Academic Misconduct Review Procedure

If you discover plagiarism or academic misconduct in a student essay, please follow the following procedures for responding to the student and notifying the appropriate campus personnel. You can also consult Community Standards’ page for more details.

You should begin this procedure only after discussion with First-Year Writing.

Initial Response

  • Gather evidence to support your allegation (instructor should maintain all original materials and does not need to return them to the student)
  • Meet with the student to explain the allegation and of academic misconduct
  • Inform student of rights to contest allegations and to a hearing (student has 5 business days to request a hearing)

Written notification of academic misconduct should include

  • Date, course, place (or situation) and type of academic misconduct
  • Evidence being held that supports allegation
  • Academic consequence to be imposed and date to go into effect
  • Date by which student may contest allegation and request a hearing (5 days from receipt of written notification). This must be done in writing to the instructor. A copy of the request should be sent to Community Standards at community@uconn.edu. (Refer student to Responsibilities of Community Life: The Student Code to review hearing process
  • Notify students that notification will be forwarded to Community Standards or Regional Campus Student Affairs Office.  There is also an online form to complete.
  • Refer to Community Standards (Ashley Vrabely, 486-8402) or Regional Student Affairs Office for questions on process

See sample letter

In addition to this letter, instructors should complete the reporting form provided by the Office of Community Standards and attach any evidence or documentation to this form.

Student’s Rights

  • Contest allegations
  • Be heard
  • Be advised of all evidence and witnesses
  • Submit evidence and bring forth witnesses with direct knowledge of case
  • Decline or refuse to respond to questioning or make a statement
  • Be free of the assumption of “responsible” because of declining or refusing to speak
  • Decline to appear at the hearing, which will be heard in the student’s absence
  • Bring an advisor of choice for consultation purposes only
  • Be allowed to admit responsibility for all allegations

Steps to Hearing Process

  • Instructor forwards written request from a student for a hearing to Community Standards
  • If resolution will not occur until after grading period, enter “I”
  • Community Standards sets up date, time and place for Academic Misconduct Hearing Board and gives written notice to student and instructor
  • The instructor is asked to participate in the hearing
  • Student is responsible to inform his/her witnesses and support person
  • Hearing Board deliberates privately and announces decision
  • If student found responsible, instructor’s sanction imposed
  • If student found not responsible, instructor must reevaluate the student’s course grade
  • Hearing Board may assign additional sanctions based on a student’s conduct history and/or the nature of the offense
  • Hearing Board will inform student of appeals process and will send notification of the Board’s decision to student, instructor, department head and Dean of the school or college