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Confronting Academic Misconduct

One of the most difficult aspects of maintaining academic integrity in the classroom is deciding what to do once you believe that academic misconduct has occurred. This typically involves having a conversation with the student(s) that you suspect engaged in this prohibited behavior, which usually produces anxiety on the part of both the student and the faculty member.

The following information is designed to help you in confronting a student whom you believe may have committed academic misconduct. For answers to common questions, please review our Faculty FAQ.

You must have some degree of command over the materials available. Good questions to ask yourself at this stage are:

  • What do I believe happened here?
  • What evidence do I have that supports that belief?
  • Is there another plausible explanation?
  • Is there anyone else who has information about this incident that would be helpful?
  • Was this type of situation covered in my expectations as I articulated them during the opening class?
  • Is it covered on the syllabus?
  • Do I have copies of everything I need in order to explain this to the student?

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