About the Honor Code

The Honor Code Process relies on the collaboration of the entire university community to be both efficent and effective.

• Any member of the university community may report violations/accusations to the honor council.
  • Click here to view the violation report form.
  • Click here to view the accusation report form.
• Honor investigators gather evidence and investigate allegations of reported violations.
• The adjudication director looks at the evidence and determines whether the accused student will be brought before the hearing panel.
• An accused student is assigned an advisor who is available to the the student throughout the hearing process.

• A closed panel hearing is convened. A member of the university community may accompany the accused student solely for support.
  • Click here to view more detailed hearing procedures.
• Honor investigators present written documentation of their findings and the accused student may make a statement to the panel.
• The deliberations are closed to anyone outside of the panel.
• The Hearing Panel will decide whether the accused student is responsible or not responsible.
• If found responsible the record or the violation is maintained with the individual school/college and at the honor code office.
  • Click here to view the records policy.
• If found responsible, the hearing panel will reconvene to assign non-academic sanctions.

• Either the student/faculty member may initiate an appeal based on certain criteria.
  • Click here to view detailed appeal procedures.
• If found not responsible the record is destroyed

Hearing Procedures

If there is sufficient evidence to go to a hearing, the hearing itself will be conducted according to the following general guidelines. The following also details the Student's Rights during the hearing.:

• The hearing will be closed to the public.
• The accused student may bring an advisor of his/her choosing; however, this advisor will not be allowed to speak to the Hearing Panel during the hearing. The Honor Council will provide and advisor to assist the student through the entire process upon the student's request, and as soon as possible in order to allow the two to consult prior to the hearing.
• The individual making the accusation, whether faculty or student, shall be allowed an advisor of his/her choosing, who will not be allowed to speak to the Hearing Panel during the hearing. This advisor shall be provided upon the request of the person making the accusation. The advisor shall be promptly provided in order to allow the two to meet prior to the hearing.
• The Adjudication Director will call the hearing to order and note the date and file number for the audio recording. He/she will then remind all present that the hearing is strictly confidential
• The Adjudication Director will provide a brief overview of the charges.
• The accused student will then accept or deny responsibility for the alleged Honor Code violation.
• If the student admits to the violation, the student will be allowed to make a statement, and the Hearing Panel may ask questions of the student.
• If the student denies the violation, the Student Investigator will present his/her findings. He/she may then present evidence and call witneses, who may be questioned by the Hearing Panel and the accused student. The accused student will then have the opportunity to present evidence and call witnesses.
• The Hearing Panel will retire to deliberate.
• A finding that a violaiton did occur must be based on a preponderance of evidence and must be reached by a majority vote of the Hearing Panel. If the student is found in violation, the Hearing Panel will vote on non-academic sanctions. Any sanction must be approved by a majority vote of the Hearing Panel. When voting on sanctions, the panel members may take into account previous Honor Code violations as aggravating circumstances.
• If not found in violation of the Honor Code, the accused student will be released of all charges and the student's Honor Code record will be expunged.
• The Hearing Panel may announce the finding and sanction (if a violation was found) immediately after their deliberations, but official notice shall come in writing from the Adjudication Director.
• Notice of finding/action taken will be given to pertinent parties, including, but not limited to:
  • the Accused Student;
  • the Associate/Assistant Dean of the college of the student's primary college/school;
  • the Faculty member of the class where the violation occured.
• In situations where multiple students are accused of the same violation, the Hearing Panel may try the offenses collectively. Students may submit written testimony to the Hearing Panel if they believe they have a significantly different situation from the collective group, and do not wish a hearing in conjunction with other alleged violators.

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Appeal Procedures

Initiation: An appeal must be inititated by the student or faculty member involved with the original case and will be submitted to the Honor Code Office. The Honor Code Office will bring together an Appeals Board. The Appeals Board has the authority to let the decision of the Hearing Panel stand, remand the case to the Hearing Panel, reverse the Hearing Panel's verdict, or modify the non-academic sanction.

Grounds for Appeal: An appeal may be based on only two conditions:

1. Inconsistencies with the established hearing process
2. The emergence of new information/evidence.

Process for Appeal: Faculty and Student appeal forms may be obtained on the Honor Code website or in the Honor Code Office, and must be submitted to the Honor Code office within 10 days of the hearing panel.

Intent: An appeal is not an opportunity for a secondhearing of the case, but rather will be done on the record of the case alone.

Determination: Modification of the Hearing Panel's decisions must be reached by a majority decision.

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