Faculty Responsibilities

Faculty are responsible for maintaining exams in a reasonably secure environment, proctoring exams, and accounting for the return of each exam that is distributed. Faculty are also responsible for informing students that plagiarism is prohibited and when direct quotations are used, they must be indicated, and when ideas of another are incorporated in the paper, they must be appropriately acknowledged. Faculty should communicate to students that themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other requirements for a grade, must be the work of the student submitting them and that such assignments may not be purchased for submission in lieu of the student’s own work. While students are responsible for reading and understanding the student academic misconduct policies as specified in the Student Handbook, faculty are encouraged to direct students to acquaint themselves with those policies and to ask faculty for clarifications.

Procedures for Handling
Academic Misconduct

Faculty

When academic misconduct is suspected, the faculty member should note the time and place of the incident, note possible witnesses, and retain relevant documents. The faculty member should document why academic misconduct is suspected and inform his/her department chair. The matter should then be discussed with the student, preferably in the presence of department chair. If the faculty is the department chair, the college dean will act as the witness.

If after the discussion with the student the suspicion of academic misconduct is substantiated, the faculty member ordinarily determines the academic penalty to be imposed, if any. If an academic penalty is imposed, the faculty member should write a letter to the student within a reasonable time informing him/her of the academic penalty, the reason for the penalty, and the student’s right to appeal to the Office of Judicial Affairs. If the student disagrees with the finding or the penalty, the case may be appealed by the initiative of the student. Students should remain in class when appealing.

The faculty member should construct a file and retain all original materials concerning the student’s grade and the specific evidence of academic misconduct. A copy of the documentation supporting the charge of academic misconduct and a copy of the letter sent to the student should be forwarded to the Office of Judicial Affairs. The purpose of such notification is to enable administrative penalties to be imposed for repeat offenders, and the notification will not otherwise invoke consideration of administrative penalties. If there is an appeal, the file of original documents will be turned over to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

The faculty member may ask the Office of Judicial Affairs to seek administrative penalties in addition to the academic penalty. This would be accomplished by a written request to the Office of Judicial Affairs.

In cases where the faculty member does not wish to determine the academic penalty, the case may be forwarded to the Office of Judicial Affairs without assignment of an academic penalty. In the event of a finding by the Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel of academic misconduct in the case, the panel will recommend actions as detailed in the Student Handbook.

Office of Judicial Affairs

The Office of Judicial Affairs will serve as a repository for records involving cases of academic misconduct.

In cases where the student acknowledges the misconduct and accepts the academic penalty, the student will be administratively placed on probation only, unless there is a previous incidence(s) of academic misconduct on file or the faculty member has requested a hearing before the Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel. All cases involving multiple incidences of academic misconduct will be referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs for handling.

The Office of Judicial Affairs will notify the appropriate parties so that a hold will be placed on grades for a specified period of time.

Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel

The primary functions of a Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel are to determine whether academic misconduct has occurred, and, if so, to recommend appropriate sanctions. In all matters heard by a Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel, the panel shall be furnished with a sealed letter indicating whether or not the student has a previous record of academic misconduct. This letter shall not be opened or reviewed by the panel unless and until academic misconduct has been determined, at which point the previous offense(s) will be considered in determining recommended penalties. In cases where the student has a record of academic misconduct, this letter shall provide the details thereof. The previous offense(s) may be considered for the awarding of a more serious sanction.

Academic Penalties

Academic penalties are the purview of the faculty member unless there is a successful appeal made by the student. When a faculty member chooses not to determine the academic penalty, the Office of Judicial Affairs will handle the case administratively, which may include referral to a Student Rights and Responsibilities Hearing Panel. Academic penalties are: (1) requiring additional work to demonstrate the student’s technical competence in the area; (2) lowering the grade given for the assignment; (3) lowering the grade for the course; or (4) assigning an “F” for the course. Except for assigning an “F” for the course, penalties may be used in combination. However, the Faculty Senate has reviewed the matter and to promote both academic integrity and consistency recommends that an “F” be assigned for the course.

Administrative Penalties

Administrative penalties are: (1) probation; (2) suspension for a definite period of time; (3) expulsion without the possibility of readmission. Under all circumstances following a finding of a repeat academic misconduct, grades are held within the University until the student completes the period of suspension. Students who are suspended cannot have their grades released.

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This page was last updated on 07/16/2007 01:01 PM.