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INTRODUCTION
It is the policy of Texas A&M International University that all faculty, administrators, staff, and students conduct themselves in a manner that does not compromise the values, integrity, reputation, and public trust of this University. In particular, the TAMIU Honor Code is set forth in the following pages in order to give all employees and students general notice of prohibited academic conduct. It is the responsibility of TAMIU faculty, staff, administration, and students to become familiar with the information presented in the TAMIU Honor Code and to observe all regulations and procedures relating to the Code. In no case will the Honor Code be waived or an exception be granted because any party pleads ignorance of or contends he or she was not informed of the regulations and procedures.
The Honor Council consists of faculty and students who have been elected by the faculty at large, appointed by the Provost or appointed by the Vice President for Student Success. The Honor Council serves to provide faculty and students with a means by which they may report academic dishonesty, to provide students with a means of appealing charges of academic dishonesty, to serve as an initial hearing body for academic cases outside of the classroom, and to provide the Provost with recommendations regarding general academic sanctions or remedial efforts.
THE TAMIU HONOR COUNCIL
Mission Statement It is the mission of the TAMIU Honor Council to serve as a centralized system established to respond fairly to academic violations of the TAMIU Honor Code.
Essential Functions of the Honor Council The Honor Council serves to provide faculty and students with a means by which they may report academic dishonesty, to provide students with a means of appealing charges of academic dishonesty, and to provide the Provost with recommendations regarding general academic sanctions or remedial efforts.
The Honor Council shall have the authority to create processes and operating procedures to implement the Honor System and to enforce the rules described in the following sections. Through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, this Council shall serve as an initial hearing body for cases involving academic integrity outside the scope of a course offered at TAMIU, and as an appellate body for students charged with violating the Honor Code during a course offered at TAMIU. The Honor Council will also be the central body responsible for maintaining records and for coordinating communication, prevention, training, remediation, and adjudication efforts for the Honor System. All proposed revisions to Honor Code will be submitted to Faculty Senate for review and disposition.
Membership of the Honor Council The Honor Council reports to the Provost.
The Honor Council will consist of at least 10 full-time faculty members and 15 University students. Five members are the required minimum for quorum to be achieved, of which must include two members from each constituency (faculty and students).
At the first meeting of each year, the Honor Council will elect a Chair and a Vice-Chair. A faculty member will chair the Honor Council with the Director of Student Conduct and Community Engagement serving as co-chair absent voting privileges, and the vice-chair shall be a student.
Voting members include: a) At least ten full-time faculty members (nine elected by the Faculty through the Faculty Senate election process, one appointed by the Provost) b) At least fifteen TAMIU students, including at least one graduate student (twelve appointed by the VP of Student Success and three appointed by the Provost) c) Members must be elected and appointed by Sept. 1 of each academic year. Faculty serve two-year terms; student members serve one-year terms. Both faculty and student representatives may serve more than one term on the Honor Council. d) If faculty or student resigns or cannot complete term, a new member will be elected/appointed to finish the initial term. e) The Honor Council will hold general meetings at least twice (two times) a semester. f) General meetings and trainings are considered mandatory. In addition, all members are expected to attend at least one hearing per long-semester. Failure to adhere to mandatory general meetings and trainings will trigger review of membership by the Honor Council. g) A member may not vote when a case is considered a conflict of interest or may not be fair and impartial due to the nature of the case.
The Honor Council may consult with The Texas A&M University System’s legal representative through the Office of the Provost as needed. A legal representative from the A&M System will serve on the Honor Council in situations where there are obvious legal issues and concerns.
