"Bye Bye COS" a consulting firm that alleges to assist students who have been "wrongly accused" of violating College policies distributed flyers in bathrooms in Baker-Berry Library following the company's Sept. 12 launch of its website. The postcard advertisements ask, "Has COS accused you of a crime you didn't commit?" and offer to help students who are "feeling all alone."
The individuals behind Bye Bye COS have personally experienced the College's trial process and were motivated to create the company due to what they considered a "lack of advising options and familiarity with the process," the company's media response team for in an email to The Dartmouth. The media response team members declined to identify themselves, citing potential privacy concerns.
The media response team also said that the College's Undergraduate Judicial Affairs Office "routinely tries to infringe on the rights of our clients and manipulate the rules."
"In the past we have encountered situations where clients were accused of a crime simply becaues of the color of their skin," the response team said. "In COS you are guilty until proven innocent."
While the company and its website were launched only recently, consultants have independently guided students through the College's Committee on Standards process for over a year, the media team said. The media team declined to disclose any identifying information about the company's founders, clients or cases.
The website features success stories from unidentified clients, including a student who was cited five times for underage drinking, a student accused of attempted assault of a Safety and Security officer and an organization accused of providing alcohol to a minor. In all cases, the client was found not responsible and charges were dropped, according to the website, though a disclaimer at the bottom of the page states, "Some names and details have been altered in the above stories to protect the innocent. Bye Bye COS makes no guarantee regarding their authenticity."
Bye Bye COS charges its clients based on the difficulty and time required to win their specific case, according to the website. The firm has a full refund policy if a client's case is lost, the media team said. The media team declined to disclose the firm's rates.
The postcards distributed across campus this term offer students a 20-percent discount for an initial consultation session.
Director of Judicial Affairs Nathan Miller said he was unaware of the existence of Bye Bye COS, but is curious to learn about the firm.
"If there is a service that students feel that they cannot obtain from the College, I'd like to rectify that," Miller said.
Miller said that he would have to further investigate the company in order to determine whether the consulting firm violates any College policies.
"We expect students to be honest, so if they are presenting works or words that are not their own, that could potentially be a violation," Miller said.
External consultants are not allowed to be present during COS hearings, but students can choose an advisor to assist them through the process, Miller said.
"What I am most concerned about is students getting the best support they can, and I am not sure if an outside consulting firm knows the best or the process as readily as they may believe they do," Miller said.
The College is currently undergoing a review process spearheaded by Dean of the College Charlotte Johnson to reevaluate the COS policy regarding sexual assault procedures.