Proposed Revision to Policy for Dealing with Academic Misconduct

Rationale:

Currently, if a penalty is imposed for academic misconduct, a faculty member informs the student, department chair, registrar (if an unforgivable "F" or a grade change is imposed) and Academic Affairs. If the allegations are appealed, final records are stored in the Academic Affairs office. If the allegations are not appealed, any correspondence related to the allegations is supposed to be stored in Student Affairs (and some departments currently place copies in the student's advising file). No permanent record is currently maintained in the student's file in the registrar's office (the student's permanent file), nor is any electronic record kept. It seems desirable that all records of academic misconduct should be recorded in the same manner so that (a) a pattern of behavior can be noted for repeat offenders (b) a general accounting can be performed of the number of cases each year and (c) records can be accessed in an efficient manner. Student Affairs notes that their its professional organization's policy suggest s that academic records be stored separately from non-academic (e.g., behavioral) records. One may debate whether Academic Misconduct Records are "academic" or not, but we believe that they are and that keeping them in Academic Affairs allows Academic Affairs to detect patterns and trends in academic misconduct.
The Academic Misconduct Reporting form will be available electronically at an easily accessible location.

* It is believed that Banner will have the capability to record this information with room
for comments.

(The version in Faculty Handbook is with the following.)

STUDENT RELATED ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
The University Catalog contains the University's official statement of policies and procedures as they apply to students. Additional statements or clarifications of policies and procedures may be issued by the Registrar or the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
In dealing with student related academic issues, such as investigating cases of academic misconduct or posting and disclosing of grades, faculty must be aware that student privacy is paramount. Student confidentiality must be preserved in such cases, as specified by state and federal law. All communications regarding student records, behavior, incidents, and the like shall be limited so as to preserve the student's privacy
11.1 Academic Integrity Code
In order to protect the integrity, of the teaching, learning and evaluation process, the University of North Florida expects all members of the academic community to respect the principle of academic freedom, and to behave with academic integrity. Briefly stated, academic misconduct shall consist of any attempt to misrepresent one's performance on any exercise submitted for evaluation.
The primary responsibility for ensuring adherence to the principle of academic integrity rests with students and faculty. Any infraction that comes to the attention of any person should be brought to the attention of the faculty member to whose course it pertains.
Violations of the principle of academic integrity include, but are not limited to:
a)	CHEATING: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices in any academic exercise. This definition includes unauthorized communication of information during an academic exercise.
b)	FABRICATION & FALSIFICATION: Intentional and unauthorized alteration or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Falsification is a matter of altering information, while fabrication is a matter of inventing or counterfeiting information for use in an academic exercise.
c)	MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS: The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work (including oral reports), for credit more than once without authorization.
d)	PLAGIARISM: Intentionally or knowingly presenting the work of another as one's own (i.e., without proper acknowledgment of the source). The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas, information, etc. are common knowledge.
e)	ABUSE OF ACADEMIC MATERIALS: Intentionally or knowingly destroying, stealing, or making inaccessible library or other academic resources material.
f)	COMPLICITY IN ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Intentionally or knowingly helping, or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
Possible faculty actions in a case of alleged academic misconduct:
a)	referral to the appropriate support service;
b)	reprimand (oral or written);
c)	a grade of F or reduction of grade on the specific piece of work;
d)	a grade of F or reduction of grade in the course; or
e)	referral of the charges to the dean/director of the academic unit in which the student is enrolled with a recommendation for one of the following: temporary or permanent loss of use of a University facility, suspension, or expulsion.
Possible student actions in a case of alleged academic misconduct are dealt with in the University Catalog in a section titled "Right of Appeal" and in Section 11.2 of this Handbook.
