Procedures for Reporting an Academic Integrity Violation

University of Texas at Austin policy permits faculty members to choose one of two options when resolving suspected issues of academic dishonesty:

direct referral of the alleged infraction to Student Judicial Services (SJS) for resolution, or
completion of a faculty disposition. This can occur in any case where the student does not dispute the facts and both the faculty member and student sign the form that includes a sanction and a written waiver of the hearing procedures.

Both a direct referral and a faculty disposition are reported using a single form (the Faculty Referral/Faculty Disposition Form); this form should be used for all suspected violations of academic integrity at The University of Texas at Austin unless the individual department has approved a separate reporting document. While the following sections provide a general overview of the process and instructions, faculty members should review the official University policies concerning scholastic dishonesty as outlined in Chapter 11 of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities, which may also be found in Appendix C of the General Information catalog.

First Suspicion That an Academic Integrity Violation Has Occurred

If you have reason to believe that an academic integrity violation has occurred, gather all pertinent evidence such as tests or other academic assignments (e.g., reports, computer programs, papers, etc.) along with any additional relevant materials and, if applicable, identify possible witnesses.

During an exam, if applicable, you may remove any unauthorized materials and/or ask a student suspected of cheating to move to another desk, but you must permit the student to complete the exam in question.

Also, because an accused student may refute an allegation of academic dishonesty or appeal a penalty decision, the student must be allowed to attend all classes and complete all assignments until the matter has been fully resolved. If the matter is unresolved when final course grades are due, you should record an "Incomplete" (symbol of "X") for the accused student's grade.

While you might wish to resolve the matter informally, it is still highly important that you report the incident to SJS through either a faculty referral or faculty disposition. As SJS maintains student records for disciplinary infractions, your reporting of the incident insures: (a) that a student does not commit multiple instances of academic dishonesty without any official University record, and (b) that a more severe sanction is issued if this is not the student's first violation of this nature.

Resolution Option A - Faculty Referral

Complete a Faculty Referral/Faculty Disposition Form through Section 5 and submit to SJS. Please ensure to include any evidence that supports the allegation(s). If more than one student is involved, please submit a separate faculty referral form for each student. While you are encouraged to inform the student(s) that you have submitted a faculty referral for a suspected academic integrity violation, you are not required to do so. No sanction(s) should be assessed at this time.

As delegated by the Office of the Dean of Students, SJS will investigate the allegation, meet with the student, and assign sanctions as appropriate. You may recommend a sanction on the referral form and, while we will consider your recommendation, we retain the right to assess sanctions we find appropriate and consistent with standing precedent in similar cases. The student may choose to resolve the matter administratively (e.g., waive his or her right to a hearing and accept a sanction) or dispute the findings through an institutional disciplinary hearing.

Very few disciplinary matters are resolved through institutional hearings. If a hearing is conducted, however, SJS will coordinate the arrangements and preparations necessary for the proceeding. Should an attorney advise an accused student, the University may also be advised by an attorney. The time required of a faculty member for a hearing is dependent upon the details and complexity of the case. A hearing officer (i.e., one of several faculty members appointed by the President to hear discipline cases) determines whether or not the evidence supports a finding that the student violated the Institutional Rules and, if so, assesses an appropriate sanction.

The student may appeal an administrative disposition or University hearing decision to the Office of the President. If the disciplinary matter is resolved administratively, the student may appeal the assessed sanction within fourteen (14) days of that resolution. If the disciplinary matter is resolved through a hearing, the student or Dean of Students may appeal both the findings and sanction within fourteen (14) days of notification of the hearing officer's decision.

Resolution Option B - Faculty Disposition

Meet with the student(s) involved and discuss the alleged violation in conjunction with any supporting evidence. The student should be given the opportunity to respond to the allegation and also present evidence in his or her defense.

The student must be informed of his or her right to refer the matter to the Office of the Dean of Students for resolution by SJS, the right to a hearing before a University hearing officer, and the right to appeal the sanction decision to the President. It is important that the student understands that, once the form is signed, they can only appeal the sanction issued by the faculty member - this appeal is submitted directly to the University president. While the information you should inform the student is listed on the form, you can consult the following resources for more information: The Rights of the Student and the Discipline Process Flow Chart.