Responsibilities of the Honor Council Members of the Honor Council are expected to attend all general meetings and trainings, including one hearing per long-semester, of the Honor Council and to fulfill the following duties: a) Serve as an educator – inform students, faculty, staff, and administrators about the TAMIU Honor System and its mission and policies; promote academic integrity on campus. b) Serve as a hearing panel member – hear all information and render decisions on whether a student is responsible for violation. If the student is found responsible for the violation, the Honor Council will reaffirm the faculty member’s findings and issue a fair and educational sanction. c) Serve as a case investigator – investigate and gather information with reporter(s), witness(es), and alleged violator(s) as coordinated with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. This duty will include the ability to request information in writing from faculty, witness(es), and alleged violator(s) as is necessary to ensure a fair hearing.
The Role of the Chair and Vice-Chair The duties of the Chair will be to call regular meetings, conduct meetings, serve as the official liaison with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, and provide leadership to the Council.
a) The Chair shall be selected from the faculty members of the Honor Council, and the Vice-Chair shall be selected from the student members of the Honor Council. b) The Chair will present all cases to the Honor Council. c) The Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement will provide notification of hearing date and time to student within ten University business days upon receiving notice from the student requesting a hearing by the Honor Council and letter of acknowledgement by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. d) The Chair shall call a hearing to order. Should the Chair be unable to meet his/her obligations, the Vice-Chair will perform the duties of the Chair. e) In the absences of the Chair and Vice-Chair, the Chair will designate a Chair Pro-temp.
The Role of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement In coordination with the Honor Council, the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement will confer with the Chair of the Honor Council to assess current academic cases involving students and will serve as the facilitator and investigator of information. The Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement will be responsible for the following:
a) Gather information based on submission of the sanction letter, and supporting documents submitted by the faculty member. b) Administer a judicial hold on the student file while the case is adjudicated and sanctions are imposed. c) Serve the role of record keeper and case management for all Honor Council meetings. d) Notify the student of the outcome of the Honor Council meeting. e) Include the faculty member, department/division Chair, Dean, and Provost as recipients of both the initial letter to the alleged student respondent and the final outcome notification letter.
If the student fails to respond to the letter, the student waives his/her right to a hearing by the Honor Council, and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement will retain the case for record. Student appeals of original allegation of academic misconduct must be submitted in writing within ten University business days to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement for Honor Council review.
FACULTY, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF REPORTING OF HONOR CODE VIOLATIONS
Faculty (meaning any individual listed as the teacher of record for a course at the University, including adjuncts), administrators, and staff share in the responsibility and authority to challenge and make known acts that violate the TAMIU Honor Code.
Responsibilities of Faculty Faculty are expected to take proactive steps to promote academic integrity including, but not limited to: a) Adding language to their syllabi that describes prohibited academic behavior and the consequences of such activity. b) Having an open discussion about academic integrity with students in their courses early in the semester. c) Enforcing prohibitions against academic dishonesty as required by the TAMIU Faculty Handbook. d) Enforcing specified grade penalties for cheating or plagiarism, as outlined in their syllabi or as required by their department, college, or the TAMIU Faculty Handbook.
Upon finding a violation of the Honor Code, a faculty member has the responsibility to: a) Assess the situation and impose an academic sanction on the student. b) Send a sanction letter to the student’s TAMIU email account, within 10 University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation and arrange for a conference with the student, if at all possible. c) Copy the Provost, Chair, and Dean of the department, the Office of the Registrar, the Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies and Research (if the student is in Graduate School), and the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement on the sanctioning letter (email). d) Submit copies of coursework, and the source of academic misconduct, to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement through the “Report It” system online within 10 University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation.
All breaches of the Honor Code and violations of academic integrity must be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement through the Reporting System (www.tamiu.edu/reportit) within ten University business days of the discovery of the alleged violation.
Responsibility of Academic Administrators and Staff Academic administrators and staff are expected to take proactive steps to promote academic integrity including, but not limited to:
Academic administrators and staff are expected to provide support to the faculty and the students in enforcing the Honor Code. Specifically, they should encourage faculty to be proactive in informing students about the Honor Code and in teaching students appropriate ways to conduct and acknowledge research. Academic Administrators should also provide strong support to faculty who are appropriately and fairly enforcing the Honor Code.
