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Procedures of the Council

All academic integrity procedures are designed to handle cases fairly for all parties involved.

Resolution without a Hearing

Because Roanoke College recognizes that properly integrating source material and ideas into academic writing is a skill learned over time, non-flagrant forms of plagiarism committed may be resolved without a formal charge or a hearing, providing that the student has not had a prior instance of non-flagrant plagiarism resolved without a hearing or an Academic Integrity violation for plagiarism. A report resolved without a hearing is not considered an Academic Integrity violation.

Examples of non-flagrant plagiarism include limited  instances of missing source citations, quotation marks, works cited entries, and insufficient paraphrase, especially of complex material.

If non-flagrant plagiarism is suspected, the instructor must consult with the Chair of the Council. The Chair will first determine if the student meets the eligibility requirements for resolution without a hearing. If the eligibility requirements are met, the Chair and the instructor will then discuss the case and any additional circumstances that affect its appropriateness for resolution in this manner.

If the instructor is willing to proceed without a hearing, the instructor will inform the Chair of the grade penalty to be applied to the course work once it has been satisfactorily resubmitted. The instructor will then inform the student in writing within 48 hours (excluding holidays, weekends, and other breaks in the academic calendar) about the suspected plagiarism and set up a time to meet. Once the student has been notified of the requirements for a resolution without a hearing, the student will have 48 hours (excluding holidays, weekends, and other breaks in the academic calendar) to respond in writing, either accepting the terms of resolution or requesting that the alleged violation be evaluated at a hearing by a Panel or Board.

A copy of the completed “AI Resolution without a Hearing Form” will be submitted by the instructor to the Chair of the Council as soon as it has been signed by both the student and the instructor. Once the student agrees to the terms of the resolution without a hearing, no appeals are permitted. If the student fails to respond to the terms of the resolution without a hearing within the designated time frame, the instructor will refer the case to the Chair of the Council who will issue a formal charge to be heard by a Panel or Board.

In all cases resolved without a hearing, the student must resubmit the assignment in question and will be placed on Academic Integrity Probation for one regular semester beyond the term in which the assignment was submitted. A notation of this action is kept on the student's transcript during the period of the probation. A grade penalty must also be applied to the resubmitted work. This penalty may be no greater than a zero on the assignment along with a full letter grade reduction in the course and may be no less than a full letter grade reduction on the assignment. The faculty member, in consultation with the Chair of the Council, may also require the student to complete an additional educational program. If a student fails to resubmit the assignment, the student will be assigned a zero for the assignment and will receive a full letter grade reduction in the course. The instructor will also notify the Chair of the Council that the student failed to complete the terms of the resolution.

A record of all reports resolved without a hearing will be maintained by the Chair of the Council. Should a student subsequently be charged with and found in violation of academic integrity, the hearing Panel or Board will only be informed of the prior report and its outcome if the student failed to resubmit the assignment and/or complete the required educational workshop as specified in the agreement. When determining penalties, however, a Panel or Board should recognize that the penalty guidelines in this handbook refer to violations of academic integrity and not reports resolved without a hearing.

Resolution with a Hearing

All reports that are not resolved without a hearing will be addressed through the hearing process described below.

Reporting Alleged Violations

A faculty member who suspects that an integrity violation has been committed is encouraged to discuss the matter with the student(s) in question or with a colleague or department chair. Similarly, if a student or a staff member suspects a violation, they may wish to consult with the instructor of the course. In all cases, the person suspecting the violation (or someone acting on this person's behalf–for example, a faculty member acting on behalf of a student) must consult with the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council within 48 hours of suspicion that a violation may have occurred (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the calendar).

After the individual suspecting the violation has conferred with the Chair of the Council, they have 48 hours (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the calendar) to submit a report. Reports, containing pertinent information and stating an offense, may come from students, faculty, or staff. Reports must be signed and sent in a letter format as an email attachment to the Chair of the Council. In rare or unusual circumstances, after consulting with the individual considering bringing a charge, the Chair may grant additional time between the discovery of the alleged violation and the filing of the report.

In the interest of due process, situations involving procedural issues may be resolved by the Assistant Vice President of Academic Operations. These resolutions could result in the case moving forward or an administrative dismissal as warranted. Cases that are administratively dismissed may be appealed in writing to a Special Appellate Council comprised of three members from the Academic Integrity Council within 48 hours (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the calendar). The Council’s determination is final.

Any jurisdictional issues may be resolved by the Chair or by a preliminary or regular hearing of a Panel or Board. Alleged non-integrity violations will be referred to the appropriate disciplinary body.

