Committee to ensure consistency and transparency in the reporting and resolution of academic integrity matters. Plans are underway for the inaugural Academic Integrity Week (Fall 2025), which will include student panels, workshops, and awareness campaigns centered on academic honesty in the age of AI.

Student Conduct Administration

In addition to academic integrity cases, SCCS managed 224 conduct cases during the 2024–2025 academic year. These included policy violations related to community behavior, housing, and student organization accountability.

Sanction Outcomes:

  • Housing Warning - 127
  • Housing Probation - 34
  • Disciplinary Warning - 99
  • Disciplinary Probation - 61
  • Suspension- 8
  • Dismissal-1

These data reflect SCCS’s commitment to education over punishment—prioritizing interventions that encourage personal accountability and behavior change. The majority of sanctions were developmental in nature, focusing on reflection assignments, and restorative actions rather than punitive measures.

Collaborations:
SCCS continued its partnership with Housing and Residence Life to provide training for graduate and full-time hearing officers, ensuring consistent process standards. Additionally, the department worked closely with University Police, the CARE Team, and International Education to support students navigating complex behavioral and cultural challenges.

Education, Prevention, and Outreach

SCCS emphasizes proactive education as a cornerstone of its mission. Throughout the year, the department conducted training, outreach, and engagement initiatives to increase awareness of university expectations, reporting procedures, and the value of integrity within the academic community.

Outreach and Engagement Highlights:

  • Delivered 32 presentations to student, staff, and faculty groups.
  • Reached over 980 participants through workshops and trainings.
  • Hosted monthly Academic Integrity 101 sessions via the MyTraining portal for faculty and staff.
  • Presented twice annually to the Faculty Senate, reinforcing alignment between academic and student conduct processes.
  • Participated in campus-wide events such as Student Affairs Showcase, Orientation, and Academic Success Week, ensuring visibility and accessibility to all students.

SCCS also began developing AI Integrity education materials, addressing the growing influence of artificial intelligence in academic misconduct. This proactive approach ensures WSU remains at the forefront of national conversations on ethics in technology-enhanced learning.

Staff Development and Team Growth

SCCS recognizes that effective student support begins with a well-trained, engaged, and empowered staff. During 2024–2025, the department prioritized professional development, team connection, and leadership cultivation.

Professional Development Efforts:

  • All full-time staff attended at least one national or regional professional conference.
  • The department utilized the ASCA Knowledge and Skills Inventory to identify growth areas and inform individualized development plans.
  • Staff engaged in Gallup Strengths-Based Leadership sessions to enhance communication, teamwork, and workplace satisfaction.
  • Quarterly team-building activities were hosted to strengthen cohesion and morale without reliance on departmental funding.

These efforts have reinforced SCCS’s reputation as a collaborative, high-performing team committed to continuous improvement and excellence in service delivery.

Strategic Goals for 2025–2026

As SCCS looks ahead, the department remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting student success, ethical scholarship, and institutional integrity through proactive education and partnership.

Strategic Priorities:

  1. Expand Applied Learning Opportunities:
    • Hire and mentor a Graduate Coordinator to enhance office capacity and create experiential learning opportunities for graduate students interested in student conduct and higher education administration.
  2. Advance Educational Outreach and Awareness:
    • Expand the “Know the Code” campaign and launch AI Integrity Education Initiatives addressing responsible use of artificial intelligence.
    • Host the first Academic Integrity Week to promote ethical scholarship and academic honesty across campus.
  3. Strengthen Collaboration and Policy Alignment:
    • Deepen partnerships with Academic Affairs, Faculty Senate, and other stakeholders to ensure procedural alignment and strengthen institutional consistency.
  4. Enhance Assessment and Reporting:
    • Continue utilizing Anthology Baseline and Maxient Analytics for data collection, assessment, and transparency in reporting outcomes.

Conclusion

Throughout the 2024–2025 academic year, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards upheld its mission to educate, empower, and engage the Wichita State University community through fairness, empathy, and integrity. The department’s data-driven approach, focus on education, and commitment to collaboration reflect the Division of Student Affairs’ strategic priorities of connection, inclusion, and student success.

Internally, SCCS continued to invest in its team through professional development and leadership growth, ensuring that each staff member is equipped to model the values of integrity and accountability. Looking ahead, SCCS remains focused on expanding educational impact, strengthening partnerships, and leveraging assessment to improve outcomes for all students.

Ultimately, SCCS continues to transform challenges into opportunities for growth—empowering students to act with integrity, reflect with intention, and contribute meaningfully to a thriving, ethical, and respectful campus community.

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