Meet the Staff

Joy Mitchell M.S.Ed.

Director of Student Conduct
jmitchell9@niu.edu

Joy Mitchell is a native of the South Side of Chicago. Growing up in a single-parent home, Mitchell always desired to go to college because of her belief in higher education as a pathway to a successful and satisfying career. She joined the Office of Student Conduct in 2016 as an assistant director, overseeing organizational conduct matters.

As director, Mitchell oversees the incident adjudication process, outreach and training for students and campus partners on the student conduct process, investigation of alleged incidents, policy development, and implementation of restorative practices and conflict mediation throughout the conduct process. With a passion for student development and peer-to-peer advocacy, she desires to bring transformational change to our campus community.

Mitchell also seeks to reimagine the perception of the Office of Student Conduct. She believes the office is a space of equity, justice and restoration for all NIU students, faculty and staff. By building rapport with students and using practical tools and restorative strategies, she promotes student success and self-accountability.

Mitchell is an alumna of Northern Illinois University, having earned a bachelor's degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminology and a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. She also has experience as an officer with the NIU police department and an academic counselor at the community college level. She welcomes new collaborations and strives to maintain positive relationships across campus.

Kelsey Scott

Associate Director of Student Conduct
kcrawfordscott@niu.edu
815-753-1856

Kelsey Scott (she/they), a queer person of color, joined the Office of Student Conduct in 2023 as associate director. Scott oversees and adjudicates individual and student organizational conduct. She also works to create leadership and intercultural competence opportunities that support student and staff learning and development. She is dedicated to intersectional justice and access development initiatives and brings to the office a passion for serving others and marginalized communities.

A scholar by trade and an artist at heart, Scott is an alumna of Murray State University, having earned a bachelor's degree in studio art with an emphasis in graphic design and a master's in postsecondary education administration. She has experience cultivating communities from her work in fraternity and sorority life, student conduct and student development within housing and residential services, and social justice efforts for multicultural affairs efforts.

Scott sees student conduct as an integral part of student development. Her philosophy of student conduct and policy adjudication is one of accountability and compassion. As an administrator, she believes we should look at students holistically, with an understanding that they’re in a crucial stage of development. She seeks to use proactive engagement and a redemption-focused mentality to promote a conduct process that supports personal development and serves as a springboard for community restoration. She also believes in ensuring accountability and fairness to all students and campus partners when looking at policy creation and adjudication, helping create a climate of acceptance and equity.

Junelle M. Bennett

Student Conduct Coordinator
jbennett6@niu.edu
815-753-1856

Junelle Bennett, Ed.D., joined the NIU community in 2005 as a first-generation student in the CHANCE program. She now holds three NIU degrees, most recently a doctorate in adult and higher education. Bennett also has more than 10 years of experience as an NIU police officer, where she trained officers on topics related to safety and de-escalation.

While pursuing her doctoral degree, Bennett chose to intern at the Office of Student Conduct. She found the experience to be eye-opening, gaining insight into the emotional, academic and financial effects of students' decision-making processes. She also learned about using a restorative process with NIU students.

As student conduct coordinator, Bennett is responsible for adjudicating general cases and reviewing conduct policies for compliance with NIU, state and federal guidelines. She hopes to implement current best practices in student conduct to promote accountability, deter unhealthy decisions, and ensure safety and equity for all students, faculty and staff.