The University of Iowa Student Conduct Office will change its name to emphasis its purpose and better serve students.

The Student Conduct Office will be renamed the Office of Student Accountability. The location of the office will also change, moving from its current home in the Dean’s Office Suite at the IMU to its own suite on the second floor, Vice President for Student Life Melissa Shivers said.

She said in her press release that the reason for the change was to better focus the roles of both the Dean’s Office and the Student Accountability Office.

“We feel that the name change and separation of the Office of Student Accountability from the Dean’s Office suite both more accurately reflects the role of the accountability office and allows the Dean’s Office to operate more as a locus for encouraging student success and positive change,” Shivers said in the press release.

Some current staff members may see their position titles change during the process to better reflect their roles, and new staff members will be hired to reflect the needs of the new office, she said.

The purpose of the Student Accountability Office is to protect students’ rights and uphold community standards. According to its website, the office works with students in resolving disciplinary matters and ensures that all students get a fair hearings.

The IMU will hold an open house on Sept. 13 from 3:30-5 p.m. during which students and faculty will be able to tour the new office suite.

Angie Reams, the associate dean of students, said that office also wants to hire at least two new staff members.

“The Office of Student Accountability will hire a director of Student Accountability and a Title IX investigator, which will help better serve the needs of campus and are tied to the Division of Student Life’s mission of student success,” she said. “The positions are currently posted, and we are in the process of hiring with the hopes of having staff members in place this fall.”

Reams iterated that no positions will change during the move. She said the office will still have two investigators, two assistant directors, and an administrative coordinator. Some titles may be changed but only to better show what their roles are.

Shivers said in addition to the name change, the Student Accountability Office intends to update the Code of Student Life and increase its web presence.

“We plan to revise the Code of Student Life so that it is more transparent, supportive, and understandable,” Shivers said.

Officials hope to make the website more accessible for users to increase the ease of scheduling appointments and to better define consequences and reporting processes.

Reams and Shivers said that in addition to changes in the office, they anticipate working with other organizations on campus.

“We look forward to increasing collaborations and partnerships, especially among student government and organizations, as we continue to find ways to better support our students in their success,” Reams said.