There are two types of hearings: Administrative Hearings and Conduct Board Hearings.
Most cases are resolved through an administrative hearing. Depending on the circumstances of a case that is serious in nature, involve complicated or disputed facts, and/or includes a student or student organization with prior disciplinary history, the case may be referred to a Conduct Board hearing for adjudication.
If a student/student organization does not accept the administrative hearing resolution and/or denies responsibility for offenses of University policy, the student/student organization may request a hearing before a panel of the Conduct Board by emailing conduct@duke.edu by the stated deadline.
The hearing officer may, due to the circumstances of the case, elect to utilize a panel of the Conduct Board. Disciplinary hearings are not considered trials and are not subject to the procedural or evidentiary rules applicable in courts of law (such as the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt"). In both administrative hearings and conduct board hearings, responsibility for a policy violation is determined using the preponderance of the evidence standard.