Staff, which includes graduate assistant teaching (GAT), graduate assistant research (GAR) and graduate assistant non-teaching (GANT), must report allegations of academic misconduct to the faculty of record in which the alleged misconduct occurred.
Information shared with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services is confidential.
Student Reporting of Honor Code Violations
Student Reporting Options Students have two options when reporting an alleged violation. They may report an alleged violation either to the Honor Council through the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement, or the faculty of the course in which the alleged violation occurred. Initiating formal procedures is a necessary and obligatory remedy when other methods are inappropriate or have failed (e.g., drawing attention to a suspected violation, peer pressure, etc.).
If a student is alleged to have violated the Honor Code but the class, department, and faculty cannot be identified, charges may be brought by anyone who has knowledge of the violation.
False and malicious reporting of an incident shall be considered a violation of the Honor Code, and should be adjudicated by the Honor Council and Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement.
Student Reporting Formats There are three student-reporting formats for the Honor Code violations: (1) general reporting, (2) confidential reporting, and (3) anonymous reporting. Each reporting format will initiate some action by the Honor Council and can potentially lead to the initiation of a case. All reports must be made in writing.
a) General Reporting - General reporting constitutes a submission of a report in which the reporting party is willing to fully identify him/herself to all involved in the case. This is the preferred reporting format and will ensure that all facts are obtainable. b) Confidential Reporting - Confidential reporting constitutes a submission of reports in which the reporting parties are willing to provide their names to faculty and/or the Honor Council but wish to remain confidential through the proceedings of the case. Confidential reporting allows faculty and/or the Honor Council to contact the reporting party to gather further information when necessary. c) Anonymous Reporting - Anonymous reporting constitutes a submission of a report in which the reporting party desires to remain anonymous. This report will be considered a tip and handled as such. The reporting party will not be identifiable and cannot be contacted for further information on the case. An anonymous tip is not sufficient ground to initiate a charge; however, the tip can initiate an investigation.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT PROCEDURES Hold on Academic Record A hold will be placed on a student's University record while one or more of the following are pending: disciplinary proceedings, expulsion, outstanding sanctions, dismissal, separation, suspension, campus banishment, deferred suspension, conduct probation, honor code probation, and/or interim suspension. Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement (SCCE) Process The student will receive a notification via University email or in person informing the student an academic misconduct charge has been brought against him/her. The SCCE will schedule an appointment with student respondent to provide his/her account of the events. The following will then proceed:
Student Advisor Recognizing that participating in the student academic misconduct process can be a challenging experience for any student, a student can seek the assistance of an advisor.
An advisor must be an administrative official, faculty member, or student of the University.
The advisor, upon request of the student, may:
The advisor shall not speak for the student respondent, but rather assist the student in preparing for the academic misconduct appeal. More information on advisor expectations is available below.
Academic Misconduct Process
Students are expected to pay all financial obligations to the University when due. All charges shall be presented to the student respondent in written form via University email. The student respondent will be given ten University business days to request an Honor Council Hearing as of the date of the faculty and/or SCCE notice. Honor Council appeal hearings shall be conducted by the following guidelines:
Information shared with the Office of Student Counseling and Disability Services is confidential.
SANCTIONS FOR VIOLATIONS OF THE HONOR CODE
Instances of academic misconduct represent behavior that is of an especially serious nature. Sanctions assigned to instances of academic misconduct should convey the message that this type of behavior can serve as a destructive force within the academic community. However, a wide range of sanctions can be employed in order to strike an appropriate balance between sending a message of accountability and enhancing a violator’s moral and cognitive development. While this list is not designed to be exhaustive, it demonstrates the wide range of sanctions that can be utilized to respond to findings of responsibility for academic misconduct.
