Frequently Asked Questions
General FAQ
The sanction of failure in course or failure with transcript notation (either temporary or permanent), like all sanctions, will be reviewed by the Office of Academic Integrity. If warranted, the sanction of F in course (or F with notation) can override and replace the U.
Oftentimes if students are dishonestly gaining an advantage on an exam or assignment honest students are inadvertently penalized. This happens primarily when assessments are graded “on a curve.” Therefore, we strongly encourage students to step forward and inform their instructor or TA about any cheating they are aware of. At a minimum, the instructor can monitor subsequent exams and assignments more diligently, or design questions in such a way that cheating is discouraged or any advantage mitigated.
The steps a student should follow if charged with a violation are defined in the undergraduate policy and procedures or the graduate policy and procedures. However, students may wish to also consult with the Student Conduct office for clarification or questions regarding this process. If a student chooses to appeal a decision or sanction, the policy defines the steps and timetable to do so. You can learn more about appeals on our How to Appeal page.
Every discipline will adhere to a preferred style manual, even though the principles for citation are largely identical across disciplines. The UB Libraries website offers additional information on properly citing sources. In addition, the Center for Excellence in Writing offers both online information and in-person advice.
Take a look at some additional external resources for citation help.
Holds are automatically placed on student accounts when there is a report of academic dishonesty. This is to prevent a student from dropping the course in which they have an academic integrity case without the instructor’s permission. If a student wants to drop another course, they should contact the Office of Academic Integrity for direction. These holds are removed at the end of the semester and will not prevent the student from registering for future semesters. They are not tied to the optional remediation course.
If remediation is mandatory for your case, you may have a special hold placed on your account from the Office of Academic Integrity. These holds will be lifted after successful completion of the mandatory remediation assignment.
It is the responsibility of all UB students to know and abide by the academic integrity policy. You will be found responsible and face sanctions for any offense, regardless of intent, so please familiarize yourself with the policies and ask your instructors if you are ever unsure about your own work or what behaviors are allowed.
In cases of academic dishonesty, there are two outcomes. First, your instructor will apply a penalty for the dishonest behavior (see our sanctions page for a list of penalties). There is a range of penalties that includes failure in the course with notation on the transcript. If that sanction is applied, your final grade in the course would be an >F< on the transcript and the key would define an >F< as failure due to academic dishonesty. In all other cases (except suspension and expulsion), there is no mark on your transcript.
Rather, the second outcome in an academic dishonesty case is a record on file with the Office of Academic Integrity (OAI). OAI keeps track of all cases of dishonesty and this becomes part of your academic record. Undergraduate students with a first-time offense can choose to complete an academic integrity remediation assignment to remove their record with OAI. This remediation process has no effect on the instructor’s sanction. Additionally, a repeat offense can never be removed from a student’s record.
How to Appeal FAQ
Your case will be reviewed very carefully by the Office of Academic Integrity. If there is reason to grant a hearing, one will be scheduled. If not, the appeal will be denied, and the instructor’s sanction will stand.
No, you should continue taking classes while your violation is being processed.
If you accept the penalty of a Failure in the Course, you may stop attending.
However, if you are planning to appeal, you should continue attending, turn in all work, and take all quizzes/exams. Should you win your appeal, you would need all grades and assignments to be turned in. Do not stop going to classes if you are appealing.
Hearings offer both the student and the instructor the opportunity to present their side of the case, including any evidence they may have. Hearings do not follow traditional rules of law, but instead follow the preponderance of the evidence. This concept implies that the evidence weighs more heavily on one side or the other; it is the committee’s responsibility to see where the preponderance of the evidence lies.
Faculty and students volunteer and/or are nominated to serve on adjudication hearing committees. Each committee must have a minimum of two faculty members and two student members (graduate or undergraduate, depending on the student involved in the case).
Students and instructors are allowed to bring an advisor with them to the hearing, but the advisor may not be an attorney. The advisor is not allowed to speak directly to the committee. Their role will be to advise the student on questions to ask, evidence that may be relevant, etc.
Students have the right to appeal either their finding of responsibility and/or the sanction applied by their instructor (please see our how to appeal page for more information). To do so, students should fill out the Academic Dishonesty Appeal Form. For an appeal to be compelling, it should be a rational explanation and not be based on emotion. The Office of Academic Integrity can only consider the facts of the case.
Instructors do not have to prove that cheating happened “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Rather, the standard is “preponderance of the evidence” or “more likely than not.” In reviewing appeals, the Office of Academic Integrity examines all evidence to see if preponderance falls with the instructor or the student.