Faculty Procedures for Harpur College Academic Honesty Violations
Integrity and trust are fundamental to Harpur College and Binghamton University’s academic mission, as described in the University’s Academic Honesty Code in the Academic Guide. If you believe academic dishonesty may have occurred in your class, first contact the Chair of the Harpur College Academic Honesty Committee or Harpur Honesty to discuss next steps.
For minor violations involving a student with no prior offenses, instructors may use the Admission of Dishonesty Form.
- By signing the form, the student accepts responsibility and the assigned course penalty. A temporary note is placed in the student’s file and is removed at graduation if no additional violations occur.
Serious violations and cases involving students with prior offenses, move forward to a formal hearing (see below). These matters are reviewed through either an administrative or Academic Honesty Board hearing, where the appropriate penalties are determined.
1. Determine Whether a Given Violation is a Category I or Category II Violation
Contact Kaitlin Maynard in the Harpur College Dean’s Office at honesty@binghamton.edu to see whether the student has a previous violation on file. If the student does have a previous violation, then the allegation is automatically considered a Category II violation.
If there is no previous violation on record, then it is at the instructor’s discretion as to whether the alleged offense constitutes a Category I or Category II violation. There are two factors which should enter into this decision:
If there is no previous violation on record, then it is at the instructor’s discretion as to whether the alleged offense constitutes a Category I or Category II violation. There are two factors which should enter into this decision:
A. The severity of the violation. Here you might consider the level of premeditation involved in the violation, the extent of the material copied, or the value of the assignment, among other factors.
B. The nature of the violation. According to the university’s Student Academic Honesty Code, some violations are considered Category I in nature, some may be either Category I or II, and some are automatically Category II. See the University’s Academic Honesty Code(opens in a new window) for more information.
i. Unauthorized Collaboration, Category I
ii. Multiple Submission of Work, Category I
iii. Plagiarism, Category I or Category II
iv. Cheating, Category I or Category II
v. Fabrication and Misrepresentation, Category I or Category II
vi. Forgery, Category II
vii. Sabotage, Category II
vii. Bribery, Category II
ix. All second or subsequent violations are Category II, regardless of the nature of the
violation.
2. Meet with the Student to Discuss the Allegation
Beyond simply informing the student of your suspicions, there are three other reasons why we request that the instructor-of-record meet with the student prior to submitting the allegation to the Harpur Dean’s Office:
A. To offer the Admission of Dishonesty Form. In the case of a Category I violation, it may be at the instructor's discretion to offer the student the Admission of Dishonesty Form. The form, once filled out and signed, is kept on file in the Harpur College Dean’s Office and on a Provost’s Office database until the student’s graduation from Binghamton or for six years following the semester or term of the violation. The form is intended as a warning. We do not share the form with any outside institution or agency. The form is also only discussed with other Binghamton faculty and staff on a need-to-know basis (i.e. in the event of a subsequent violation).
By signing the form, the student is admitting to a specific violation of the academic honesty code (listed above) and agreeing to accept whatever penalty you’ve chosen to impose in the class. Students have a period of 30 days in which to retract their signatures for whatever reason.
Students should be informed that, if they choose not to sign the form or retract their signature, the case will go to an academic honesty hearing (and thus become a Category II violation). If found to have violated the honesty code, the student will face administrative penalties in addition to whatever academic penalty you’ve assigned.
B. To discuss academic dishonesty generally with the student. It is safe to assume that there is no better person to inform a student about the ethics and consequences of cheating than the faculty member. Hopefully such conversations about the importance of original work have a real impact and might therefore serve to deter future violations. Occasionally, this is the only time in the honesty process where a student experiences a “teachable moment.”
C. To determine the student’s response to the allegation. In the case of a Category II violation, students face either an Administrative or Board hearing. Deciding the appropriate course of action is conditioned by whether the student admits to violating the honesty code.
