Academic Integrity Policy (Effective Starting Fall 2025)

University policies on academic integrity apply across all courses. Instructors are to provide guidance to students, ideally within the syllabus and/or within specific assignment guidelines and, in turn, students are to adhere to that guidance. Expectations within assignments may vary across courses; instructors should be clear in their guidelines, and students should be familiar with individual course policies. Students are responsible for completing all work within the parameters set forth by instructors, to be familiar with the standards set forth by the University, and to understand the basic parameters of independent work. In cases with genuine misunderstanding of the parameters of an assignment, instructors and students should be in communication with each other to take steps to remedy the coursework. Any violation, drawn from the above definitions, will result in negative consequences that may hinder an individual assignment grade, course grade, academic progress, or university enrollment.

Once an instructor suspects an academic integrity infraction, they are responsible for contacting the student(s) within 10 business days with a request to meet to discuss the work (this timeline may be extended during periods of instructor/student non-responsibility, such as during semester breaks; an initial attempt at outreach must be made during periods of responsibility). Students are to respond within 5 business days of instructor outreach. Instructors and students should communicate (digitally or in person) to discuss the suspected dishonesty (See Appendix D: Guidelines for communication when dishonesty is suspected). If the communication results in a mutually agreed upon incident of an academic integrity infraction and subsequent resolution, it will trigger the informal review process, of which the bulk of the process will be handled between the instructor and the student(s). Students are responsible for engaging in communication with their instructor to address the issue; ignoring or otherwise avoiding instructor outreach will not result in a suspension of the process (If the suspected academic integrity infraction falls close to the end of the semester/grading period and the proposed sanction may have larger implications, such as academic probation, financial aid, residence, or graduation, please see Appendix C: Guidelines for managing academic integrity infractions timeline close to the end of the semester). If an informal resolution is agreed upon, there may be assignment/course grade implications. This resolution and any corresponding documentation must be filed with the Academic Integrity Office.

The following are two routes instructors may choose from:

• Active communication: If the instructor and the student come to a mutual agreement that the work meets the definitions of an academic integrity infraction, the instructor may assign a grade penalty commensurate with the infraction (See Appendix B: Infraction/Consequences Suggestions). The student(s) and the instructor(s)will both sign the informal resolution form. Instructors will submit the informal resolution form (see Appendix E: Forms) to the Academic Integrity Office. Instructors will complete the informal agreement within 10 business days of the agreement; students will sign the informal agreement within 5 business days of the instructor’s signature. Students can request additional time to access resources before signing if necessary; itis up to the instructor to approve the additional time. The informal agreement will be submitted to the Academic Integrity Office and no more than 2 weeks after both signatures are obtained.
• No proactive communication: If, after the initial 5 days, 5 additional business days (for a total of 10 business days) pass without the student actively communicating with the instructor, the instructor may assign a grade/course penalty without consultation (See Appendix B: Infraction/Consequences Suggestions). Any additional time for communication beyond 10 business days is up to the instructor; any student who wants to contest the timing beyond the 5 additional business days may start the formal process. If a grade/course penalty is assigned without student consultation, the instructor must maintain communication outreach documents that demonstrate non-responsiveness from the student and submit these, and the Non- Communication Form (see Appendix E: Forms), to the Academic Integrity Office.

The Academic Integrity Office will keep all forms on file. If two forms per student are filed, the Academic Integrity Office will connect with the student for further discussion; if three or more forms per student are filed, the Academic Integrity Office will connect with the student and the Dean of Students Office (undergraduate) or the Graduate School (graduate students) for further disciplinary action.

If no agreement can be made via an informal resolution, this will trigger a formal resolution. The instructor will submit a form documenting the suspected violation, including evidence of attempts at communication with the student, details of the conversation where the informal resolution could not be reached, and the specific sanction they impose on the student following the infraction. This form will be submitted to the Academic Integrity Office and will trigger the appeal process. The Academic Integrity Office has 5 days to notify the student(s) of the alleged violation; students have 10 business days to respond to the complaint. If the student(s) does not appeal, the instructor’s sanction will stand. If the student(s) appeal, this triggers a hearing. If the hearing finds the student(s) were academically dishonest, there will be both course sanctions as well as a notification on the student(s) official academic record.

• Will provide clear guidelines in syllabus and/or individual course assignments on expectations of how work is to be completed (Examples include, but are not limited to: Individually, in collaboration/groups, restriction of outside sources and appropriate citation format, permission/restriction of generative AI tools).
• Will make a good-faith effort to communicate proactively with student(s) when an academic integrity infraction is suspected.
• Will not assign a grade on the basis of suspicion.

When facing concerns of academic integrity infractions, students have the right to:

• A conversation with their instructor about what occurred within a prescribed time frame.
• A conversation with the instructor prior to signing anything that may unduly harm academic progress.
• Clarity on resources for support in understanding the process, including academic advisors, the Ombuds office, SGA student conduct advisors, the college point-person, and student legal services.
• The opportunity to reject the informal process; if the student feels they have completed the work with academic integrity, they may initiate a formal hearing.
• The opportunity to request more time for the processes if they want/need to consult with additional resources. Any additional time granted is at the discretion of the instructor.
• Grieve a grade sanction imposed that did not follow the process outlined in the Academic Integrity Process.
• Stay in class and continue to submit work during the informal/ formal Academic Integrity process.

If formal charges are pursued, students have the right to:

• A conversation with a disinterested party prior to the hearing to ensure their full comprehension of the charges.