For Faculty and Staff

Academic or professional misconduct includes but is not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized use of artificially generated content, fabrication of data or records, unauthorized collaboration, resume or credential falsification, unauthorized use of resources, violation of test-taking conditions, or otherwise engaging in activity prohibited by the University or applicable School’s Academic Integrity and Professional Integrity policies.  Please see the “Policies” page for more information on this topic.

Faculty members can contact the Academic Integrity Coordinators for questions and consultation.  You are encouraged to connect with the Academic Integrity Coordinators in the Office of the Provost via email at academicintegrity@wustl.edu or 314-935-7296.   

• Instructors may meet with the students regarding the academic integrity allegation before or after submitting a report for the alleged violation. This is at the discretion of the instructor. If instructors prefer not to meet with the student regarding the alleged violation, they can direct the student to speak with the AIC handling the case. Most faculty find it helpful to direct the student to the AIC who serves as a neutral resource. In addition, the student should not be forced to meet with the instructor.
• You are encouraged to reach out to the Academic Integrity Coordinators to discuss individual cases. AICs can consult and answer any questions, prior to speaking with the student about the potential academic integrity violation.

• When an instructor is not sure about submitting an academic integrity report, help can be requested from Department Chairs, Directors, and colleagues. Instructors can also connect with an Academic Integrity Coordinator to discuss the process. More information regarding the process for the student can be found in the “FAQs for Students” section on this page.
• When in doubt, it is best to consult with an Academic Integrity Coordinator. It is preferred that allegations are brought forward to ensure that the university has a record of the allegation and that the individuals involved receive support.

• When you’re ready to submit a report, you can fill out the form online here: Academic Integrity Report
• Please include a copy of your syllabus, a copy of the assignment directions, any relevant information the student communicated to you, the assignment/exam in question, and any evidence of academic misconduct. The report form will include a section for the “incident description” where you will outline the information and rationale for your belief that there has been a violation of academic integrity.

Yes, a report can always be withdrawn by the instructor. Please contact an Academic Integrity Coordinator to initiate this.

• If a student requests a facilitated conversation with the faculty member who initiated the case, the faculty can decline to participate in the facilitated conversation; the student will then have the option to accept the charges and recommended sanctions or request a hearing with the Academic Integrity Board (AIB) hearing panel.
• If a student opts to have their case heard by the AIB hearing panel, the faculty member will be requested to be present to share evidence and information regarding the violation.

Facilitation offers an opportunity for conversation. During the session, the Academic Integrity Coordinator (AIC) will provide both parties with a chance to offer greater context regarding the nature of the alleged academic integrity violation. The intention is to allow space for individuals to discuss their perspectives and reflect on the situation. If consensus is not reached, then the case will be forwarded to for a hearing.   

The Academic Integrity Coordinator and/or the AI Board may recommend a grade penalty that corresponds with the level of infraction; a level one violation may result in a lowered grade on the assignment, a level two violation may result in a failing grade on the assignment, a level three violation may result in a lowered grade or failing grade in the class. The course faculty will determine grade penalties for the assignment and/or the course.

A case is considered completed when the responding student has 1) either been found “not responsible” or 2) has been found responsible for the policy violation and has completed University sanctions, including any assigned educational remedies.

Upon completion of the case, the Academic Integrity Coordinator and/or the AIB will communicate with the faculty member and recommend a grade penalty that corresponds with the level of infraction. The grade penalty is not considered a University sanction.  If a student is concerned about their grade, they can request to discuss it further with the faculty member. The faculty member will report the grade penalty they assigned to the student to the Academic Integrity Coordinator; this will assist us in tracking data and trends.

If the responding student chooses to move forward with an AIB panel hearing, three members of the Academic Integrity Board (AIB) will convene to hear the academic integrity case. The AIB panel hearing will be chaired by a Student Conduct Officer or an Academic Integrity Coordinator. The reporting party will be asked to share information and respond to questions. The student will be asked to share information and respond to questions. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Panel will determine whether the responding student is more likely than not responsible for the alleged academic integrity violation. If the Panel finds a violation, the Panel will assign sanctions.

The evidence packet includes the relevant documentary evidence that has been provided by the parties.  The evidence packet is provided to both parties, the AIB hearing panel, and the Hearing Chair.  Evidence packets will include the following: 

• A list of the names of the proposed witnesses and the parties’ support persons;
• Copies of proposed relevant documentary, photographic, video, or audio evidence, including relevant communication between the parties;
• Copies of all relevant communication between Academic Integrity in the Office of the Provost and the student respondent.

Faculty are essential to maintaining a culture of academic integrity.  The impact of faculty upon students can be significant, and thus faculty should engage students frequently on the importance of upholding these standards. The Center for Teaching and Learning has established resources and approaches for incorporating discussions of academic integrity into classroom discussions beyond the first day of class.