Am I required to report all cases of academic misconduct that I encounter?
Although not required, it is highly encouraged! See below.

Why can't I just do what I want to the student and not go through the judicial process for academic misconduct?

How much evidence do I need to accuse a student of academic misconduct?
Generally, if you are suspicious, you have enough evidence to make a referral, although the student may ultimately be found not responsible for a rules violation. We believe students who go through the process are positively influenced regardless of the outcome. The larger the amount of concrete evidence available, the increased chance that the student will be found responsible for violating our rules. Cases of plagiarism should be submitted with a copy of the sources the paper was plagiarized from. Crib notes, cheat sheets, etc. should also be turned in as evidence. The stronger the evidence, the quicker the case is typically resolved.

What happens when I refer a student for academic misconduct?
The student will be sent an email and a letter from Judicial Affairs informing them that they have been accused of violating the University’s academic misconduct policy and informing them of their scheduled meeting time with a member of the Judicial Affairs staff. If the student does not attend the meeting, a hold is placed on their student account preventing the student from making any changes to their schedule and/or registering for new classes.

During the meeting, the student is notified of their rights in the process, the procedures, and the evidence that is against them. If the student accepts responsibility, the case is handled administratively. If there is a discrepancy of facts or the student feels they have been erroneously accused, a hearing before the University Discipline Committee may be arranged at the discretion of the Assistant Dean for Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services.

The instructor will be notified of the finding at the conclusion of the disciplinary process via email. If it is an administrative hearing, that notice comes fairly quickly. If the case is referred to a committee, the time required to complete the case will vary. If the instructor is not notified, it means the case is pending and/or there has been some other kind of delay. If a faculty member has questions about the case, they can always contact the office to determine the status of the case.

Will a student found responsible for academic misconduct automatically fail the course?
The faculty member determines the grade the student receives if the student is found responsible for academic misconduct. It is important to be consistent with the action stated in your course syllabus. You may choose to penalize the work in question, deduct points from the total grade, allow a rewrite, and/or fail the student for the class.

Behavioral Referrals

What is a behavioral referral?
A behavioral referral is a referral for student misconduct related to any behavior other than academic misconduct. There are over thirty-six categories of prohibited behavior at MTSU, with academic misconduct only being one. Examples of prohibited behavior include alcohol violations, drug violations, disruptive behavior, firearms, harassment, etc. Please see the current Student Code of Conduct handbook for the full list.

What information must be included in a behavioral referral?
You must submit a written account of the incident in question with specific details about the behavior or behaviors that you feel are in violation of our rules. It is not enough to say “the student became unruly.” You must provide specific detail, “The student pushed over a desk, shouted that he was going to kick me, and threw his backpack at the white board.” The behavior in question must link specifically to a prohibited behavior. You cannot refer someone for disciplinary action because you think they are “weird” or because “they make you feel creepy.”

All Referrals

Will I be able to find out what happens to the student I refer?
Yes and no. We will inform the instructor of whether or not the student was found responsible for a rules violation. We are not permitted to release all sanctions due to FERPA restrictions. We ARE permitted to release disciplinary sanctions on a need-to-know basis. For example, if a student is placed on probation, required to do community service, and restricted from being present in the building where you teach, we would be permitted to tell you that the student is not permitted to be in the building where you teach. We would not be able to tell you that he/she is on probation and performing community service. Decisions on what information may be released are made on a case-by-case basis.

When a student is found responsible for a rules violation, are they automatically suspended or expelled from MTSU?
No. We deal with violations on a case-by-case basis. Suspension and expulsion are two possible sanctions, but other sanctions may also include a written reprimand, probation, and/or various educational sanctions such as research assignments and papers. For academic misconduct cases, if we are dealing with an inexperienced student, the sanctions are lighter than they are for a seasoned student. For all other cases, we look at intent, actual damage, past history, seriousness of the infraction, etc. to determine an acceptable consequence. It is important to note that if we recommend a sanction of suspension or expulsion in an administrative hearing, the student may chose to accept that consequence or an alternate adjudication method. In other words, a student has to agree to a suspension or expulsion in the administrative meeting.

Will this process require a lot of my time?
Typically, it only requires the amount of time that it takes for you to fill out the referral form and gather any supporting information/documentation. At times, a staff member may call or email you for additional details and information. If the case goes before the University Discipline Committee, you will be asked to appear as a witness. The majority of our cases are handled administratively without going to a committee hearing.

What should I do if a student I referred drops the course?
You should still refer the student. Our office will still follow up on the case.

Am I required to meet with the student?
It is always best to communicate clearly with your students including your concerns. If you decide to send a referral, you should attempt to inform the student of the allegation and notify the student that the information has been forwarded to the Office of Judicial affairs and Mediation Services. In cases of academic misconduct, we highly recommend the faculty to meet with the student as we believe this is where the real learning occurs for the student. Should you decide to meet with the student, you are required to comply with the following procedures:

Is the student allowed to stay in class while the case is under investigation?
YES. The student may stay in class pending a hearing if the faculty member determines that the student's presence in the class does not interfere with the instructor's ability to teach the class or the ability of other class members to learn.

Can I permanently remove a student from class?
You are authorized to TEMPORARILY remove a student from class. For example, a student has disregarded your cell phone policy. You can ask the student to leave class and return the following class period. It is best to discuss the removal with the student and explain the basis for the temporary removal. If you wish to remove them PERMANENTLY, you must make a referral through our office and indicate that you want the student permanently removed. You must also clearly instruct the student to NOT RETURN to class until the case is resolved through Judicial Affairs.