Am I required to report all cases of academic misconduct that I encounter?
Yes. See the answer to the following question for details on why.

Why can’t I just do what I want to the student and not go through the judicial process?

What happens when I refer a student for academic misconduct?
The student will be sent 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. 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 see where the case is at.

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 academic misconduct. We are not permitted to release sanctions due to FERPA.

When a student is found responsible for academic misconduct, are they automatically suspended or expelled from MTSU?
Not necessarily. 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. Typically if it an inexperienced student, the sanctions are lighter than they are for a seasoned student.

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.

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. At times, the Assistant Dean for Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services may call you for additional details and information. If the case goes before the University Discipline Committee, you will be asked to appear as a witness to explain why you feel the student is responsible for academic misconduct. The majority of our academic misconduct cases are handled administratively.

How much evidence do I need to accuse a student of academic misconduct?
It depends on the type of case. When in doubt, call the office of Judicial Affairs and Mediation Services (898-2750) to discuss the situation you are dealing with. If a student has plagiarized a paper and you know the sources the paper was plagiarized from, it helps Judicial Affairs if you turn in a copy of the paper and the sources used to plagiarize the paper. Crib notes, cheat sheets, etc. should also be turned in as evidence. The stronger the evidence, the quicker the case is typically resolved.

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?
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. You will find a template of a letter you may give the student at the Judicial Affairs website. Beyond that, it is your choice. Should you decide to meet with the student, you are required to comply with the following procedures (page 8-9 of the Rights and Responsibilities of Students at MTSU Handbook):

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.