Grade Sanctions Faculty alone are responsible for assigning grade penalties in their courses for violations of the Honor Code.
a) The following are possible sanctions for academic dishonesty within a single course. These are non-binding recommendations. Faculty retain the right to assign grade penalties as deemed appropriate for their course.
b) If the faculty member determines that assigning a grade of F to the course is the appropriate penalty and this action is reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement prior to the deadline for dropping courses in the stated semester, the student forfeits his/her right to drop the course in question.
General Sanctions A student may face general sanctions in addition to any grade penalty imposed by a faculty member. The Honor Council may make a request to the Provost that one of the following actions outlined below be taken. The Honor Council request must be made within ten University business days of receiving the faculty member’s report. The Provost will notify the student within ten University business days of receiving the request of the Honor Council.
a) Any undergraduate student in any level course who is reported for a second offense will automatically have his/her case reviewed by the Honor Council for possible assessment of additional sanctions, regardless of whether the student appeals the accusation of plagiarism/cheating or not. In all cases in which there are multiple reports against an individual student, the Honor Council will initiate a new complaint/report, for which said student will have the same rights of appeal as in any other reported academic violation. b) Any graduate student who is reported for a first offense will automatically have his/her case reviewed by the Honor Council for possible assessment of additional sanctions, regardless of whether the student appeals the accusation of plagiarism/cheating or not. In all cases in which there is a report against an individual graduate student, the Honor Council will initiate a new complaint/report, for which said graduate student will have the same rights of appeal as in any other reported academic violation. c) For a student in a 1000 or 2000-level course with a second violation or a second offense in the same semester, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an F in the course and the student may face suspension for one long semester (fall or spring). d) For a student in a 3000 or 4000-level course with a second violation or a second offense in the same semester, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an F in the course and the student will be suspended one academic year (including summer). e) For a graduate student with a first violation, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an F in the course and suspension for one academic year (including summer). (Refer to the Graduate Handbook). f) For a student with violations beyond those stipulated in points c-e above, the standard sanction shall be the grade penalty of an F in the course and expulsion from the University.
The recommendations below are additional potential sanctions that a student found responsible for academic dishonesty may face. g) Recommendation to the Provost for expulsion of the student from the specific program of study or from the University. h) Recommendation to the Provost for Honor Code suspension of the student from the specific program of study or from the University. i) Probation for Academic Dishonesty with a statement of the consequences for additional infractions and a description of the conditions, which must be met to end probationary status. j) Required completion of an appropriate training or remediation program, whether or not probationary status is imposed. k) Other sanctions as deemed necessary.
A student who is on Honor Code probation is subject to the following restrictions: l) Ineligibility to hold an office in any student organization recognized by the University or to hold any elected or appointed position within the University. m) Ineligibility to compete in intercollegiate athletic activity. n) Ineligibility to represent the University in any capacity, including representing the University at any official function. o) Ineligibility to receive a University-administered scholarship or fellowship when the Honor Code probation is in place for longer than one semester.
Additional restrictions or conditions also may be imposed, depending on the timing, nature and severity of the misconduct. Examples are inability to pre-register, to receive an official transcript, or to participate in commencement exercises. The Honor Council will disclose the student’s academic misconduct outcome to persons who meet the definition of a school official who has a legitimate educational interest in the record and/or who are performing a task that is specific to the sanction imposed.
APPEAL PROCESS
A student who is found responsible for an Honor Code violation, assessed a sanction, and has yet to appeal, has ten University business days from the date of notification of outcome to file an appeal of the findings. The appeal must be stated in writing and addressed to the chair of the Honor Council in care of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. The chair will determine if the appeal merits a hearing.
Appeals of Faculty Findings Faculty alone are responsible for assigning grade penalties in their courses for violations of the Honor Code. A student’s appeal of a faculty member’s charge of academic dishonesty must be based on one of the following reasons:
a) Insufficient or misinterpreted evidence that led to the initial finding of the violation of the Honor Code. b) Substantial new evidence not available at the time of the original faculty decision. In this case, the Honor Council will consider new information that is sufficient to alter a decision or other relevant facts not known to the person appealing at the time of the original hearing.
