Faculty who suspect that academic misconduct has been committed are encouraged to resolve those incidents through an informal resolution process where the faculty and student will agree on the facts, the decision, and the grading sanction.
The following steps are associated with the informal resolution process:
Step 1: Contact the student, set up a meeting
Contact the student in a timely manner, and request that s/he meet with you to discuss the matter on or before a specified date and time. Document efforts at contacting the student, and keep a copy of all written correspondence. As part of your correspondence, inform the student that as a result of suspected academic misconduct:
- the grade for an assignment is being withheld or
- the grade for the course will not be reported
Note: DO NOT ASSIGN A GRADE AT THIS TIME
If the timing of the alleged academic misconduct requires you to submit grades before there is an outcome to the conduct process, you must assign an “X” for the course. A grade may be assigned ONLY after the Vice Chancellor’s representative informs you that the conduct process is complete.
Step 2: Meet with the student
In your meeting with the student, explain how their conduct appears to violate the Student Conduct Code for the University of Washington and offer them an opportunity to dispute your assessment of a suspected violation. Cite specific sections of the Conduct Code in your discussion. The initial discussion has two possible outcomes:
- You are satisfied by the student’s explanation that no misconduct occurred.
No further discussion or disciplinary action is necessary.
- You believe that misconduct occurred and that the student violated the Student Conduct Code.
Proceed to Step 3 and 4.
Step 3: Determine next steps
Informal Resolution:
If you are not satisfied by the student’s explanation, you may present him or her with options (including accepting a zero as a grade on the assignment). You must make it clear to the student that s/he has the right to appeal the matter to the Vice Chancellor’s representative. Faculty may not unilaterally lower a student’s grade. Be careful not to intimidate students into agreeing to a grading sanction to avoid being referred to the Vice Chancellor’s representative.
Formal Resolution:
If no agreement is readily reached with the student, suspend judgment on the matter and refer the alleged incident to the Vice Chancellor’s office for a more formal hearing. Most formal cases are typically resolved within 2-4 weeks, some require several levels of disciplinary review and take longer to resolve. Faculty members will be informed of the outcome so an appropriate grade can be assigned; grades should not be assigned until conduct process is complete.
Step 4: File an incident report
After meeting with the student:
- Complete the Incident Report Form.
- Summarize the discussion with the student, and the next steps on which you and the student agree.
- Reinforce that the student may choose to appeal your decision to the Vice Chancellor’s representative.
- Submit the Incident Report Form to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
- No further action is required by you until notified of incident resolution by the Vice Chancellor's office.
Step 5: Actions by Vice Chancellor's office
Upon receipt of the Incident Report Form, a letter will be sent to the student from the Vice Chancellor’s office. The letter will restate the next steps to which the faculty and student agreed, and offer the student with an opportunity to appeal.
Note: No unfavorable action may be taken against the student until the conduct process is concluded, and the student informed of the outcome and right to appeal.
Should a student file an appeal, a hearing will be coordinated by the Vice Chancellor’s office. The faculty member bringing forward a charge of academic misconduct may be asked to meet with the hearing officer but is not typically requested to attend the hearing.
When a hearing decision is made, the faculty member who submitted the charge will receive a copy of the letter sent to the student informing him or her of the decision. If the hearing officer or University Disciplinary Committee exonerates the student on appeal, it is expected that the faculty member will award the grade which the student would have received had the misconduct charge not been filed. The student has the right to appeal any decision made by the hearing officer or the committee to a higher level. Faculty may be asked to provide further information to the respective hearing body.
Option: Direct referral for administrative hearing
In the following cases it is preferred that faculty refer a matter of alleged academic misconduct issues directly to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for review by an administrative hearing officer:
- The student has been found responsible for committing academic misconduct in the past, OR
- Faculty are considering a grading sanction that will result in the student failing the course.
Direct referral for administrative hearing requires faculty to complete an Incident Report Form, and submit it to the Vice Chancellor’s office in a timely manner.