Adjudication Procedures - Academic Integrity Policy

Effective August 26, 2019

The Office of Academic Standards (OAS) is responsible for administering the University’s Academic Integrity Policy. OAS has oversight of the process in the College of Performing Arts (COPA), Eugene Lang College of Liberal Arts, the New School for Social Research, (NSSR), and Parsons School of Design (including Parsons Paris).

The steps below are to be followed in order. If all parties come to agreement at any of the steps, they do not need to proceed further.

Throughout this process where correspondence is indicated, but the method is not specified, university email is used and considered to be a good faith effort of notification on the part of the University. In cases where the sanctions include academic integrity suspension or academic integrity dismissal, students are also be sent notification by express/certified mail.

All time frames indicated by days refer to business days and do not include times when the University’s administrative offices are closed, including weekends and holidays.

Grades modified under the University’s Academic Integrity Policy are not subject to review under the Grade Appeal Policy.

Step 1: Reporter Identifies Potential Violation and Notifies the Office of Academic Standards

A faculty member who suspects that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty notifies OAS by documenting the concern in Stellic using the Notes feature and selecting the Academic Integrity template. The Note should include details of the potential misconduct. When possible, the faculty member should send a copy of the work in question with plagiarized portions highlighted to academicstandards@newschool.edu.

Raising the academic integrity flag sends notification to OAS and one designated representative of the student’s school -- the Student Success Advisor (for COPA, Lang, and Parsons students) or the Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs (for NSSR students); the student does not receive notification of this flag.

Upon flag notification, OAS sends a follow-up email to the instructor to set up a meeting to review the concerns and discuss next steps. If academic dishonesty is alleged on an examination, paper, or creative work due within the last two weeks of classes, the faculty member should submit an incomplete grade until the student can be properly notified and the matter resolved. If grading a major culminating work (for example, a Senior Exhibit, final course paper, Master’s Thesis, or Doctoral Dissertation) which may take longer to evaluate, faculty may request an exception to deadlines through OAS by writing to academicstandards@newschool.edu.

Step 2: Investigation of Potential Violation

OAS’s role is to support faculty in conducting a thorough investigation of the allegations based on information provided (email correspondence, syllabus, copy of the work in question), but no decision will be rendered until after OAS and faculty meet with the student. If the reporter is not the faculty of record, the reporter is also notified of the decision, when appropriate.

Once the investigation is completed, the materials should be forwarded to academicstandards@newschool.edu. If the investigation yields no findings of a violation, the process concludes. Questions on reporting and investigating potential concerns of academic misconduct should be sent to OAS by writing to academicstandards@newschool.edu.

Step 3: Notification to Student

Once the investigation is concluded, OAS schedules an appointment with the student and faculty to discuss the academic integrity concerns. The student must respond within ten (10) days of the notification to schedule a meeting. The meeting can be held in person or remotely. A student who fails to respond in the allotted time is deemed to have waived his/her rights under this policy. If the student does not respond, and the infraction is deemed an actionable offense, the faculty member determines the grade for the assignment and course, and OAS may impose additional sanctions (see Step 5).

Step 4: Meeting with Student; Faculty Grading Determination

Allegations are thoroughly discussed during the meeting with the student, faculty member, and OAS. OAS can offer clarification regarding the policy and process. In all cases where the student is found responsible for violation of this policy, the faculty member determines the grade for the assignment and for the course. Any combination of the following grading determinations may be applied. Faculty may consult with OAS for assistance in crafting appropriate sanctions that align with precedent. Below is a description of the range of sanctioning options.