Honor Council Findings The Honor Council will hear the appeal and assess a finding of “responsible” or “not responsible” of academic misconduct. The Honor Council will notify the student, the faculty member, the chair of the department, the dean and the Provost of its findings. If the Honor Council assesses a finding of “responsible,” the student may appeal following the appeal process defined below.
The Honor Council will disclose the student’s academic misconduct outcome to persons who meet the definition of a school official who has a legitimate educational interest in the record and/or who are performing a task that is specific to the sanction imposed.
Should such an appeal be successful, the faculty member may assess the Honor Council’s findings and recommendations. If the faculty member declines the recommendation of the Honor Council and refuses to change the grade, the student may appeal to the chair of the department to initiate the grade appeal process.
Appeal to Provost of Honor Council Decisions In the event that the Honor Council upholds the faculty member’s original charge, a request for appeal may be made in writing to the Provost. The request must be submitted within ten University business days after notification of the Honor Council’s decision.
There are four bases of appeal: a) Substantial new evidence not available at the time of the original Honor Council hearing. The Provost will consider new information that is sufficient to alter a decision or other relevant facts not known to the person appealing at the time of the original hearing. b) Procedural irregularities: The Provost will determine whether the original hearing was conducted fairly in light of the charges and evidence presented, and in conformity with prescribed procedures giving the accused student a reasonable opportunity to prepare and present rebuttal of allegations. c) The sanction is not commensurate with the violation: The Provost will determine whether the sanction(s) imposed were appropriate for the violation of the Honor Code, which the student was found to have committed. d) The finding of responsibility is inconsistent with the facts presented in the hearing: The Provost will determine whether the decision reached regarding the accused student was based on a preponderance of evidence, that is, whether the facts in the case were sufficient to establish that a violation of the Honor Code occurred.
After receiving the written request for an appeal, the Provost and/or his/her designee may: 1) Deny the request for an appeal and the Honor Council decision will be final. 2) Accept the appeal and ask the Honor Council to reconvene and hear the case again with the new information.
Appeal of Sanctions other than Separation from the University If the Provost and/or his/her designee finds that there is adequate basis for an appeal: a) The Provost will hear the case and render a decision. b) The Provost’s decisions are final.
Appeal of Separation from the University A student who has been assessed by the Provost on a recommendation by the Honor Council of a sanction of expulsion, dismissal, or suspension from the University has ten University business days upon receiving notification of separation from the University to appeal sanction. a) The Provost will hear the case and render a decision. b) The SCCE will notify the student of the decision rendered by the Provost. c) The decision of the Provost is final.
Case Information and Confidentiality Procedures
Members of the Honor Council may provide each other, faculty, staff, and students involved in a particular case, or outside parties connected to the situation, with information as is necessary to protect the health, safety, and privacy of the student or other persons. They may also provide the same constituencies with information to generate a course of action in accordance with applicable legal and professional standards of confidentiality. These standards include the release of information pursuant to the Texas Open Records Act and Access to Student Records Pursuant to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Privacy Act of 1974.
The Honor Council will disclose the student’s academic misconduct outcome to persons who meet the definition of a school official who has a legitimate educational interest in the record and/or who are performing a task that is specific to the sanction imposed.
Records Retention a) All case files are held by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. 1) If a student wants to review his/her file, a written notice is required. 2) Student may review file only in the presence of a member of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. b) For the benefit of the Honor Council, a set of records of all prior meetings will be kept by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement. c) Student records will be retained as required by The Texas A&M University System Records Retention Schedule.
The Division of Student Success and Office of Student Conduct and Community Engagement uphold the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in all matters.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THE TAMIU STUDENT HANDBOOK
The information provided above is from Article 10 of the TAMIU Student Handbook, Academic Conduct Proceedings. Faculty members wishing additional information regarding sanctions for Honor Code violations may wish to consult TAMIU Student Handbook Article 11, Sanctions, and Article 12, Disclaimers. |
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