Skip to Main Content

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Statement of Principles

Students are responsible for the honest completion and representation of their work, for the appropriate citation of sources, and for respect of others’ academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the university.

Definitions

As used herein:

  1. “Office of the Provost” refers to the Provost, Vice Provost or designee.
  2. “Days” means academic calendar days and excludes Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays and days upon which the university is closed.
  3. “Academic Dean” means the Academic Dean, Associate Dean or designee for the college in which the subject course is taught.
  4. “Instructor” refers to the Instructor of Record.
  5. “Chair” or “Department Chair” refers to the chair of the department in which the course is offered.
  6. Notice to the student hall be e-mailed to the student’s official student.uml.edu e-mail address or mailed to the student by regular first-class United States mail at his or her current address as maintained by the university.

Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct Subject to Disciplinary Action

Academic dishonesty is an act in which a student:

  1. Seeks to claim credit for the work or efforts of another without authorization or citation (plagiarism, copying, etc.);
  2. Uses unauthorized materials or fabricated data, including on-line sources, social media, etc. without instructor’s permission;
  3. Forges or falsifies academic documents or records;
  4. Intentionally impedes or damages the academic work of others;
  5. Submission of academic work for which credit has already been earned without instructor permissions (“self-plagiarism”);
  6. Engages in conduct aimed at making false representation of a student’s academic performance;
  7. Assists other students in any of these acts; or
  8. Submits own work or consults the work of others through on-line sources, phones, or other technology without instructor permission.

Possible Disciplinary Sanctions

The following are the disciplinary sanctions that may be imposed by an instructor for academic misconduct:

  1. An assignment to repeat the work, to be graded on its merits, or with a reduced grade as a sanction;
  2. A lower or failing grade on the assignment or test;
  3. A lower grade in the course;
  4. A failing grade in the course

In rare cases of egregious or repeated incidences of Academic Dishonesty or Misconduct, the instructor, dean or provost may impose the following sanctions:

  1. A non-deletable failing grade in the course (FX);
  2. Suspension from the University for a designated period in which the student may not earn credits elsewhere to be transferred to the university;
  3. Permanent expulsion from the university

Sanction Process

  1. When possible, prior to imposing a sanction, the instructor shall notify the student that the instructor believes an act of academic misconduct has occurred, that a sanction may be imposed, and that a Notification of Academic Dishonesty Form will be filed with the Office of the Provost. Instructors are encouraged to engage students in a discussion of the importance of academic integrity and why the instructor considers a sanction appropriate.
  2. Upon the imposition of a sanction under this section, the instructor shall notify the Office of the Provost. Notification to the Office of the Provost shall occur as soon as possible and no later than ten days after the infraction is discovered, using the Notification of Academic Dishonesty Form, and shall include identification of the student, a description of the misconduct and a recommendation of the sanction. The instructor may, but is not required to, attach copies of any evidence or supporting materials to this notification. All such material shall be held in the instructor’s possession until the period of student appeal has passed.
  3. Within ten days following receipt of such notice, the Office of the Provost shall provide notice of the imposed sanction to the student, the instructor and the academic dean. Notification to the student shall include a statement of the misconduct, specification of the sanction, a statement indicating the student’s right to and process for an appeal.
  4. A student who receives notice of a disciplinary sanction has the right to a hearing before the academic dean to contest that academic misconduct occurred, the appropriateness of the disciplinary sanction or both. Students who request an appeal must file a written request to the academic dean within 10 days of receipt of notice from the Office of the Provost.
  5. In the event that the student does not file a written request for an appeal within 10 days, the sanction imposed by the faculty member and/or provost’s office will be accepted and processed.

Appeal to the Academic Dean

The student has the right to appeal any sanction to the dean within 10 days of receiving notification of an academic integrity infraction from the provost’s office. The dean or designee will then proceed with the following:

  1. Conference with student: The purpose of this discussion is to permit the dean to review with the student the charges levied against him or her and to afford the student an opportunity to respond.
  2. Conference with instructor: This discussion may occur either before or after the conference with the student. It should include consultation with the instructor on the facts underlying the alleged academic misconduct and on the appropriateness of the imposed or recommended sanction.
  3. Review of any supporting materials presented by the student or faculty member in relation to the academic dishonesty claim.
  4. A finding of misconduct must be based on a preponderance of the credible evidence.

