Academic Integrity - Student Violations Policy

1. An instructor who suspects that a student has committed a violation of the Piedmont University Academic Integrity Policy shall contact the student involved via e-mail within five business days of the instructor’s knowledge of the alleged violation. 
2. The instructor and student will schedule a review of the facts and circumstances of the suspected violation whenever feasible. A student who does not reply to the instructor’s message regarding the alleged infraction within five business days may forfeit their opportunity to respond to the allegation before the instructor takes formal action. 
3. After the review, if the instructor determines that there was no violation of the Academic Integrity Policy — or wishes to address a minor or first-time infraction internally, without a formal charge of academic dishonesty — no further action is necessary. 
4. An instructor who concludes that there has been an incident of academic dishonesty and wishes to report it shall complete and submit an Academic Dishonesty Report Form in Starfish. 
5. The instructor making the complaint will provide the Dean of the college where the course resides, or their designee, with a statement fully describing the alleged act of dishonesty, naming persons involved and witnesses, and listing all physical evidence. All physical evidence is to be secured, if possible, by the Dean or designee. 
6. The instructor will then collaborate with the Dean to determine an appropriate sanction for the offense. 

Sanctions

Sanctions for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will be based on the severity of the infractions and the student’s prior history of academic dishonesty and may include a lowered grade, an F on the specific assessment (quiz, test, project, etc.), an F in the course, or some other reasonable consequence. If a student enrolled in a graduate program earns a final grade of F in the course, the student will be excluded from the graduate program. Students who repeatedly violate the Academic Integrity Policy may be recommended by a Dean to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) for academic exclusion and dismissal from the University. In such event, the Dean would provide the student with written notification of the VPAA’s decision within ten business days of the student’s meeting with the instructor. 

Withdrawal from a course may not supersede any disciplinary measures imposed by the Dean or designee.

Appeals Process

The student may appeal the sanction to the Academic Integrity Subcommittee of the Faculty Senate. This appeal must be submitted in writing to the office of the VPAA (vpaa@piedmont.edu) within five business days of the notification of the sanction. As part of this appeal, the Academic Integrity Subcommittee will consider any new facts or extenuating circumstances that were not brought to light in the initial review. A new review will be conducted within ten business days of submission of the appeal. 

The student may then appeal the decision of the Academic Integrity Subcommittee to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). This appeal must be submitted in writing to the office of the VPAA (vpaa@piedmont.edu) within five business days of the appeal decision from the Academic Integrity Subcommittee. Such an appeal would focus only on procedural due process issues and will be conducted within ten business days of submission of the appeal. 

All academic integrity questions must be resolved prior to a student graduating.