When a faculty member wishes to impose a penalty for academic misconduct, an Academic Misconduct Reporting form must be submitted to the Registrar's Office, where a copy will be maintained in the student's permanent file and an electronic copy will be maintained in the Student Record System. A copy of the form must be sent, along with any cover letter, by the faculty member to the student informing him/her of the allegations. The faculty member must copy this form to their department chair. The Registrar's Office will send copies of the form to the Office of Academic Affairs and to the office holding the student's advising file. A copy of the form will be maintained in the student's advising file unless the allegations are withdrawn or overturned on appeal.  Access to this information is subject to the provisions of FERPA, a federal law which protects the privacy of students and their records. Further, all correspondence related to the case and any appeal will be maintained in the Office of Academic Affairs.
Academic misconduct offenses and corresponding penalties are categorized on the Academic Misconduct Reporting Form as either Type I (major - defined to be one that results in expulsion, suspension, or an unforgivable "F") or Type II (minor - defined to be one that results in any other penalty). Records of Type II offenses held in the Office of Academic Affairs will be destroyed five years after final action is taken on the incident. Records of Type I offenses will be kept permanently in office of Academic Affairs and the student's permanent file. When an allegation is overturned on appeal, the Office of Academic Affairs will notify the Registrar's Office so that the records can be removed from the student's permanent file; the Registrar's Office will then notify the department holding the student's advising file so that the records held there can be removed.
Procedures for faculty and University officials to follow when a penalty is assessed (either on an individual assignment or for the course) as a result of academic misconduct are as follows.
a)	When a faculty member judges that the offense should result in a penalty such as reduction of grade, the faculty member should notify the student in writing and send a copy to the department chairperson of the violation of academic integrity. This notification should include the circumstances surrounding the accusation, any adjustment to a grade or other action taken or recommended by the faculty member (see actions a-e in paragraph on possible faculty actions). the faculty member must notify the student in writing and attach a completed Academic Misconduct Reporting Form. This form documents the circumstances surrounding the accusation and any adjustment to a grade or other action taken or recommended by the faculty member (see actions a-e in paragraph on possible faculty actions). The form must also be sent by the faculty member to the Registrar's Office and to his/her department chair.
b)	A process will be established to prevent a student from receiving grade forgiveness in any case where a grade of "F" has been imposed as punishment for violating UNF's Academic Integrity Code.
The Registrar's Office will have Computing Services identify such grades and block grade forgiveness in these cases. Regardless of the internal method used, official transcripts will still print out as "F" for these courses.
The record of an appeals hearing during which the student has been found guilty of cheating will be held in the discipline files in the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. These records are held until a student graduates from UNF. Records of students who have violated the Academic Integrity Code will be on file for four years after graduation. Records of students who are expelled are permanent and will be cross-referenced by a notation in the student's permanent record in the Registrar's Office referring to the disciplinary record in Student Affairs. All records in the Office of Student Affairs will be destroyed when the student graduates or the appropriate time limits above expire.
NOTE: Correspondence dealing with alleged academic misconduct not appealed by the student(s) involved will be kept in Student Affairs in a separate file from records of those who choose to appeal. The institution may take action in the case of a student showing record of multiple alleged infractions.
Academic Misconduct Reporting Form Student Name ________________________________ Student ID ________________ Course/Section _______________________________ Term/Year _______________ Faculty ____________________________________ Date of incident ____________ Type of Incident and Penalty Suggested (will be imposed unless appealed by the student) Type I: a) Unforgivable "F" ______     b) Suspension/Expulsion Expulsion (circle) from UNF ______   for time period of ______   (requires approval of chair, dean and Academic Vice President)         c) Suspension/Expulsion Expulsion (circle) from College/Department/Program (circle) ______   for time period of ______   (requires approval of chair, dean)         Type II:       d) Final Letter Grade Reduction from _______  to ______         e) Grade reduction on assignment ______       f) Other (describe) ______________________________________________________     Brief Description of nature of misconduct: Signature of Faculty Member ____________________________ Date__________     Signature of Chair (if required) ___________________________ Date__________     Signature of Dean (if required) ____________________________ Date__________     Signature of Vice President (if required) _____________________ Date__________