What to Do if You are Suspected of Academic Misconduct

If your instructor has let you know they suspect academic misconduct and are forwarding the information, you will soon receive an email from the Office of Student Academic Affairs informing you of the allegation and asking you to set up a meeting with the Coordinator of Academic Integrity or the Assistant Dean’s designee. When your meeting is confirmed you will receive evidence provided by your instructor to review. During the meeting with the Assistant Dean or their designee you will have a chance to discuss the evidence provided by your instructor and offer an explanation. This meeting is an opportunity for you to be heard and present your side of the incident.

It’s important that you continue to attend class while the case is pending. Prior to a final resolution by the Office of Student Academic Affairs, you are presumed to be not responsible for the alleged misconduct and you may continue to receive grades in the course.

You can review the LSA Community Expectations Regarding Academic Integrity, Resources for Students, the Student Rights document, and Procedures for Resolving Violations of Academic Integrity webpages.

You may wish to speak with the LSA Student Honor Council President, who can talk about the process, as well as answer any general questions you may have. Students have often found it helpful to talk with the President in advance of their meeting with the Office of Student Academic Affairs. Please keep in mind that the President of the Honor Council is not involved in any decision-making, nor are they privy to the details of individual cases. Information on how to connect with the LSA Honor Council President will be sent to you from the Office of Student Academic Affairs in our initial correspondence regarding the allegation as well as when we confirm your meeting with the Coordinator of Academic Integrity or the Assistant Dean’s designee.

When your meeting is confirmed you will receive access to the report and evidence submitted by your instructor. Please note that in some circumstances, we are unable to share evidence in advance in order to preserve the integrity of the assessment. For example, if you are accused of cheating on an exam you will receive the instructor's report and examples/evidence of cheating from the instructor, but we may not be able to supply the exam itself prior to that meeting. You would, however, be able to review the exam during your meeting with the Coordinator of Academic Integrity or the Assistant Dean’s designee.

In your meeting with the Coordinator of Academic Integrity or the Assistant Dean’s designee, you will have the opportunity to provide any evidence or explanation. It is possible that no violation of the LSA Community Expectations has occurred. That is why the student meeting is important and that you are given an opportunity to respond to the instructor’s concern.

You and your instructor will be informed by resolution letter via email of the decision and college-level sanction(s), if any, to be imposed. Your instructor will follow up with you directly regarding any course-level sanction to be imposed in cases where you are found responsible.

If you are found responsible for academic misconduct, appropriate grade penalties for the infraction will be at the discretion of the instructor in accordance to the syllabus or the course/department policy, if applicable. Grade penalties can range from a grade reduction on the assessment to failure of the course.

In addition, you may also be assigned college sanctions by the Office of Student Academic Affairs. Most first-time offenses of academic misconduct result in a college-level sanction of disciplinary probation. During this period of disciplinary probation we ask that you reflect on the experience and are conscious of ways to incorporate LSA Community Expectations into your personal and academic life. Additional findings of misconduct may result in much harsher sanctions, such as suspension from the University.

Most first offenses of academic misconduct do not result in suspension or expulsion. However, there are a few violations that we do feel are egregious enough to warrant suspension or expulsion.

Any “doctoring” or altering of a university record or communication in order to receive an unfair advantage will result in suspension. For example, altering the date of a communication/transaction so it appears you attempted to make the request prior to a particular date or deadline will result in suspension. You may also face suspension if you are found responsible for a second or third instance of academic misconduct, regardless of the type of misconduct.

Expulsion from the University is typically reserved for multiple egregious acts that had previously resulted in suspension.
 

Students often violate academic integrity standards unintentionally. For example, including source language verbatim in your notes then including it in your paper without realizing it was not your own words. Violations can be unintended, but they are still violations and need to be addressed.

Many violations of academic integrity are a result of stress, poor time management, health issues, or other personal factors. Faced with such stressors, students sometimes make poor decisions. Part of this process is to help you understand how to respond appropriately should you find yourself in a similar situation in the future.

You should report any academic integrity violation on your professional and graduate school applications, regardless of whether or not there is a permanent record of such violation. Applications will give you an opportunity to explain the incident and discuss what you’ve learned from the experience. Not reporting a violation is dishonest – and could result in being denied admission or having your admission revoked if it is discovered that you had an academic integrity violation and did not disclose it.

First, reach out to the current LSA Student Honor Council President. They may be able to answer your questions and offer a student perspective. You may also email our office (lsajudicial@umich.edu) and we will be happy to answer any questions that you may have.