Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating and plagiarism. Academic dishonesty at the graduate level is considered a serious offense and may result in dismissal from a graduate program.

When a faculty member suspects a graduate student of academic dishonesty, the instructor should present the evidence to the student and consider the student’s response. If the instructor concludes after consultation with the student that academic dishonesty occurred, the instructor writes a letter to the chair of the department in which the student is seeking a graduate degree, describing the incident. The instructor should include with the letter any evidence used to draw the conclusion that academic dishonesty has occurred (e.g., copies of the student’s written assignment, copies of documents thought to have been plagiarized, etc.), and should state clearly the penalty imposed within the course itself. The penalty should be in proportion to the severity of the offense. If the penalty is to be a failing grade, the instructor should first consult with the chair of the department, and the chair should meet jointly with the student and faculty member to review the incident. The student may appeal the penalty by following the procedures in the Graduate Catalog entitled “Appeal of a Grade.”

The department chair may, in accordance with the policy and procedures of the department, impose the penalty of dismissal from the program. A student may appeal the dismissal by following the procedures in the Graduate Catalog entitled “Appeal of Dismissal from a Graduate Program.”

The chair of the department should send a copy of the instructor’s letter reporting the offense, along with any evidence submitted to the chair, to the student, to the Dean of the academic college in which the student is seeking a graduate degree, and to the Dean of the Graduate School. A copy of the letter is to be placed in the student’s file in the department and in the Graduate School. If the student's appeal is upheld, the letter and all other records of the accusation of academic dishonesty are to be deleted from the student’s files.