Responsibility the Faculty Member

Students do not always come to the GSW community knowing the principles of academic integrity and therefore teaching students to exercise these principles is the duty of the faculty. Given that the parameters of academic integrity are defined by the goal of an assignment or activity, the type of assessment being used, and the standards of the particular discipline, faculty members should be explicit about their expectations of students. To that end, faculty members should state in their syllabi the expectations for 1) attribution of ideas, 2) collaboration on assignments, 3) collection of data, and 4) quizzes, tests and examinations.

Responsibility of the Student

As partners in their own learning, students are responsible for making themselves aware of how the principles of academic integrity apply in each academic setting they enter. While the faculty member is responsible for setting expectations, it is the student’s responsibility to seek guidance from the faculty member, especially when unsure of how to apply the principles in a particular situation. When in doubt, seek guidance from the instructor.

Instances of academic dishonesty are a serious violation of community standards for academic integrity and may result in suspension or expulsion from GSW.  While faculty members have the primary responsibility for establishing the parameters of academic integrity in the academic situations they supervise, it is the responsibility of all members of the GSW academic community to report suspected instances of academic dishonesty. Therefore, any member of the GSW academic community can lodge an academic dishonesty complaint with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Any member of the academic community who has evidence of academic dishonesty should report his or her suspicion and evidence to the faculty member of the student(s) believed to be in violation of the policy.  The faculty member is then responsible for responding, and if she or he has adequate evidence, may file an Academic Dishonesty Violation Report with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Process for Resolving Academic Dishonesty or Integrity Issues

Instances of academic dishonesty are a serious violation of community standards for academic integrity and may result in suspension or expulsion from GSW.  While faculty members have the primary responsibility for establishing the parameters of academic integrity in the academic situations they supervise, it is the responsibility of all members of the GSW academic community to report suspected instances of academic dishonesty. Therefore, any member of the GSW academic community can lodge an academic dishonesty complaint with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Any member of the academic community who has evidence of academic dishonesty should report his or her suspicion and evidence to the faculty member of the student(s) believed to be in violation of the policy.  The faculty member is then responsible for responding, and if she or he has adequate evidence, may file an Academic Dishonesty Violation Report with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Faculty Reporting

If an instructor discovers a case of academic dishonesty, he or she may impose whatever penalty is deemed appropriate by the faculty member, given the standards and expectations shared with students in that course (including but not limited to rewriting assignments, failure on the assignment, or failure in the course). The faculty member’s syllabus policies will establish how the violation will be handled in his or her own classroom if the student does not contest that a violation has occurred. In addition, the faculty member’s syllabus policies will establish how the violation will be handled in his or her own classroom if the Academic Integrity Board confirms that a violation has occurred.

All incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities using the Academic Integrity Violation Report Form which asks for a description of the incident, a copy of the faculty member’s written policy on academic dishonesty, evidence that a violation has occurred, the penalty imposed by the faculty member, and the student’s signature indicating the faculty member met with the student about the incident and explained the consequences. 

The Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities will keep on file all Academic Integrity Violation Report forms. When a new report is received, the Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities will review the record to determine if the student has any other academic integrity violations on file. A first violation will be filed, but no action will be taken by the University unless the student chooses to dispute that a violation has occurred. If a student disputes that a first violation of this policy has occurred or the student has more than one violation on file, the Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities will call for a hearing of the Academic Integrity Board, and the faculty member may be asked to submit further documentation of the violation. All hearings of the Academic Integrity Board will be held in accordance with the due process procedures as specified in GSW’s Student Code of Conduct.

The Academic Integrity Board’s first responsibility in a hearing is to determine if a violation of the academic integrity policy has occurred. In cases where a student is exonerated of accusations of academic dishonesty by the Academic Integrity Board, the student may appeal the faculty member’s penalty through the regular grade appeal process.  If the Academic Integrity Board determines the student to be in violation of the academic integrity policy and it is the student’s first violation, no further action will be taken by the Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities. If the Academic Integrity Board determines the student to be in violation of the academic integrity policy and the Coordinator of Student Rights and Responsibilities informs the Board that the student has previously violated the academic integrity policy, then the Board may consider recommending further sanctions. Recommended sanctions may be educational, such as assignments which require the student to research the topic of academic integrity or speaking to the UNIV 1000 classes about academic integrity, or may include probation, suspension, or expulsion. The Academic Integrity Board will provide in writing its recommendations on the case and sanction recommendations to the Vice President for Academic Affairs within five business days of the hearing. 

The Vice President for Academic Affairs will notify the faculty member, who referred the case, of the Academic Integrity Board’s recommendations, including any University sanctions imposed, within five business days, excepting any days when the Vice President of Academic Affairs is travelling on university business. After this communication with the faculty, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will issue the final outcome letter to the student, with a copy to the faculty, as well as any other appropriate academic records file, within five (5) days following the communication with the faculty. If sanctions include suspension or expulsion, the student’s Department Chair or Dean will also be notified. A student may not withdraw from the course in which an accusation has been made during the student conduct process. Students accused of academic dishonesty are entitled to the due process rights outlined in the Conduct Policy. A student has the right to appeal the Vice President of Academic Affairs’ decision to the President of the University.

Academic Integrity Board (AIB)

This board hears all matters relating to academic integrity violations and oversees the procedures and appeals associated with referred Academic Dishonesty cases. The responsibilities of the Academic Integrity Board (AIB) would be:

1. To determine whether violations of the Academic Integrity Policy have occurred;
2. To investigate violations when the student disputes that a violation occurred;
3. To make recommendations to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for further sanctions when a student has been found to have committed two or more violations of the Academic Integrity Policy;
4. To review periodically the functioning of the Committee, including Standards of Academic Integrity and  Procedures and Appeals to determine if changes are needed.

Academic Integrity Board Membership

The AIB will consist of five teaching faculty appointees, one appointed by the dean of each College or School, and three students and three alternates, appointed by the Student Government Association.  The Vice President of Academic Affairs will appoint one academic administrator from dean or lower rank to act as committee chair. Serving on the AIB is a serious commitment that may require significant time and training. Faculty members will serve a term of 3 years, and will agree to complete training in judging academic integrity violations and recommending additional sanctions annually. Student members will serve a term of one year, as long as they maintain a GPA of at least 2.75 and are not on any sanction (higher than Warning) resulting from any type of conduct code violation, and will agree to complete training in judging academic integrity violations and recommending additional sanctions annually. The Chair of the AIB will serve in that capacity for a one year period with the possibility of yearly renewal.

Academic Integrity Board Hearings

Hearings may be conducted by a quorum comprised of the AIB Chair, three faculty members, and two student members. A member of the AIB may be excused from a particular hearing when a conflict of interest is disclosed to the chair. In the event that an academic integrity violation is filed against a senior just prior to graduation and the student disputes that a violation has occurred, the chair of the AIB is empowered to convene an emergency hearing with all due speed.

Updated 8/11/2021