A. Initial Procedure
The course instructor, if possible, should meet with the student to discuss the incident. The student will be informed of the course instructor’s suspicions and will have an opportunity to respond to the allegations. If the instructor is unable to meet with the student, he/she must notify the student by email of the suspicions. The student will have an opportunity to respond to the suspicions by email. If the alleged incident of academic dishonesty occurs while using academic support and/or testing services, the college employee witnessing or involved in the incident will report the suspicions to the course instructor within twenty-four hours. The course instructor will then follow the procedure outlined above.
The instructor decides whether the student has violated the Code of Academic Integrity and, if necessary, assigns a sanction. This determination of responsibility shall be based upon the facts of the incident and whether it is more likely than not that the student is responsible for the alleged violation(s). If a sanction is imposed the course instructor will file a “Notification of Academic Dishonesty” form with the Registrar. Forms are available in the Registrar office and the Public Folders on MyCarroll. The form, the sanction and supporting documentation become part of the Academic Misconduct file.
The student shall be provided written notification of the instructor’s decision and sanction by the Registrar, normally within five (5) school days after the “Notification of Academic Dishonesty Form” has been received in the Office of the Registrar. The student’s academic advisor(s) and, if applicable, athletic or college-sponsored activity coaches and athletic director will be copied on the notification. Possible sanctions include but are not limited to:
- Warning: a notice in writing to the student that the student has been found responsible for violating the Code of Academic Integrity.
- Grade reduction or course failure. If a grade of "F" is administered for a course before the withdrawal deadline, the student will be notified that the student does not have the option to withdraw from the course with a "W" grade.
- Other Sanctions: additional work assignments, community service, participation or completion of college service or educational program, service to the college and/or other related discretionary assignments.
- After consultation with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs: One or more semesters of academic disciplinary probation with a transcript notation of “Probation: Academic Integrity Violation”
- After consultation with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs: A semester of suspension from the college with the a transcript notation of “Suspension: Academic Integrity Violation”
- After consultation with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs: Dismissal from the college with the a transcript notation of “Dismissal: Academic Integrity Violation”
The Academic Misconduct file is confidential and separate from the student’s permanent academic file. First violations of the Code are a part of this confidential record. Second violations are handled on a case by case basis and will become part of the student’s academic file only in those instances when subsequent offences are serious enough to warrant inclusion.
A course instructor who suspects academic dishonesty may ask the Registrar about the student’s prior record in this area. The sanctions imposed for violations of the Code after the first offense shall become increasingly serious with each offense. If the faculty member becomes aware of two or more violations at the same time (e.g. notices that two papers turned in on different dates were both plagiarized) these shall not be treated as a first offense, but as two separate offenses, both a first offense and a second offense, and sanctions will be imposed accordingly. Ignorance of the Code shall have no effect on the sanctions imposed for any violation.
If the alleged incident of academic dishonesty occurs while using academic support and/or testing services, the college employee (student proctor or other college employee) witnessing or involved in the incident will immediately file a formal report of the suspicions with the department director, the course instructor, and the Registrar, in accordance with the process outlined above.