Support Person/Advisor Guidelines

Students are allowed to have a support person/advisor. A support person/advisor can be an attorney, parent, friend, etc. During academic integrity and student conduct related meetings, a support person/advisor may act as a consultant for the student, however, they may not speak on behalf of the student.

If the student chooses to be accompanied by a support person/advisor during any meeting with our office, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), the student must complete and sign the FERPA waiver.

If a support person/advisor is to be present at an Academic Integrity Review Board or Student Conduct Review Board hearing, the Office of Academic Integrity & Student Conduct must be notified in writing at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing. In addition to submitting the completed FERPA waiver, please email conduct@uci.edu, including your name, student id number, hearing date, and support person/advisor's name.

In the interest of expediency, as a general practice, hearings shall not be delayed due to the unavailability of a support person/advisor.  Students and their support person/advisor should refer to the University of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students (103.11 E. Hearings) for more information about the role of the advisor(s) in the student conduct process or to the Procedures for Resolution of Cases of Academic Integrity Policy Violations (VII. Hearings) for more information about the role of the advisor(s) in the academic integrity process.

Support persons/advisors are cautioned that their participation in the conduct process in a manner that inhibits the student’s direct interaction with the adjudicating staff member or hearing board, may be detrimental to the student’s case and may result in the support person/advisor’s exclusion from the review.

If a student chooses to have an attorney as the support persons/advisor, the student shall pay all fees, costs, and expenses for the retention of an attorney. 

Please click here for frequently asked questions about the role of the advisor.