University at Buffalo (UB)
If you suspect that a student may have committed an act of academic dishonesty, follow the steps below to begin the academic integrity process. If you have questions at any step of this process, please reach out to the Office of Academic Integrity at 716-645-2111 or academicintegrity@buffalo.edu. We are here to help.
This chart outlines instructor responsibilities in the academic integrity process. At the conclusion of these steps, the Office of Academic Integrity will pick up the case and handle any future concerns, including student appeals and remediation. Please print this chart for use as a checklist.
For cases involving a large number of students, please contact the Office of Academic Integrity for guidance on process.
Action | Completed |
|---|---|
Review the student template email for more information. | |
Note that if a student does not respond to your request for a meeting within 10 academic days, or if the student doesn't attend a scheduled meeting, you can then determine the sanction in their absence. | |
Be sure to review our template sanction letters for guidance. | |
Complete the Academic Dishonesty Report Form. It is imperative that all cases, regardless of severity be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity via this form. Centralized reporting holds students accountable for academic honesty across the university. As many as 25 students can be reported on the same Academic Dishonesty Report Form if they have the same charge and sanction. For dishonesty cases involving a large number of students, please contact OAI for guidance. |
Academic days are defined as days when classes are in session in fall and spring semesters. They do not include reading or exam days, summer or winter sessions.
Dear Student:
I hope this email finds you well. I am reaching out to you today regarding an academic integrity issue that has come to my attention. I would like to schedule a meeting with you to discuss this matter, which according to the academic integrity policy is the first step in resolving these issues. Please choose one of the following times [insert times] or reply and suggest alternate times when we can meet. You have the right to request a departmental note-taker or to record this meeting, if desired. Please let me know prior to the meeting if you wish to do so.
I appreciate your prompt attention to this issue. If you do not schedule a meeting with me within 10 academic (class) days, I will make a determination on this case in your absence. You can refer to the policy link above to learn more about the academic integrity policy and process.
Sincerely,
You will get an automated email confirming submission of the form. The Office of Academic Integrity will then investigate the student’s overall academic integrity record at the university and contact you if there have been other relevant infractions. You will be copied on correspondence from the Office of Academic Integrity to the student.
The Office of Academic Integrity will copy you on a letter to the student confirming receipt of an appeal and reach out directly if any more information about the case is required. Learn more about the student appeal process.
Remediation is an opportunity for students to learn about the value of academic integrity, why it is vital to uphold and how to ensure academic honesty in their own work. The Office of Academic Integrity can provide remediation, to be completed within 60 days of a sanction, for any undergraduate student who wants their record expunged (for a first offense, non-egregious infraction only) and for any graduate student who is assigned remediation as a sanction. Additionally, all repeat offenders (undergraduate or graduate) will be required by the Office of Academic Integrity to complete the assignment.
Report an incomplete grade (I) until the matter is resolved.
Consultative resolution must be a conversation with a student and cannot be conducted through email or other online communication. If you suspect a student in your online course of academic dishonesty, you must reach out to them within 10 academic days to set up a discussion. If the student is local, the meeting is best done in person. If the student is too far away to come to campus, best practice is to have a video call with the student (through Skype, FaceTime, Webex, etc.). You can ask the student to produce ID at the outset of the call to show that they are the appropriate person to talk to.
No. While a student may decline a meeting, they must be offered the opportunity to speak to you in person on their own behalf.
If a student does not schedule or attend a planned consultative resolution meeting, you can make a decision on responsibility and determine a sanction in their absence. This should be communicated to the student via their UB email within 10 academic days of notification.
The University at Buffalo uses a web-based messaging tool called Maxient. Several units including the Dean of Students Office, Campus Living, Academic Integrity, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Student Conduct use Maxient for the purpose of official email correspondence. Messages from notifications@maxient.com are legitimate.