A student accused of violating the University’s Code of Academic Integrity will be notified by the course instructor through a Report of Academic Dishonesty that describes the alleged violation. The instructor may complete this process in person, by registered mail, email, or fax.
Before issuing the report, the instructor will consult with the Office of the Assistant Provost for Academic Systems and Graduate Studies to determine whether the student has a history of prior academic dishonesty violations and will consult with the dean, director, or program coordinator regarding an appropriate recommended sanction.
The student has five calendar days after receiving the Report of Academic Dishonesty to respond by entering one of the following pleas:
A plea of Responsible indicates that the student accepts responsibility for the violation and agrees to the sanction imposed by the instructor.
The instructor will forward the completed Report of Academic Dishonesty to the Chair of the Graduate Council, who will distribute copies to the Assistant Provost for Academic Systems and Graduate Studies and the dean, director, or program coordinator of the student’s academic program.
A plea of Not Responsible indicates that the student contests the allegation and/or the recommended sanction and wishes to appeal.
Within seven calendar days of entering a plea of Not Responsible, the student must submit a written explanation to the Assistant Provost for Academic Systems and Graduate Studies. The written explanation should clearly describe the circumstances of the case and the grounds for contesting the allegation or recommended sanction.
The instructor will submit the completed Report of Academic Dishonesty, and the student will submit the written explanation, to both the Assistant Provost for Academic Systems and Graduate Studies and the dean, director, or program coordinator of the student’s academic program.
Upon receipt of both documents, the Assistant Provost for Academic Systems and Graduate Studies, in consultation with the dean, director, or program coordinator, will appoint an Academic Dishonesty Appeals Committee consisting of:
The Appeals Committee will review the Report of Academic Dishonesty and the student’s written explanation. At its discretion, the committee may also hear from the instructor and the student if either wishes to appear before the committee.
After completing its review, the Appeals Committee will determine whether to uphold or overturn the instructor’s allegation and recommended sanction. The committee’s decision will be reported to the Graduate Council, the instructor, and the student.
Following the Appeals Committee’s decision, either the student or the instructor may submit a final appeal to the Provost within seven calendar days, but only on one or more of the following grounds:
The Provost may review the written record, meet with one or more of the individuals involved, or both, at the Provost’s discretion. The Provost’s decision is final and represents the final decision of the University.
Sanctions for academic dishonesty are determined by the course instructor in consultation with the appropriate academic administrators and are based on the nature and severity of the violation.
A graduate student who receives a failing grade in a course due to academic dishonesty will:
The faculty of the student’s academic program will determine whether the student will be readmitted. If readmitted, the student may repeat the course. Both the original FX grade and the repeated course grade will remain on the student’s transcript, and all attempted course hours will continue to be included in the calculation of the student’s cumulative grade point average.
