Academic Integrity Policy

Academic Integrity Board

The Academic Integrity Board (AIB) is comprised of a minimum of four faculty members and one full-time student. The function of the board is to consider evidence of academic dishonesty, determine guilt, and confirm or assign new sanctions. Sanctions may include (but are not limited to) assignment failure, course failure, probation, or suspension from the University. The Board may request the testimony of witnesses including the student, the instructor, and other appropriate individuals.

The student may appeal an unfavorable decision by the board. Appeals are made first to Vice President for Academic Affairs and then to the University President. The decision of the University President is final. A copy of complete proceedings and actions will be kept in the Office of Academic Affairs and in the office of the Dean of Students.

Preliminary Procedures

Instructors of individual courses may assign penalties for violations of academic integrity. Sanctions by faculty may include, but are not limited to, a formal warning, a grade of “F” on the assignment in question or dismissal from the course with a grade of “F,” as outlined in individual course syllabi. Students who wish to appeal faculty imposed sanctions may appeal to the appropriate School Dean. If academic dishonesty is detected by someone other than the instructor, the following procedures will be followed:

• The person will notify the Dean of the School and pass on all physical evidence for safekeeping.
• The Dean of the School will notify the chair and the instructor involved along with the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
• The Vice President of Academic Affairs/Chair will meet with the person reporting the alleged academic dishonesty to obtain information about the charge. Upon presentation of the case from the Dean of the School and following conference with the instructor or person reporting the case, the chair will take the following actions:
  • The Vice President of Academic Affairs will appoint one member of the AIB to serve as investigator/presenter (non-voting) for the case along with the other members of the AIB.
  • Schedule a hearing and inform the accused and the accuser of the charge and the time and place of the hearing.
  • The hearing will be scheduled as soon as possible after the offense is detected, unless mitigating circumstances (e.g., study abroad) require a delay. In no case should an initial hearing take place more than five working days after the offense is detected.
  • The appropriate parties will be notified at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.

Responsibility of the Board

Every member of the Board has the right and responsibility to speak and vote freely. It is the responsibility of each voting member to vote “aye” or “nay” on a motion of verdict or sanction. It is the responsibility of all parties involved in the proceedings to maintain confidentiality of the proceedings. A member of the Board shall recuse himself or herself in a particular case if he or she is unable to maintain impartiality. Any member who so disqualifies himself or herself shall not be present in any capacity other than that of witness, accuser, accused, or advisor to the accused. No member will disclose to anyone other than members of the Board the degree of harmony or unanimity of the Board or the opinions or votes of any members of the Board. The record of Board meetings will be available only to:

• the accused and his or her advisor
• members of the Academic Integrity Board
• the Dean of Students
• the Vice President of Academic Affairs
• the President of the University

The secretary will report in writing the results of a hearing, including only (a) the charge (excluding the name of the accused), (b) the nature of the evidence, (c) the sentence, and (d) the rationale for the sentence, to the campus newspaper editor.

Rights of the Accused Student

The accused will receive a Written Notice of Charges as soon as possible after the offense is reported or discovered. The student may be assisted by any advisor of his or her choice from the University community. At the hearing said advisor acts only as a consultant and may not address the hearing. The student may decline to testify and may have witnesses in his or her behalf at the hearing. The student may challenge for bias any member of the AIB. The AIB (excluding the challenged member) will rule on any challenge. The student may request an open hearing from the AIB chair no less than 24 hours in advance. During the appeal period, the student may read the record of the hearing.

Hearing Procedures

Only AIB members, the accuser, the accused, and the advisor to the accused will be present at the hearings unless an open hearing has been scheduled. Any student referred to the Board must appear at the time set for the hearing. If a student fails to appear without justifiable reason, the case will be heard in absentia. The AIB chair may recess the hearing at any time for any reasonable purpose.

The Order of Hearing will be as follows:

1. The chair will introduce the accused student and the AIB members.
2. AIB members may be challenged by the student for bias. Any challenge is deliberated by the AIB in private, and either sustained or denied. If the challenge is sustained, the hearing will be reconvened when an alternate AIB member is available.
3. The presenter states the charge.
4. The accused enters a plea.
5. Evidence in support of the charge is presented in the presence of the accused.
6. Witnesses in support of the charge testify in the presence of the accused, and answer questions by the accused.
7. The accused presents a statement in the presence of the accuser.
8. Evidence in support of the accused is presented in the presence of the accuser.
9. Witnesses in support of the accused testify in the presence of the accuser, and answer questions by the accuser.
10. The accused, the accuser, or Board members may seek clarification of evidence, or re-examine any witness.
11. Board members will deliberate. The Board shall utilize the concept of precedent; however, the specific circumstances of the case shall also bear on the outcome. The Board determines a verdict (guilty, not guilty, or insufficient evidence) and any sanction(s) to be imposed.
12. The chair informs the accused of the verdict and sanctions. If the student is deemed guilty, the chair advises the accused of the right to appeal and the appeal procedure. Written notice of verdicts and sanctions are prepared by the Secretary.
13. Sanctions are reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, to the University Registrar, and to the Dean of the School where the incident occurred.

Sanctions

A student found guilty of academic dishonesty shall receive a sanction or sanctions deemed appropriate to the offense. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to, a formal letter of censure, a requirement to perform community service on or off the campus, a grade of “F” on the assignment in question, dismissal from the course with a grade of “F,” suspension, or expulsion from the College. The AIB will be guided by precedent in determining sanctions. When a verdict of guilty is reached, a record of the offense, the sanctions, and the proceedings shall be kept permanently on file in the Registrar’s office in a file that must remain separate from the Permanent Academic Record.