Advisor/Support Person FAQs

Advisors/support persons are expected to know and follow the information below. A breach of any of our advisor/support person guidelines will result in a warning. After a warning, an additional breach will result in the person being required to leave the meeting or discontinuation of the meeting until a later time.

An advisor/support person of the student’s choosing may accompany them to any and all interviews, appointments, meetings and hearings involved in the assessment, investigation, and resolution of the complaint. A student is allowed one advisor/support person at formal hearings.

Students may communicate with the advisor/support person during interviews/appointments as needed. An advisor/support person may, in one-to-one communication with the student, provide advice, consultation, and guidance.

Students are expected to represent themselves in campus meetings and proceedings. Advisors/support persons may not represent or speak for the student.


As a general rule, the advisor/support person may be any person of the student’s choice who is not involved as a witness in the complaint. An overlap in these roles should be discussed with the appropriate university staff member and resolved prior to the meeting. Family members, friends, university employees, and attorneys have served as advisors/support persons.

An advisor/support person may ask questions about procedures during in preliminary meetings. An advisor/support person may not interrupt the interview, appointment, or other processes with excessive requests for procedural information.

Outside of meetings, University staff will communicate only with the student and consider only the student’s schedule when providing timelines for responses.


While students are not restricted from discussing and sharing information relating to their complaints with others that may support them or assist them, the university expects that all persons will respect each other’s privacy and the integrity of the process.

Please contact us at 765-285-5036 or conduct@bsu.edu with your request which will be assessed on an individual basis. Students with disabilities may seek assistance from the Office of Disability Services (765-285-5293 or dsd@bsu.edu).