The Student Advocacy Program is a free, private resource for students.
We help students navigate conflicts with the university across a number of areas, including conduct, financial aid, housing, on-campus residence life, and filing petitions and appeals.
As an ASUO-funded program, our first priority is to help students.
Our advocate team works hard to help students understand university procedures and possible outcomes, yet all decisions rest with the student client. We seek to empower students to make the best possible decisions for their individual circumstances and needs, and to help them clearly define and understand the steps they need to take to obtain their desired outcomes. We do not guide, advise, or advocate on behalf of the student client, nor are there any mandated outcomes as a result of a meeting with a peer advocate.
What type of issues can the Peer Advocates help with?
- Academic Petitions and Forms: Students don’t always realize that there are a variety of petitions available on campus. If you’re facing an academic issue, whether it is an unfair grade, a class you need to drop, or an academic requirement that is holding up your progress, we can help you understand the options that are available to you and how to complete those petitions and forms.
- Student conduct cases: we will help you review the information you have recieved from Student Conduct and choose your path forward. We can discuss what information it is productive to share with Student Conduct, help you understand potential outcomes and sanctions, and talk through strategies when appealing.
- Academic misconduct cases: whether you were alerted to an accusation of academic misconduct by your professor or by Student Conduct, we can help! We will help you understand the accusation and the potential consequences, and brainstorm strategies to receive the outcome you feel you deserve. Academic misconduct can be scary, and there is a lot of misinformation about the process from professors and classmates. We can help you sort through the case and fully access your rights.
- Residence Life misconduct: Accusations of misconduct in the dorm are really common while students adjust to living on campus. Whether you’re facing a Community Standards conversation or a Residence Life Conduct Case, we can help you understand the process and demystify your options and rights throughout.
- Grievances: Has something happened on campus that’s left you saying “that’s not right.”? We can help! There are many ways to grieve an issue, and many resources available to you. We can help you understand your options and fully access those resources through your grievance process.
Reporting Requirements
Peer Advocates are classified as Assisting Employees for all forms of prohibited discrimination. This means the Peer Advocates are only required to report child abuse and threats of imminent harm. If a student discloses prohibited discrimination, Peer Advocates will ensure that the student has information about support resources available on campus so that the disclosing student is empowered to make their own choices regarding their disclosure. Peer Advocates will not report discrimination, sexual assault and harassment, or other Title IX issues on your behalf or without your permission. For more information about Assisting Employees, click here.