FSU's Jameis Winston hearing delayed one day to Dec. 2

A Florida State investigative hearing into whether an alleged sexual assault involving quarterback Jameis Winston violated the student conduct code was delayed Monday until Dec. 2, according to two people involved in the process.

The people requested anonymity because specifics of the hearing are to remain confidential.

It was the second time the hearing has been rescheduled, with it first being set for the week of Nov. 17. On Wednesday, the hearing date was pushed back to Dec. 1 after David Cornwell, an attorney advising Winston, said he would not be available or prepared by the original date.

The hearing comes nearly two years after a female FSU student first reported the alleged assault to campus police on Dec. 7, 2012. FSU has retained Major Harding, a former Florida Supreme Court justice and its chief from 1998 to 2000, to conduct the hearing.

Harding, 79, will use the same university procedures as internal hearing officers and panels, meaning he will produce a detailed findings of fact, determine if the student conduct code had been violated and, if appropriate, decide on a sanction.

He will determine if Winston violated any of four sanctions of the student conduct code with two potential violations relating to sexual misconduct and two more to endangerment, according to an Oct. 10 letter FSU sent to Winston.

Harding has 10 class or exam days following the completion of the hearing to submit his decision. With winter break running from Dec. 13 to Jan. 6, that could mean a decision of whether Winston is responsible or not might not come until the Seminoles are in the College Football Playoff.

Florida State is ranked No. 3 in the latest College Football Playoff Top 25 that was released Tuesday. The top four teams will play in semifinals scheduled for Jan. 1 with the winners playing in the championship game Jan. 12. Florida State's last regular season game is scheduled for Nov. 29 against Florida.