Information for Students Charged with an AI Violation

Information for Students Charged with an Academic Integrity Violation

Do I Need to Talk to Anyone If I am Charged with a Violation?

While you are not required to meet with or talk with anyone, you are strongly advised to meet with the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council, whose office is located on the first floor of the Administration Building. During this meeting the chair can explain to you the processes surrounding an Academic Integrity hearing, and you will have a chance to ask any questions you may have. Call Dianne Eary at 375-2204 to set up an appointment. You may, of course, also speak with the person who has brought the charge against you. Please understand that professors must report all suspected cases of Academic Integrity violations and do not have the option of imposing a penalty by themselves. All members of the Academic Integrity Council are available to students as resources and sources of advice. Please feel free to e-mail any member of the Council with your questions. In addition, any member of the RC community can assist you throughout this process, and you may bring one member of the community to the hearing.

How Much Time do I Have to Respond to a Charge?

You have 48 hours-excluding weekends, holidays, and other breaks in the calendar-from the time you receive notification of a charge to respond in writing to the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council.

What Should a Response Letter Include?

A response letter must include a clear statement of whether you are pleading "in violation" of academic integrity or "not in violation." Beyond that requirement, there is no set format for a response letter. Hearing panels and boards appreciate thoughtful and honest letters that reflect on the actions in question and respond to the charge that these actions constitute a violation of the College's academic integrity standards. You are entitled to review the evidence submitted. This evidence will be available in the office of the Chair of the Academic Integrity Council. You may request a copy of any non-confidential evidence. If you wish to present evidence during the hearing, please contact Dianne Eary to make sure you bring sufficient copies for the panel/board to review.

How are Hearings Scheduled?

After a charge is received, Dianne Eary will begin scheduling a hearing and will contact you to find an available time slot. Normally we need to ensure that you will be available for at least 2 hours after the start of the hearing. Hearings usually are held in the Dean's Conference Room, which is located on the second floor of the Administration Building.

What Should I Expect to Happen at a Hearing?

At the beginning of the hearing you will be asked to make an opening statement that summarizes the information in your response letter and expands upon that letter as you desire. You should then be prepared to answer questions from the panel members and the person bringing the charge. At the end of this phase of the hearing, you will have the option of making a closing statement, after which all but the panel or board members will leave the room. After the panel has come to a decision, you will return to the room and be informed of the panel's decision about the charge and any penalties.

You have the right to bring one member of the RC community to assist you at the hearing. These assistants can fully participate during the hearings. Students are strongly encouraged to bring an assistant with them.

On the difference between panel hearings and board hearings and your right to request a board, see pp. 5 and 8 of Academic Integrity at Roanoke College.

I have a Previous Academic Integrity Violation-Should I Mention This During the Hearing?

The Chair of the Academic Integrity Council will be aware of any previous violations, but will not mention them during the first part of the hearing. The Chair will inform the panel of previous violations only if you are found in violation for the current charge, but before a penalty is assigned since the normal minimum penalties for a second or third violation are more severe than for a first violation. The purpose of this procedure is so that the current case is evaluated on its merits, not on the basis of prior behavior.

What Happens After a Hearing?

After a hearing you will receive written confirmation of the outcome. Students have the right to appeal a panel or board's decision within 48 hours of the hearing. Appeals will only be granted in very specific circumstances. Please see the handbook Academic Integrity at Roanoke College (p. 9) for further details. If you choose to exercise this option, you have the right to attend class pending the Dean of the College's decision.

Revised August 9, 2010