Procedures for Perceived Violations of Academic Integrity

  1. If a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is suspected, the faculty member should discuss the incident with the student (s) and determine to the faculty member’s satisfaction whether or not a violation has occurred.
  2. If the faculty member determines that it is more likely than not that the student is innocent, the student should be informed of this determination in writing. No report of the incident or of the faculty/student meeting should be filed.
  3. If the faculty member determines that it is more likely than not that a violation has occurred, he/should send a formal report to the student and copy the department chair or program director for the department or program that houses the course as well as the dean that administers the department or program in which the course is housed. The formal report should include a complete description of the incident, including date of the violation, the nature or type of the violation, and the nature and type of evidence. The formal report should also include appropriate sanctions. The dean copied on the report will send copies of the faculty member’s report to the student’s faculty advisor(s) and academic success coach.
  4. The faculty member should keep originals of tests and papers that provide evidence of the violation.
  5. With issues related to computer offenses or misrepresentation of academic records, the case may be referred to the Assistant Provost/Dean of the School of Graduate Studies for processing.
  6. If a staff member or an administrator discovers violations of the Academic Integrity Policy, he/she should contact the Assistant Provost/Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, who will contact the student.
  7. The student may appeal in writing to the department or program in which the course is offered. A student’s intent to appeal a faculty member’s response to a violation must be communicated to the Department Chair or Program Director in writing within one week of the receipt of the written notification from the faculty member dealing with the incident. The faculty member filing the initial report of a violation should be recused from the department or program committee handling the appeal. The department or program committee should be comprised of faculty members from its own department or ADP program and include at least three individuals. In the event a program has fewer than three faculty members, directors of other departments or programs will supplement the existing group in order to reach a minimum of at least three committee members hearing a student appeal.
  8. The student may appeal the decision of the department or program in writing to the school dean who administers the department or program responsible for housing the course (the dean to whom the original report was copied), whose decision will be final. In the event the program processing an appeal is also a program that is directed by that dean, the student may appeal the decision in writing to the Provost.