If you find plagiarism, falsification, or cheating as defined by the university’s Student Code – Section VI in a student’s work, first contact the Director of Composition (DOC) or the Associate Director of Composition (ADOC). Do not contact the student, file an Academic Integrity Violation Report, or make notations on the student’s grade until you have discussed the incident with the DOC or the ADOC.

During the initial meeting with the DOC or the ADOC, you will be advised on how to proceed given one of the following scenarios:

• It is determined the incident was not a violation of Student Code – Section VI. During your meeting with the DOC or the ADOC, you may determine that the incident was not a violation of the student code. In these instances, the DOC or the ADOC will advise you on continuing to mentor the student, but you will not file a report.
• It is determined the incident is a violation of the Student Code – Section VI. During your meeting with the DOC or the ADOC, you may determine that the incident appears to be a code violation. From there, the DOC or the ADOC will advise you as you take the following actions:
  • Request a meeting with the student. You may use the email template to request a meeting with the student. Bcc the DOC or the ADOC on your initial meeting request. Please note that the student may elect not to meet with you, but you should request a meeting if you determine the incident is a violation of the student code.
  • Meet with the student to discuss the incident. While meeting with the student, discuss the parts of the assignment that indicate evidence of a violation of the student code. This meeting should focus on understanding the incident and mentoring the student on best practices. The DOC or ADOC will advise you on how to conduct this discussion. Decisions regarding the student’s grade can be communicated in a follow-up email or assignment comment after the meeting; you do not need to communicate any final decisions during the meeting.
  • Follow up with the DOC or ADOC and determine how the violation will impact the student’s grade. After meeting with the student, check in with the DOC or ADOC. Depending on the instance of plagiarism and your discussion with the student, you may consider any of the following actions for the assignment:
    • Ask the student to redo the assignment: You may ask the student to redo the assignment within a given timeframe and grade the resubmission. You may apply a late penalty or other grade deductions as you deem appropriate. If the student does not resubmit within the designated time frame, you may give no credit for the assignment.
    • Assign no credit to the assignment: You may give no credit for the assignment with no option for revision or resubmission.
    • Give the student a failing grade for the course: In rare cases, it may be appropriate to give the student a failing grade in the course. Please consult with the DOC or ADOC before taking this action.
    • Note: The Student Conduct Officer and the university shall determine additional disciplinary action beyond instructor sanction [cite code]
  • Inform the student how the violation will impact their grade. Inform the student through email, a confidential meeting, or a comment on the assignment with a statement explaining how the violation will impact their grade. You may also include a note that they should expect to receive a copy of the Academic Integrity Violation Report.
  • File an Academic Integrity Violation Report. You may access a link to the reporting form at the following website: https://www.usu.edu/intervention/reporting. Once the form is submitted, your role in handling the incident is complete. The university will send a copy of the report to the student and will schedule a meeting with them. What the university will discuss with the student will depend on whether the student has previous or current reports. A notation will be made on the student’s internal record but not on their transcript. Please note that you will not be informed of other actions regarding the report or other sanctions.

A Note on Appeals

Instructors are expected to report whenever they have evidence indicating that a violation of the code has occurred. Per USU Student Conduct policy, students also have the right to an appeal. Appeals are handled by Student Conduct and the Associate Dean. Please note that the appeal process, including the potential granting of an appeal, does not negatively impact your standing as an instructor; student appeals are also not included on an instructor’s department record.