Pathfinder
"Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way."
-- Booker T. Washington
Academic Information
Procedures for Dealing with Academic Dishonesty Cases
Academic Judicial Board Hearing
- The Academic Judicial Board is composed of eight full-time faculty members appointed by the Provost for two-year terms and six students selected by Student Government for one-year terms. When needed, a hearing panel of three faculty members and two student members is selected by the Assistant Provost. One faculty member is identified as the Convener. The Convener drafts a notice stating the facts alleged, notifying the student, the faculty member, and any witnesses of the date, time, and place for the hearing, and indicating the student’s right to view the case file located in the Assistant Provost's Office. The notice is sent to the student, faculty member, members of the hearing panel, and any witnesses. The student must receive the notice at least three days prior to the hearing.
- The hearing is private. The student and the faculty member each may be accompanied by one person for advising purposes; this individual may choose to respond to panel members’ questions but may not address witnesses. Members of the student’s immediate family also may attend the hearing. Witnesses officially notified of the hearing are expected to attend and to uphold the standards of academic integrity.
- The hearing is essentially fact-finding in nature. The faculty member presents the evidence of the violation to the panel. The student is responsible for presenting any evidence in defense of himself or herself. The burden of proof is on the faculty member. The student and the faculty member have the right to question any witness and inspect any document offered as evidence, and to make whatever statement or argument appears to be appropriate.
- If the accused student fails to appear after proper notice, the hearing will proceed, and the panel will make a judgment on the basis of the evidence which is presented. The student’s disciplinary record shall not be considered in the hearing on guilt. The Convener shall exercise control over proceedings to avoid needless consumption of time, to achieve orderly completion of the hearing, and to protect confidentiality. The hearing is audio recorded and the recording becomes part of the case file in the Assistant Provost's Office.
- The hearing panel deliberates privately and, by majority vote, concludes that the student is guilty or not guilty. If the student is found not guilty, the Convener informs the participants of the decision and prepares a written report which is sent to the Assistant Provost. The case is closed and no penalty may be imposed.
- The hearing panel may assign any of the following penalties: a warning; a reduced or failing grade for the assignment; a reduced or failing grade for the course; suspension from the college for a designated period of time; dismissal from the college; another penalty the panel deems appropriate for the violation.
- The Convener informs the student of the decision and penalty and prepares a written report which is sent to the student, the faculty member, and the Assistant Provost. If the penalty is an F in the course or a lesser penalty, the faculty member imposes the penalty indicated in the report. If a more severe penalty is deemed appropriate by the hearing panel, the Assistant Provost implements the penalty.
If the student is found guilty, the hearing continues in order to determine an appropriate penalty. Student and faculty member may make statements concerning appropriate sanctions before panel members deliberate privately. During its private deliberation, the hearing panel may have access to the student’s academic integrity files. When determining the penalty, hearing panel members should consider any prior violations of academic integrity and the nature and seriousness of the offense.