Appeal Findings

  1. If the dean determines that academic misconduct did not occur, or that the disciplinary sanction is not appropriate under the circumstances, the dean shall notify the instructor and the Office of the Provost. The provost shall thereafter notify the student and take appropriate action with respect to the student records. The dean will also notify the faculty member, who must proceed to grade the student’s work without the imposed sanction.
  2. If the Academic dean determines that academic misconduct did occur and that the imposed sanction applied sanction is appropriate, the dean shall forward to the Office of the Provost, within 10 days, a written finding of misconduct, which shall include identification of the student, a description of the misconduct, a summary of the appeal process, findings of fact, and a specification that the appeal is “affirmed” or “denied.”
  3. The dean may also conclude that academic misconduct did occur, but may recommend an alternate sanction. In such a case, the student shall be notified within ten days of that decision in a communication that includes identification of the student, a description of the misconduct, a summary of the appeal process, findings of fact, and a specification that the finding of academic misconduct is affirmed, but that the recommended sanction has been revised. The faculty member shall proceed to grade the student’s work according to the revised sanction.

Appeal to the Office of the Provost

The decision reached by the dean is final, and may only be appealed to the provost’s office based on concerns regarding due process.

Grounds for Appeal of Due Process

  1. An appeal to the Office of the Provost shall be limited to a review of the process and outcome of the dean’s review for one or more of the following grounds:
    • Evidence that bias by the instructor or dean substantially influenced the outcome of the process to the detriment of the student.
    • New, relevant information that has come to light which was not available at the time of the hearing by the dean’s office.
    • Evidence that the faculty member and dean’s office did not follow the process outlined in the catalog. Students requesting a Due Process Appeal must file a written request with the Office of the Provost and the dean within 10 days of receipt of notice from the Office of the Provost. The request must be based upon the “Grounds for Appeal” listed above.
  2. When an appeal based on due process is commenced, the provost shall review the matter with respect to the subject student and may, at his or her discretion, uphold, vacate or modify the discipline imposed.
  3. The Provost’s Office may also direct such appeal to be heard by an Academic Integrity Appeals Board.

Academic Integrity Appeals Board

  1. The Academic Integrity Appeals Board is an ad hoc committee appointed by the provost and consists of a minimum of three faculty members chosen by of the provost’s office , with no two members selected from the same college; the Board shall not include a faculty member from within the department initiating charges of academic dishonesty. At least one member of the Board shall be a representative of the Faculty Senate. The Board is chaired by the provost’s designee who shall participate in the process, but who will only vote in the event of a tie.
    When an appeal is directed to the Academic Integrity Appeals Board by the Provost’s Office, the Board shall schedule a hearing, within a reasonable time period, at a time that is mutually agreed upon by the student, Provost’s Office and members of the Academic Integrity Appeals Board.
  2. In advance of the hearing, the Academic Integrity Appeals Board shall obtain from the Academic dean, in writing, a full explanation of the facts upon which the determination of misconduct was based and shall review any information provided by the student.
  3. The hearing before the Academic Integrity Appeals Board shall be conducted in accordance with the following requirements:
    • The Appeals Board shall consider relevant evidence including documentary evidence and testimony of the instructor, student, chair and/or dean where appropriate, and evidence of lack of due process.
    • The student shall have the right to be heard and to present relevant evidence, including documentary evidence and the testimony of witnesses, and evidence of due process.
    • The Appeals Board shall maintain a record of the hearing including any pleadings and documentary evidence presented.
    • The Academic Integrity Appeals Board shall prepare written findings of fact and a written statement of its decision based upon the record of the hearing.
    • The Academic Integrity Appeals Board may impose a disciplinary sanction that differs from the recommendation of the dean.
  4. Determination that No Academic Misconduct Occurred: If, after the hearing, the Academic Integrity Appeals Board determines that there is insufficient evidence that academic misconduct occurred or that no disciplinary sanction is appropriate under the circumstances, the Academic Integrity Appeals Board shall notify the instructor, the dean and the Office of the Provost. The provost shall promptly thereafter notify the student and take appropriate action with respect to the student records.
  5. Determination by the Academic Integrity Appeals Board that Academic Misconduct Occurred:
    • If the Academic Integrity Appeals Board determines that academic misconduct did occur and that one or more of the disciplinary sanctions is appropriate, the Academic Integrity Appeals Board shall prepare and forward to the Office of the Provost, within 10 days, a written Finding of Misconduct which shall include identification of the student, a description of the misconduct and a specification of the disciplinary sanction to be imposed. Within 10 days following receipt of the written Finding of Misconduct from the Academic Integrity Appeals Board, the Office of the Provost shall provide written notice of the imposed discipline to the instructor, the academic dean and the student.