• Assignment Grade Penalty: The faculty member may choose to lower the grade for the specific assignment containing the academic misconduct (to a maximum penalty of a “0” grade for the assignment).
• Course Grade Penalty: The faculty member may choose to lower the student’s grade for the course in which the violation took place (to a maximum penalty of automatic failure for the course).
• Re-Do Assignment: The faculty member may require the student to re-do the assignment containing academic misconduct (in full or in part), likely with either a grade penalty or a capped maximum grade to ensure equity with students who did not commit an academic integrity violation. Any opportunity to revise an assignment should have a clear due date and should list a consequence for failing to provide a corrected work (usually a “0” grade for the assignment).
• New Assignment: The faculty member may require a new assignment of some kind. This can take the form of an ethics paper, reflection paper, etc. However, it can also involve a new course-content focused assignment that replaces the assignment in which academic misconduct occurred. Any opportunity to revise an assignment should have a clear due date and should list a consequence for failing to provide a corrected work (usually a “0” grade for the assignment).
• No Withdrawal: The faculty member may require that the student not withdraw from the course, ensuring that any academic penalties assessed as sanctions constitute meaningful consequences. Unless “no withdrawal” is stipulated, students may withdraw normally from classes in which they engaged in academic misconduct, removing the net consequences of any academic penalties while continuing to keep the incident on file for record-keeping purposes. If a student withdraws from a course after the drop deadline, the transcript will bear the grade designation W (withdrawal).
• Other Academic Sanction: Faculty may construct any other new and relevant academic sanction deemed appropriate to the offense. The sanction must serve to remove a student’s unfair advantage and/or otherwise clearly help the student learn from the violation as an educational experience, thereby enabling the student to improve overall.
• Incident on File: When students admit responsibility, but there is no course associated with the violation (e.g. if the student is not enrolled in a class but provides unauthorized assistance to another student who is enrolled in a course), no real academic sanctions may be imposed upon the accused. However, the incident will remain on file as a case of academic misconduct, hopefully deterring repeat offenses. If that student commits additional violations, harsher sanctions may be recommended.

The faculty member sends the final grading determination to OAS within five (5) days of the meeting with the student. OAS may impose additional sanctions (see Step 5. The student may either accept responsibility for the infraction(s) or dispute them via the Appeal Procedures below.

In the rare and exceptional circumstances where the Step 4 process cannot occur, OAS notifies the student of the faculty member’s concern that the student has engaged in academic dishonesty and that the matter has been referred to OAS for resolution. The faculty member determines the grade for the assignment and for the course. OAS moves forward with determining a policy violation and may impose any additional sanctions (see Step 5). In such cases, the student may proceed as set forth in the Appeal Procedures below.

Step 5: Review of Faculty Grading Determination and Adjudication of Sanctions by OAS

OAS reviews the faculty member’s grading determination and consults, as needed, with appropriate academic personnel. Based on the faculty member’s grading determination, the nature of the most recent violation as it relates to past violations, consistency across the University, and any other relevant information pertaining to the student’s record at the University, OAS may determine additional sanctions be imposed on the student, including but not limited to: Academic Integrity Warning, Academic Integrity Probation, Academic Integrity Suspension, or Academic Integrity Dismissal. The student may also be required to participate in a Plagiarism workshop offered through the University Learning Center in order to gain more knowledge on proper citation, research techniques, and academic writing.

Range of Possible Outcomes: Outcomes range from “not responsible” to Academic Integrity Warning, Academic Integrity Probation, Academic Integrity Suspension, and Academic Integrity Dismissal.

Academic Integrity Warning

Academic Integrity Warning status is issued upon most first minor offences where an academic integrity violation has been determined. In general, minor offenses are less serious, unpremeditated dishonest acts, involving errors in judgment that, in the faculty member’s professional opinion, violate academic integrity (i.e., student indicates that source of information is not original, but does not follow proper citation procedures; student paraphrases or copies a portion of a document without citing the source, or provides an improper citation). These violations are generally quite limited in extent, occur on a minor assignment or quiz, or constitute a small portion of a major assignment and/or represent a small percentage of the total course work.

Academic Integrity Warning is not noted on the student transcript or in the student’s permanent educational record at the University, but a record of the violation is kept in the Office of Academic Standards. The student may be required to participate in a Plagiarism workshop offered through the University Learning Center. Any future acts of academic dishonesty will result in more severe penalties, including probation, suspension, or dismissal from the university.

Academic Integrity Probation

Academic Integrity Probation status is normally issued for serious first offenses or following a minor first offense where an academic integrity violation has been determined. Serious first offenses are generally premeditated dishonest acts or dishonest acts that directly affects the offenders and/or other students’ grades (i.e. student places his/her name on a written assignment he/she did not write; student cheats or facilitates the cheating of another on an examination in a way that is premeditated). Students on Academic Integrity Probation may remain enrolled in the university only upon compliance with specified academic standards, requirements, or restrictions, for a specified period of time or for the remainder of the time he or she is enrolled at the university.

