Faculty Resources

1. If you suspect that a student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy, begin by gathering evidence related to the potential violation. Evidence may include any information or documentation that helps establish what occurred and whether the student’s actions were consistent with the Academic Integrity Policy and applicable course expectations.
   

   Examples of evidence could include: 

   • • Student work: submitted assignments, exams, quizzes, lab reports, drafts, or other course materials.
     • Versions of revision history: document version history, tracked changes, submission history, or timestamps.
     • Source materials: websites, articles, books, course materials, or other sources that appear to have been improperly used or cited
     • Comparison materials: similarities between student submissions.
     • Course records: assignment instructions, syllabus language, exam instructions, rubrics, or other materials establishing course expectations.
     • Communications: relevant emails, messages, or other communications between the student and instructor or other individuals
     • Direct observations: the instructor’s direct observations during an exam, class, laboratory, presentation, or other class-related activity.
     • Third-party information: information provided by another student, teaching assistant, proctor, or other individual who directly observed or has relevant information about the incident.
     • Technology or platform records: Information from learning-management systems, testing platforms, plagiarism detection tools, or other course-related systems.
     • Other relevant documentation: photographs, screenshots, or other materials directly related to the alleged violation.  

   AI-detection tools have been proven across multiple studies to be unreliable and ineffective at identifying AI- versus student-produced work (cf. Sun, et al., 2026; Bassett, et al., 2026; Das Deep, et al., 2025). When an AI-detection result is the only information supporting a concern, faculty should consider additional information before making a determination, such as significant changes in the tone, style, or voice of a student’s work across submissions, the relevance of cited sources to the assignment, etc.

   If additional guidance is needed, consult with your Department Chair.

   
   
2. After sufficient supporting documentation has been gathered, contact the student in writing to notify them of the allegation and to schedule a meeting to discuss the incident. To the extent practicable, the student should be contacted within 10 academic calendar days of the discovery of the potential violation. Until you have spoken with the student and reviewed the available information, the matter should be treated as an alleged violation.

Approach the conversation with an open mind and an intention to make the process both fair and educational. Use the conversation as an opportunity to clarify academic integrity expectations, understand the circumstances surrounding the incident, and help the student understand the impact of their actions. 

During the meeting:

• Explain the concern, including the alleged violation and the information or evidence that supports it. 
• Allow the student to share their perspective and respond to the allegation.
• Ask clarifying questions to better understand the circumstances, including the student’s understanding of the applicable expectations and what they intended to do.  
• Ask the student about any circumstances or factors that may have contributed to the incident. 
• Allow the student to acknowledge or contest the allegation(s).
• Explain the next steps and possible outcomes. 

After the meeting, review the available information and determine whether you believe the student is responsible for an Academic Integrity Policy violation.

When determining responsibility, consider:

• Did the student acknowledge the violation?
• If not, is it more likely than not that the student is responsible for the violation?
• Did the student understand the University and classroom expectations related to academic integrity? 
• What does the available information suggest about the student’s understanding of the expectations and whether the conduct was intentional, the result of a misunderstanding, or an error?

If you determine that the student is responsible for an Academic Integrity Policy violation, you will need to consider an appropriate academic response.

When determining an appropriate academic outcome(s), consider: 

• Whether the student understood the impact or potential consequences of their actions;
• The circumstances surrounding the violation, including the student’s understanding of the applicable expectations, the decisions that contributed to the incident, and whether the conduct appears to have resulted from a misunderstanding, lack of knowledge, or deliberate choice; 
• Whether others were impacted by the student’s actions; and
• How the outcome can promote learning, reflection, accountability, and future adherence to academic integrity expectations.

If additional guidance is needed, speak with your Department Chair.

Inform the student of your academic determination in writing (responsible / not responsible). 

If you determine that the student is responsible for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy:

1. Inform them of academic outcome(s) that will be applied and, when appropriate, how it is intended to support the student’s learning and development. Instructors have the authority to impose academic outcome(s) with respect to their classes.
2. Academic outcome(s) include, but are not limited to:  
   • A warning
   • An opportunity to revise or repeat the assignment, or complete an alternative assignment
   • A reduced grade on the assignment;
   • A failing grade on the assignment; 
   • A reduced grade in the course; or
   • A failing grade in the course. 
     
3. Explain the appeal process for the Academic Process (outlined below).
4. Inform them that you will be submitting a report to the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office maintains records of Academic Integrity Policy violations and follows up as appropriate under University policy.

If you determine that there is not sufficient evidence to find the student responsible for an Academic Integrity Policy violation, you may still provide feedback or ask the student to clarify, revise, or appropriately cite their work as part of the normal academic and instructional process. Providing this type of feedback or requesting a revision does not constitute a finding of an Academic Integrity Policy violation or require a report to the Dean of Students Office.

If the student wishes to challenge the instructor’s academic determination or academic outcome(s), they should contact the chair of the department in which the course is offered. If the instructor is the department chair, then the appeal should be directed to the dean of the school or college where the course is offered, or a designee, and the dean or designee refers the case to the chair of a closely related department.

If the student wishes to withdraw from the course, the instructor’s approval is required for the withdrawal process. The instructor may decline to approve the withdrawal and may assign an appropriate grade.

The academic appeal process is separate from the student conduct appeal process administered by the Dean of Students Office.

If, through the Academic Process, the student acknowledges responsibility, takes accountability for the violation, and has no previously reported Academic Integrity Policy violations, the case will generally be resolved through an informal resolution. This allows the University to reinforce the academic response without requiring a formal conduct process. 

The student will receive a letter that:

• Reviews the Academic Integrity Policy and University expectations;
• Encourages the student to reflect on their actions and their impact;
• Explains that future academic integrity violations may result in a formal conduct process; and
• Informs the student that the report will remain on file with the Dean of Students Office for the remainder of their academic career.

A case will generally be resolved through the formal conduct process when:

• The student does not acknowledge responsibility for the violation during the Academic Process;
• The student has a previously reported Academic Integrity Policy violation; or
• The Dean of Students Office determines that a first violation is particularly egregious because of the seriousness of the incident or the impact on others. 

Through the formal resolution process, a DSO staff member will meet with the student to discuss the reported violation,  the circumstances surrounding the incident, and its relevance to the Student Conduct Code. 

If the student is found responsible for an Academic Integrity Policy violation, a conduct sanction(s) will be assigned that:

• Is proportionate to the infraction and its impact on self, others, and the community;
• Is in correlation to the nature of the infraction; 
• Creates an opportunity for personal growth and development, and to repair harm to self, others, and the community as appropriate;
• Complies with established authority, policies, and protocols; and
• Takes into account the student’s conduct history and previous academic integrity violations, if any.

The DSO has sanctioning authority ranging from a formal warning to expulsion from the University.

The outcome of a formal conduct hearing is subject to one request for appeal. The online Request for Appeal Form must be submitted by the student within five (5) business days of the date on the Hearing Outcome Letter.