Notification of Charge

Once the Chair has received all necessary documentation from the individual bringing the charge, the Chair will make every reasonable effort to notify the student being charged usually within 24 hours (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the academic calendar). The letter notifying the student of the charge will include a statement that encourages the student to make an appointment to meet with the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council in order to ask questions, learn about the procedures followed at a hearing, and discuss options related to the hearing.

The student being charged will receive a copy of the letter specifying the charge and is expected to reply in writing to the Chair usually within three days of the receipt of the notification (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the academic calendar), and this reply should include a statement that the student is “in violation of academic integrity” or is “not in violation of academic integrity” with regard to the stated charge.

Panel and Board Hearings

The date for a Panel or Board hearing will normally be within ten days (excluding holidays, weekends, or other breaks in the academic calendar) of the time the Chair receives the letter of charge.

With the exception of cases noted below under "Availability of Academic Integrity Records to College Officials," Academic Integrity hearings are confidential and all those in attendance are expected to protect the identity of students charged.

Based upon the apparent seriousness or complexity of the violation and any past record of integrity violations, the Chair of the Council will determine whether the case should be heard before a Panel or Board. Both the student being charged and the person bringing the charge have the right to request a full Board hearing. Students being charged are expected to be present at their hearing; however, if they fail to attend, the hearing may be conducted with them in absentia.

In all cases the Chair of the Council will maintain a record of violations for cases in which the student pleads “in violation” or is found “in violation of academic integrity”; that record will include the penalties assigned.

Both the individual bringing the charge and the student being charged are advised to consult with a member of the Academic Integrity Council. The list of members of the Council will be provided. These Council members can serve to assist faculty and students in preparing their cases. (Council members consulted in a given case will not serve on the student’s Panel or Board.)

Students charged with committing academic integrity violations are permitted to have other members of the College community assist them in the preparation of their case, and one of those representatives may assist in its presentation at a hearing. As a result students are strongly encouraged to bring a member of the College community with them to a hearing. Persons who are not members of the College community will not be permitted to attend integrity hearings except as witnesses. The person bringing the charge may also be assisted at a hearing by one other member of the College community.

In deliberations to determine whether a student is or is not in violation of academic integrity, the Panel or Board uses the standard of “clear and convincing evidence.” This means that the majority of members of the Hearing Panel or Board must be persuaded by the evidence that it is highly probable that the academic integrity charge is true. The “clear and convincing evidence” standard is a heavier burden than the “preponderance of the evidence” standard but less than “beyond a reasonable doubt.” 

All hearings will follow the procedures outlined and approved by the Academic Integrity Council. The Chair of the Council will make a copy of these procedures available to any student charged with a violation and to any person bringing a charge. The procedures will be reviewed at every hearing. 

Procedures employed by Panels and Boards are determined by the Academic Integrity Council subject to the approval of the Academic Standards Committee or the faculty, as appropriate.

Appeals

Students who are found in violation of academic integrity may appeal to the Dean of the College (or a designee) provided that the appeal is based on one or more of the following grounds:

1. The discovery of new evidence that could not reasonably have been presented to the Panel or Board at the time of the original hearing.

2. Being found in violation of academic integrity based on material procedural error.
 
3. Lack of jurisdiction by the Academic Integrity Council. (A second hearing by a body of appropriate jurisdiction may then be held.)

4. Failure of the penalty or penalties to conform to stated guidelines.

An appeal must be made in writing within 48 hours (excluding weekends, holidays, or other breaks in the academic calendar) of a Panel or Board action. An appeal may be made at a later date if new evidence or false testimony is discovered after the 48-hour period. If in the Dean's judgment the case merits it, the case may be scheduled for a re-hearing by a Panel or Board. The decision of the Dean or the Dean's designee is final.      

If a student intends to file an appeal, the student should continue to attend class and complete course work pending the outcome of the appeal.

Availability of Academic Integrity Records to College Officials

On a need-to-know basis as determined by the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council, certain College officials may be informed of a student’s academic integrity record, including a brief description of the charge, plea, nature of the case, and outcome. Such officials include, but are not limited to, the following: Education departmental staff concerned with education licensure; Director of International Education and/or faculty leaders of courses or trips involving study abroad; Departmental internship coordinators; faculty or staff examining potential candidates for honor societies. Such officials use the academic integrity record, along with other relevant data, to make decisions about recommending for education licensure, allowing participation in study abroad or internships, accepting into membership in honor societies, etc. In addition, any penalties involving assignment of final grades or involving notation on the student’s transcript are reported to the Registrar’s Office.

As a result of having been found in violation of academic integrity, a student might be ineligible for certain campus opportunities (such as serving on the Academic Integrity Council and holding certain campus leadership positions).

 

 

Read more:  Responsibility for Academic Integrity