3. If Category II, Submit a Letter with Supporting Documents
A violation is considered “Category II” if (1) the student refuses to sign the Admission of Dishonesty Form, (2) the instructor decides that the severity of the violation merits Category II status, or (3) the student has a previous violation on record. In such cases, a letter containing the following information should be submitted along with any supporting documentation to honesty@binghamton.edu:
A. The student’s name and B#
B. The number and title of the course
C. A copy of the course syllabus
D. The date and semester of the alleged dishonesty
E. A brief description detailing the discovery and further investigation of the dishonesty
by the instructor of record
F. A summary of any conversations with the student in chronological order, beginning
with the discovery of the dishonesty and ending with the submission of materials to
the chair; this should include the student’s response to the charges
G. A summary of the observations of TAs or others who may have observed the dishonesty
H. A summary of written instructions and/or classroom discussions during the course
pertaining to academic dishonesty
This letter acts as the official statement from the instructor of record. It will be made available to either the Hearing Administrator or the Academic Honesty Board prior to the hearing.
4. If the Term Ends, Assign the Student an Incomplete
It is often the case that the administrative process for Category II violations extends beyond the close of the semester. Usually, a hearing is scheduled two weeks after receipt of the charge by the Harpur Dean’s Office. The Associate Dean then has a period of six weeks to render a final decision in the case, and the student can then appeal. We ask that you assign a grade of incomplete (“I”) until such time as the case has been officially closed. If the student is found to have violated the honesty code, then the original in-course penalty can be applied retroactively. Incompletes may also need to be assigned for Category I violations occurring at the end of the semester if the Admission of Dishonesty Form is not signed prior to the grade conferral deadline.
5. The Hearing Process
Depending on the nature of the offense and/or the student’s response to the charge, Category II cases go either to an Administrative Hearing or to an Academic Honesty Board Hearing. The student may request to have the faculty member present for an Administrative Hearing; Board Hearings must have the faculty member present to proceed.
A. Administrative Hearing: This hearing is scheduled for less contentious cases where there is clear physical evidence demonstrating a violation of the honesty code and/or the student admits to the violation.
B. Board Hearing: This hearing is scheduled for cases where there is less physical evidence involved and/or the student denies having committed the violation. The Honesty Board is made up of a chair, a secretary, at least two faculty members, and at least one undergraduate student representative.
Within six weeks of the hearing date, the student receives a letter from the Associate Dean detailing the Administrator’s/Board’s recommendation and issuing a final decision in the case. Instructors of record are copied on the final decision letter. If found to have violated the honesty code, students face the following administrative penalties in addition to any in-course penalty imposed by the instructor:
A. Honesty Probation: Probation status is reportable to outside institutions, but carries no other administrative consequences. Penalties for subsequent honesty violations will be more severe when a student is on honesty probation.
B. Honesty Probation Plus Transcript Notation: In addition to what is noted in (a), the student receives a notation on their transcript for up to four semesters stating that they were found to have violated the university’s Student Academic Honesty Code.
C. Suspension: The student is not allowed to take courses at Binghamton University for a period of 1 or 2 semesters. During this time, the student can take courses at other institutions for credit. Graduating students will have their degree conferral delayed for a specific period. A penalty of suspension includes transcript notation for up to four semesters.
D. Expulsion: The student is permanently expelled from Binghamton University. A penalty of expulsion includes transcript notation for two years.
All penalties resulting from a Category II violation remain on record for six years following the student’s absence from the University whether as a graduate or not, except for expulsion which remains on record indefinitely. The university will report the academic honesty offense if requested in a Dean’s Certification Letter from another institution, or if the student submits a written authorization for release of disciplinary information to law schools, medical schools, state bar committees, other professional licensing entities, etc.
6. Appeal
Students have 14 calendar days from the distribution of the Associate Dean’s final decision to appeal. Appeals are sent, along with the original case file, to the Dean of Harpur College for consideration.
For More Information
Questions about this process or academic honesty in general can be directed to the Harpur College Dean's Office. For information about Binghamton University's Academic Honesty Policy please visit the Provost's Academic Honesty page.