Graduate Academic Integrity Procedures

All questions of academic dishonesty will be resolved through consultation between the student and instructorⁱ. Additionally, either the instructor or the student may consult with the Office of Academic Integrity (OAI) for guidance and assistance.

If an instructor has reason to believe a student may have committed an act of academic dishonesty, the instructor shall notify the student within 10 academic daysⁱⁱ of discovery of the alleged incident by email to the student's UB email address. 

If an individual other than the instructor, including other students, faculty or staff members, has reason to believe a student may have committed an act of academic dishonesty, the individual shall notify the instructor or the OAI within 10 academic days of discovery of the alleged incident. 

Once the alleged incident has occurred, OAI applies a registration hold so that the student may not resign from the course without permission of the instructor.

Students have 10 academic days from notification to meet with the instructor for consultative resolution. During the consultation, the instructor will inform the student of their concerns, discuss any relevant evidence, allow an opportunity for the student to respond, and direct them to the Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures. Either party may request departmental note-takers (i.e., staff or faculty, but not teaching assistants) and/or an audio or video recording device may be used to record the consultative resolution meeting. These meetings may occur in person or via video conference.

If the student does not respond within the 10 academic day period or fails to attend the consultative resolution, the instructor has the authority to reach a decision without consulting the student directly.

If, after consultation with the student, the instructor believes the student did not commit an act of academic dishonesty, no sanctions will be imposed, and the student will be notified of that finding by official university email. Procedures end.

If, after consultation with the student, the instructor believes the student did commit an act of academic dishonesty, the instructor has the authority to apply an instructor-level sanction or recommend a higher-level sanction.

All sanctions will be assigned as "pending" status until the OAI confirms that the student has no prior academic integrity infractions. If the student has a prior infraction(s), the sanction may be revised by the OAI.

Within 10 academic days of the consultative resolution meeting, the instructor shall: 

• Notify the student via UB email of a decision, any sanction(s) imposed, and the student's right to appeal. This letter should also be copied to OAI, the department chair, and the School/College dean's office. It is the instructor's responsibility to report the sanction, regardless of severity, to the OAI. 
• File an Academic Dishonesty Report Form to OAI.

The student may appeal the instructor's findings to the OAI by completing the Academic Dishonesty Appeal Form within 10 academic days after the instructor has notified the student of their decision. Students may appeal the charge and/or the sanction.

In cases where the academic integrity penalty affects graduation, transfer status, or eligibility, the student may request an expedited review of their appeal.

In cases where the student seeks to appeal an instructor's charge or sanction, the student and instructor may each provide evidence supporting their position, any relevant documentation, and the names of the potential witnesses to the OAI. The OAI will review all case materials.

The OAI reviews all appeals for the standard of preponderance of evidence. If the OAI finds that preponderance falls with the instructor, the OAI will notify the student and the instructor via UB email addresses within 10 academic days of appeal, that the charge and/or sanction(s) are upheld. Student appeal procedures ahead.

If the OAI finds cause to further consider the circumstances of the case, the OAI will notify the student and instructor via UB email addresses within 10 academic days of appeal that an Adjudication Committee will be assembled.

The OAI will assemble an Adjudication Committee. Hearings may occur in person or via video conference. In exceptional circumstances, such as where either party is considered to pose a physical threat to the other or to the committee, the chair of the committee may require that either principal participate remotely.

All relevant materials are shared with the instructor, the student, and the hearing committee at least 72 hours prior to the start of the hearing. Hearings shall take place on academic days unless all principals agree otherwise.

The hearing shall be conducted in a fair and expeditious manner, but shall not be subject to the rules governing a legal proceeding. The technical and formal rules of evidence applicable in a court of law are not applicable at academic integrity hearings, and the committee may review all relevant and reliable information that will contribute to an informed final decision. When considering the charge, the committee shall only examine information relevant to the current alleged misconduct. Information regarding a student's prior academic misconduct cannot aid in determining whether the student is responsible for violating academic integrity in the current case. However, such history may be introduced during the sanctioning phase of the case under review. 

At the hearing, both principals present their positions and all involved have the opportunity to raise questions. 

Each principal shall have the right to have one advisor present. In no such case shall the advisor be an attorney, unless they are a member of the UB faculty who is not acting in a legal capacity on behalf of a principal. An advisor may not speak on behalf of a principal or otherwise address members of the hearing committee.

At the conclusion of the hearing, the committee will meet privately to deliberate the case. All hearings and committee meetings shall be confidential.

The committee will provide the student and instructor (and in cases of suspension or expulsion, the department chair and the school/college dean), with the hearing outcome within 10 academic days of the final meeting of the committee.

The decision made by the Adjudication Committee may take one of three forms:

• Findings overturned, no sanctions. When there is no preponderance of evidence that academic dishonesty occurred, no sanctions will be imposed. The student is thus exonerated, and any documentation related to the case within the OAI will be expunged.
• Findings sustained, sanctions sustained. When there is preponderance of evidence that academic dishonesty occurred, sanctions are upheld as previously enacted or recommended.
• Findings sustained, sanctions revised. When there is preponderance of evidence that academic dishonesty occurred, but a different sanction from the one originally enacted by the instructor is deemed more appropriate, sanctions may be revised. This finding may involve an alternative sanction that is either more or less severe from the one originally enacted.

The decision of the committee is final, and no further appeal is available.

ⁱFor the purposes of this policy, the term "instructor" is defined as the instructor of record, a staff member, or their appropriate designee.

ⁱⁱAcademic days are defined as weekdays, when classes are in session, not including the summer or winter sessions as defined by the University Academic Calendar. Days in the final exam period and Reading Days are also not considered academic days. With the agreement of all principals and the OAI, proceedings may continue during non-academic days.