Witness Information

A witness is someone who:

(1) directly observed an incident or

(2) has direct or indirect knowledge related to an incident. Witnesses should be able to speak knowledgeably about the incident and be able to provide relevant facts to Student Conduct. Reliable witnesses are critical to the integrity and effectiveness of the student conduct process.

Witnesses must have observed the acts in question or have information relevant to the incident and cannot be participating solely to speak about an individual's character.

The respondent student, the complainant party, and/or student conduct may request relevant witnesses to participate in the student student conduct process. If you are determined to be a witness, Student Conduct may request a meeting with you.

As a witness, you may be asked to do one or both of the following:

Witness Interview: Attend meeting(s) with a judicial officer from The Office of Student Conduct in order to provide your perspective on the incident. The statement you provide can be viewed by the complainant or respondent student(s). In sexual misconduct cases, the complainant can also view your statement.

Student Conduct Conference: Attend a conference for the complainant or respondent student(s) to provide your statement in person and answer relevant questions. Further information is provided below on your role as a witness during a judicial conference.

If you believe that you do not have information related to the incident, contact Judicial Affairs to discuss the situation. You may be asked to speak with Judicial Affairs to verify what information you do or do not know. Refusal to comply with directions, requests, or orders by University officials or law enforcement when requested to do so is not in accordance with the WKU Student Code of Conduct.

Respondent students and complainant parties may bring relevant witnesses to the judicial conference. Judicial Affairs must be notified with the names of the witnesses at least three business days prior to the conference. Final determination of relevance of witnesses resides with the conduct officer. If a witness is unable to attend, the witness' signed statements may be brought to the conference. Witness statements need not be sworn or in affidavit form.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How will I find out about the conference? A staff member of The Office of Student Conduct will contact you with the date, time, location, and other pertinent information related to the conference. Email is our primary method of communication, so please check your email for the information. Please confirm with the staff member whether or not you are able to attend.

Do I have to answer questions asked of me? As one of your due process rights it provides that you are allowed to refuse to answer question. Please be aware that refusing to answer may impact the quality of the information you provide. If there is a specific reason you do not want to answer or feel uncomfortable answering a particular question, you may discuss your concern with the judicial officer.

What happens if a witness is dishonest during the judicial process? A student witness who provides false or dishonest information may be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct for "Dishonesty" and/or "Disrupting the Conduct Process."

What should I do if I am harassed by someone about the conference? If you are being harassed, contact WKU Police (270-745-2548) if you are on-campus or Bowling Green Police (911) if you are off-campus and Student Conduct (270-745-5429) immediately for assistance. Behavior that discourages you from properly participating in the student student conduct process is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

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