It is important that the student be given the opportunity to discuss this situation with a conduct officer in SJS and have ample time to consider his or her options for resolving this matter. If the student asks a question about this process that you are not able to answer, please ask that the student to contact SJS (512-471-2841) or the Office of the Ombudsperson (512-471-3825).

The student may choose not to dispute your findings regarding the alleged violation and, in writing, waive his or her right to a hearing. By waiving his or her right to a hearing, the student accepts your proposed Faculty Disposition. If the student chooses to sign the form, please submit it to SJS as soon as possible. Please include all supporting documentation. Additionally, you should provide the student with a copy of the signed form. If more than one student is involved, please submit a separate faculty disposition form for each student.

As indicated on the faculty disposition form, the Institutional Rules permit a faculty member only the following options for sanctions issued during a faculty disposition:

Written warning that further academic dishonesty violations may result in a more severe sanction.
Retake of exam or re-submission of the assignment in question.
No credit or reduced credit for the paper, assignment, or test in question.
Failing grade or reduced final grade for the course.

If you wish to issue any sanctions not listed above (such as reflection papers or community service), then you should refer the case to SJS and indicate your preference for those sanctions in the referral form. If you have any questions about what sanctions you can issue during a faculty disposition, please contact SJS directly.

Generally, no additional action is taken by SJS unless the student has a prior academic integrity violation on record. The Faculty Disposition is placed in a confidential file (for additional information regarding these records, please see The Student's Discipline Record) that is stored in our office; no information is placed on a student's academic transcript. SJS reviews each Faculty Disposition to determine if the circumstances require further action. In accordance with established procedures, additional sanctions are routinely considered if: (a) the student has been involved in other violations, (b) the instructor has recommended an additional sanction, or (c) the seriousness of the violation dictates such a response. Certain types of misconduct (e.g., substituting for a student during an exam, permitting someone to substitute on one's behalf, or altering academic records) have often resulted in a sanction of suspension. For situations in which you believe that a suspension is the most appropriate sanction, please contact SJS.

Why Are The University's Procedures Necessary?

You may wonder why attention to the outlined procedures is necessary, particularly when it is obvious (or at least appears to be obvious) that a student has cheated.

One reason is rooted in the consistent judicial interpretation of the guaranteed due process of law under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Unlike the highly subjective process of evaluating the quality of a student's performance on assignments, which has been afforded considerable judicial deference, an allegation of academic dishonesty is an assertion that a person has violated a University rule. Whether or not that assertion is true is a fact to be established, not assumed, even when such an assumption seems quite reasonable.

Confronting what appears to be impermissible behavior is certainly appropriate. But keep in mind that many students have difficulty acknowledging their involvement in academic dishonesty and may deny any wrongdoing, even when reportedly "caught in the act." Some students, in fact, are incredibly contentious despite compelling evidence against them. And students facing probable suspension (likely for repeated and/or egregious violations) may feel that they have nothing to lose in challenging allegations, notwithstanding the evidence. Students may also be inclined to shift the focus from the evidence of their misconduct to any possible missteps by the University in the disciplinary process.

Not surprisingly, courts have remained insistent that colleges and universities, at a minimum, follow their own procedures. Those in effect at The University of Texas at Austin have been designed to protect the interests of students, faculty members, administrators, and the institution. Fortunately, evidence so convincing to substantiate an on-the-spot determination that a student is cheating should remain sufficiently compelling after the incident if the accused student disputes the allegation.

In short, observing the established procedures for student disciplinary matters is essential, even if the outlined steps appear to be unnecessary and burdensome requirements for reaching an inevitable conclusion. Such legalities may at times cause understandable frustrations, but they are realities under which we are obligated to function. As a practical matter, however, following the proper steps rarely prevents us from arriving at an appropriate outcome. Our goal is to do so in a manner that is beyond reproach. This, of course, requires a collaborative effort by all of us at the University who place a high value on academic integrity.