Handling Academic Dishonesty

As members of the UC Denver academic community, faculty and students accept the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of intellectual honesty and ethical conduct in all forms of academic work. The CLAS Ethics Committee; composed of faculty, students and staff; is charged with establishing academic ethics policies and, when necessary, to evaluate ethics charges against students or faculty.

Faculty are encouraged to place a summary statement concerning academic ethics on their syllabus (See Syllabus Requirements). While most student violations center around cheating or plagiarism, the Honor Code is more comprehensive and includes the following categories:

• plagiarism,
• cheating,
• fabrication and falsification;
• multiple submission,
• misuse of academic materials, and
• complicity in academic dishonesty.

Faculty should consult the UC Denver Academic Honor Code for details.

Academic Dishonesty Incidents

Faculty are encouraged to try to handle alleged academic dishonesty cases at the faculty or department level. Many cases of academic dishonesty involve miss communication, absence of clear policies on syllabus or assignments, or cultural differences; all of which are best handled at the department level. Additionally, the College associate Dean will work with a faculty member and student(s) in an effort to facilitate communication and to resolve the dispute before the end of the semester and the issuance of final grades.

Faculty who have evidence suggesting a student is guilty of academic dishonesty should:

1. privately confront the student with the evidence
2. listen to the student's perspective and keep communication lines open
3. evaluate all evidence and circumstances
4. determine appropriate consequences (warning, zero/failing grade on assignment, or failing grade for course
5. inform student in writing of decision, if grade is to be lowered in any manner

Faculty Responsibilities

CLAS Faculty have a large amount of discretion in handling ethics violations at the department level, up to and including a failing course grade. Any other sanctions (suspension, transcript notation, etc.) desired by the instructor must be forwarded to the CLAS Ethics Committee via the CLAS associate Dean. Faculty have responsibilities to uphold student's rights in matters of alleged academic dishonesty.

If the faculty decision concerning the alleged academic dishonesty adversely affects the student's assignment or course grade, a letter to the student is required (see form letter below) with copies to the department Chair and CLAS associate Dean. The letter outlines the charge(s) against the student and informs the student of their rights. Faculty responsibilities in alleged ethics violations that lower a student's grade are summarized below.

Initiating an Alleged Ethics Violation Charge

• Instructor provides written notification to student outlining charge(s), statement of student rights, information about ethics policies, and student support services;
• Instructor supplies written notification (copy) to department Chair and CLAS associate Dean;
• Student is allowed to fully participate in remainder of class;
• Student is not allowed to drop or withdraw from class;
• Instructor should compile physical and eyewitness evidence for possible CLAS Ethics Committee hearing at request of faculty or through appeal by student;
• Should the dispute go to the CLAS Ethics Committee, the burden of proof resides with the faculty.

Form Letter – Student Notification of Alleged Ethics Violation (.doc)

Frequently Encountered Situations

1. Evidence of academic dishonesty against a student is not concrete.

For all student cases evaluated by the CLAS Ethics Committee, the burden of proof is squarely on the faculty member. Situations without compelling evidence should be handled privately with the student and may include verbal warning, specific seating assignments, review of ethics policies with entire class, etc.

2. Faculty believe student downloaded paper from Internet but can't find source.

Web sites have been developed to assist faculty in locating Internet papers and faculty should consult experts in Internet communications.

3. Student unintentionally violates the academic ethics policy.

It is the student's responsibility to understand and adhere to the UC Denver Academic Honor Code. Faculty are not required to define academic dishonesty, but are encouraged to place a general statement on the course syllabus that refers students to details of the Academic Honor Code. While an unintentional violation is still a violation, faculty are encouraged to consider intent in determining appropriate consequences.

4. Student is officially matriculated in another college.

CLAS faculty should adhere to CLAS policies relating to academic honesty whether the student is officially in CLAS or another UC Denver college. Any jurisdictional issues are handled at the associate Dean level.