STUDENT MEETING WITH THE ASSISTANT DEAN

In meeting with the Assistant Dean or designee the student may present any relevant material or statements in his/her behalf. The student will have the right, prior to the meeting, to review relevant original materials in the Office of the Assistant Dean and to obtain copies of such materials if desired. In the meeting the Assistant Dean or designee will describe the charges made, detail the evidence supporting those charges, and review the range of College sanctions (e.g., disciplinary probation, community service, suspension, etc.). This is an opportunity for the student to be heard and to present his/her side of the incident. Typically in each meeting a representative of the LSA Student Government Honor Council sits in attendance and participates, though acting neither as an advocate for nor against the student.

The presumption of innocence means that the student may continue to attend class and receive grades while the case is being investigated and/or adjudicated. During that time, however, the student may not receive credit for the course in which the alleged misconduct occurred and may not be graduated. If a final grade must be reported for the course while the case is pending, the instructor should report the course grade as NR (no report), not as an I (incomplete). NR is a temporary, neutral grade that may be used in special circumstances where a final grade is not yet able to be reported.

A student who has had a complaint of academic misconduct reported against him or her may admit to the charge and accept responsibility for the misconduct or deny the allegation of misconduct. Prior to making this choice, the student may seek a meeting with the faculty who filed the complaint in order to clarify any misunderstanding. Such a meeting is not required and may take place only if both the faculty and the student agree to it. If, for any reason, faculty are not comfortable speaking to the student about the incident, that is OK. On the other hand, if faculty would prefer to speak with the student even before filing the complaint, they should feel free to do so.

If the student against whom the complaint of alleged academic misconduct has been reported does not make timely arrangements for a meeting to take place in the Office of the Assistant Dean for Student Academic Affairs, then the Assistant Dean may make a determination in the case on the basis of the evidence presented.

The Assistant Dean or designee has the authority to determine, based upon the information available, whether a violation of the LSA community standards of academic integrity has occurred and the student is responsible for academic misconduct. The student will then be informed by letter, with an electronic (email) copy to the instructor(s), of the decision and sanction(s), if any, to be imposed.