Reporting Academic Misconduct

Submitting a Report

To report an alleged violation, instructors should complete the online Report of an Academic Integrity Violation (RAIV) form. If you have any questions regarding the form, please contact the Office of Student Conduct at 919.515.2963.

Click here to learn more about addressing academic integrity concerns.

Completing the Online Form

When submitting your report, the following points should be emphasized:

• Review examples of Academic Misconduct violations and identify which violation(s) may have occurred. Although faculty are asked to list the charge involved, the charge may be changed when received and reviewed by the Office of Student Conduct.  In most cases, the charge is only changed when there is a more appropriate charge that more effectively matches the behavior in question.

• The narrative submitted should be as complete as possible, addressing all of the objective and relevant reasons why you suspect that academic misconduct has occurred.  Where appropriate, please attach copies of the syllabus, test papers, assignments, or other documents relevant to the charges involved.  Professors submitting plagiarism cases should provide portions of the material from which the student is alleged to have plagiarized.

• Where appropriate, provide additional narratives completed by co-instructors or Teaching Assistants.  These individuals may be called as factual witnesses should a hearing take place.

• Sanctioning is a highly individualized decision.  Faculty members may impose sanctions up to and including no credit for the class. For more information on available sanctions, please refer to section 9 of the Code of Student Conduct. Cases that should be considered for more serious sanctions would require further review through an academic integrity hearing, which could result in suspension or expulsion should the situation call for such sanctions.  Sanctions will differ depending on the severity of misconduct, how the class was informed of expectations regarding academic integrity, and the specific circumstances surrounding the incident.

Next Steps

While reviewing the relevant materials and documents with the student, please keep the following important points in mind:

• The student will receive an official letter from the Office of Student Conduct that will outline the alleged violation(s) and recommended sanction(s). The student will be instructed to complete an online form and will be required to choose between Option 1 or Option 2. The student will have up to two days, unless requesting additional time, to consider an option to resolve the case.

• If a student is taking responsibility or choosing Option 1, four things happen:
  • the student has accepted full responsibility for the behavior described;
  • the student has accepted the sanction that has been recommended;
  • the student has waived their right to appeal; and
  • the student will be placed on Academic Integrity Probation for a minimum of one calendar year from the date of case resolution.

• If a student is choosing Option 2, the student is either denying responsibility for the alleged behavior, declining to accept the faculty member’s recommended sanction(s), or is choosing to not waive a right to a hearing facilitated by the Office of Student Conduct. Under the Student Discipline Procedures, students can request up to two days to think about how to resolve the alleged incident.  At the end of the two days, if the student has not completed the RAIV Response Form, the Office of Student Conduct will proceed with the student conduct process resulting in a formal hearing being scheduled.

Course Grades

Students who choose a hearing should receive an Incomplete (INC) in the course.  Faculty should issue the student an Incomplete in the course rather than assign a final grade pending the outcome of the hearing. This step prevents unnecessary confusion.

Course Withdrawal

Students cannot withdraw from the course once an allegation has been submitted.  Once the RAIV has been submitted, a student is forbidden from withdrawing from the course.  Students should be reminded of this fact.  This important step maintains the integrity of the process and helps students to stay engaged in the course while the hearing process continues.

Additional Questions: For additional questions and answers, please review the Faculty FAQ or call our office at 919-515-2963.