Academic Integrity Probation is not noted on the student transcript, but a record of the violation is noted in the student’s permanent educational record at the University. The student may be required to participate in a Plagiarism workshop offered through the University Learning Center. Violation of any conditions of Academic Integrity Probation or the policy may result in more serious consequences, normally in the form of suspension or dismissal.

Academic Integrity Suspension

Academic Integrity Suspension is issued for all egregious infractions. Examples of egregious infractions include, but are not limited to: multiple instances of academic dishonesty by a student in a single course, repeated instances of academic dishonesty by a student in different courses, or violation of the academic integrity policy by a student while on Academic Integrity Probation. In cases where the sanction of Academic Integrity Suspension is determined, separation from the university may be deferred to the following semester. Suspension for violation of the academic integrity policy means a loss of student status for a specified length of time with reinstatement thereafter certain, provided that the student has complied with all conditions imposed as part of the suspension and provided that the student otherwise qualifies for reinstatement. Suspension is university-wide, with resultant loss of all student rights and privileges.

Academic Integrity Suspension is noted on student transcripts and in the student’s permanent educational record at the University. A student returning from Academic Integrity Suspension is placed on Academic Integrity Probation for the remainder of the time he or she is enrolled at the university. Violation of the conditions of suspension or of university policies during the period of suspension, or upon return from suspension, may be cause for further disciplinary action, normally in the form of dismissal.

Academic Integrity Dismissal

Academic Integrity Dismissal is issued for all egregious acts of academic dishonesty related to a major culminating work such as a Senior Exhibit, Master’s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation, regardless of previous history, or for a violation of the academic integrity policy upon return from Academic Integrity Suspension. In cases where the sanction of Academic Integrity Dismissal is determined, separation from the university is immediate, unless the student appeals the outcome. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the student will be dismissed immediately upon conclusion of the appeals process. Dismissal for violation of the academic integrity policy means termination of student status with resultant loss of all student rights and privileges.

Academic Integrity Dismissal is university-wide and is noted on student transcripts and in the student’s permanent educational record at the University. A student who has been dismissed may petition for the right to apply for readmission via the readmission process. A student readmitted from an Academic Integrity Dismissal is placed on Academic Integrity Probation for the remainder of the time the student is enrolled at the university.

Step 6: Notification of Sanctions to Student

Recognizing the importance of the decision for the student, OAS notifies the student in writing via university email of the sanction(s) as soon as possible, but not more than twenty (20) days after receipt of the faculty member’s grading determination. In addition, the appropriate school Dean’s offices are notified. In cases where the sanction of Academic Integrity Suspension or Academic Integrity Dismissal is determined, students are also sent notification via express/certified mail to the student’s home address of record. The student can choose to accept the outcome or appeal the outcome (see Appeal Procedures below).

Appeal Procedures

A student who does not agree with the outcome of the adjudication procedures has the right to appeal.

The student may appeal OAS’s decision to the Academic Standards Appeals Committee (ASAC). The student’s appeal must be in writing and sent within ten (10) days of the date of the emailed decision letter. The student’s appeal is reviewed and the student is notified in writing of the decision within twenty (20) business days of receipt of the appeal. ASAC may:

• Uphold the finding, the grading determination, and the sanction
• Uphold the finding, but modify the grading determination and/or sanction
• Dismiss the finding

Note: An appeal may result in a stricter penalty than that applied by OAS.

ASAC is chaired by a non-voting staff member of OAS, who collects any additional information to render a fair judgement and presents the appeal to the other members of the committee. ASAC considers the appeal on the basis of the written record only. ASAC may be comprised of faculty, advisors, administrators, and members of the Dean’s Office of the student’s home division. No member of this committee will have been part of the adjudication process to date.

A copy of the decision is sent to the faculty member who brought the initial allegations, the Office of the Senior Vice President for Student Success, and other offices as appropriate. The decision of the Academic Standards Appeals Committee is final and is not subject to further appeal.