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6,502: Academic Standards

Last Revised: April 1999

Specific to the academic pursuits of students, the University of Nevada, Reno, believes the maintenance of academic standards is a joint responsibility of the students and faculty of the University. Freedom to teach and to learn are dependent upon individual and collective conduct to permit the pursuit and exchange of knowledge and opinion. Faculty have the responsibility to create an atmosphere in which students may display their knowledge. This atmosphere includes an orderly testing room and sufficient safeguards to inhibit dishonesty. Students have the responsibility to rely on their knowledge and resources in the evaluation process. The trust developed in the maintenance of academic standards is necessary to the fair evaluation of all students.

Academic dishonesty is against university, as well as the system community, standards. Academic dishonesty is defined as: cheating, plagiarism or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. Plagiarism is defined as submitting the language, ideas, thoughts or work of another as one's own; or assisting in the act of plagiarism by allowing one's work to be used in this fashion. Cheating is defined as: (1) obtaining or providing unauthorized information during an examination through verbal, visual or unauthorized use of books, notes, text and other materials; (2) obtaining or providing information concerning all or part of an examination prior to the examination; (3) taking an examination for another student, or arranging for another person to take an exam in one's place; (4) altering or changing test answers after submittal for grading, grades after grades have been awarded, or other academic records once these are official.

Disciplinary procedures for incidents of academic dishonest may involve both academic action and administrative action for behavior against the campus regulations for student conduct. The procedures involve the determination by the faculty member pursuing concerns over alleged cheating or plagiarism as to whether administrative action is warranted, in addition to making a determination as to any academic consequence. Academic action may include: (1) canceling the student's enrollment in the class without a grade; (2) filing a final grade of "F"; (3) awarding a failing mark on the test or paper in question; (4) requiring the student to retake the test or resubmit the paper.

If the student wishes to appeal the academic action of the faculty member a special hearing board will be constituted to investigate the incident and determine whether the student is responsible for dishonesty and, if so, the appropriate academic action as a consequence for this act. The student will be entitled to receive notice of the academic charges and the opportunity to reply to or to rebut the charges before an unbiased board.

Undergraduate Academic Dishonesty Procedures

A faculty member who suspects a student of academic dishonesty must notify the student of the charge and proposed sanction, in writing, no later than 10 calendar days after the alleged action or 10 calendar days after the last day of instruction, whichever comes first. Notification must be hand delivered or sent by certified mail. A copy of the notification to the student must be sent to the director of Student Judicial Affairs. The student has 10 calendar days to appeal after receipt of the notification.

1. If the student admits guilt, or fails to appeal, the faculty member may impose an academic sanction commensurate with the offense. In addition, the director of Student Judicial Affairs may impose an appropriate disciplinary sanction.
   1. If the student accepts the sanctions the matter is ended.
   2. If the student appeals the sanction insofar as it affects the final grade, the grade appeal process may be invoked. Students may appeal a final grade by filing out an Intent to Appeal a Grade form with the appropriate department chair within 35 calendar days of issuance of official grades by the registrar. Students who do not file the proper forms within the specified deadline forfeit the right to appeal the grade. Students who wish to appeal a disciplinary sanction may do so through the director of Student Judicial Affairs. (If the alleged dishonesty occurs during the summer session and the student cannot be located, the appeals date will be extended to the last day of late registration in the next regular semester.)
2. If the student denies the charge, the student must state this, in writing, to the chair of the department within the 10 calendar days noted above. Within the next five calendar days, the chair must inform the faculty member then refer the matter to the director of student judicial affairs for a hearing by the Academic Integrity Board. The student should be allowed at least 10 calendar days to prepare for a hearing; but this period may be waived by the student.
   1. If the Academic Integrity Board determines guilt, it may recommend disciplinary sanctions to the director of student judicial affairs for implementation. In any case, the faculty member is so apprised and may then impose an academic sanction consistent with the offense. The student has no further appeal rights except of a sanction affecting a final grade as noted above.
   2. If the Academic Integrity Board finds the student not guilty, the matter is closed.

Academic Integrity Board

1. The Academic Integrity Board shall consist of the following members with due consideration being given to possible conflict of interest:
   1. Two undergraduate students appointed by the ASUN Judicial Council,
   2. Two faculty members selected by the executive board of the Faculty Senate, and
   3. A third faculty member selected by the executive vice president & provost, who will serve as chair of the board.
   4. To ensure the impartiality of the hearing board, members must be appointed from departments other than those in which the case originated and in which the accused student is majoring.
2. Impanelment Deadline: The board shall be impaneled by the director of student judicial affairs and set a hearing date within 21 calendar days after the matter has been referred to the director.
3. The hearing procedure is as follows:
   1. The accused student will be called to appear before the Academic Integrity Board by the director of Student Judicial Affairs. If the student wishes to be accompanied by an advisor or an attorney, the board must be notified at least 48 hours in advance. The faculty member shall also be present, and may be accompanied by an advisor or by an attorney whenever the student chooses such counsel.
   2. In the hearing, the chair will state the content of the report of alleged academic dishonesty and the specific charges made.
   3. The faculty member will appear before the board to present evidence against the student. The chair of the board may call other witnesses. The accused student and board members may cross-examine.
   4. The student will appear before the board to present evidence on his or her own behalf.
   5. The board members will then meet in closed session to make a final decision.
   6. If the student is found to be guilty, the hearing board shall consult with the director of student judicial affairs about any past record of academic misconduct.
   7. The hearing board then shall recommend appropriate disciplinary sanctions to the director of student judicial affairs and apprise the faculty member of its deliberations.

Graduate Academic Dishonesty Procedures

1. A faulty member who suspects a student of academic dishonesty must inform the student, in writing, of the accusation and proposed sanction no later than 10 calendar days after the alleged action or 10 calendar days after the end of instruction, whichever comes first. Notification must be hand delivered or sent by certified mail.
   
   Within 10 calendar days of receipt of such action the student may file a request with the department chair for a review and possible mediation of the matter within 15 calendar days. If the student rejects the review by the chair and/or the outcome of mediation, the chair shall refer the matter to the director of student judicial affairs for further appeal.
   
   The director of Student Judicial Affairs will be available to assist all parties in implementing the following appeal process.
   
   A student may appeal the reviewed decision of the faculty member to the dean of the Graduate School. This appeal must be made in writing within 10 calendar days after the student has been informed in writing of the faculty member's decision.
2. The dean may take any of the following actions:
   1. Resolve the conflict through mediation
   2. Dismiss the charge
   3. Uphold the faculty member's decision in its entirety
   4. Impose a lesser sanction
   5. Impose a greater sanction.
   The dean's action must be taken within 10 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.
3. The dean must inform the student in writing of any action taken within the above 10 calendar days. A student may appeal the dean's decision to the vice president for Academic Affairs. This appeal must be made in writing within 10 calendar days after the student received the decision in writing from the dean. This appeal shall be referred by the vice president to the Academic Integrity Board, which shall be impaneled by the director of Student Judicial Affairs.
4. The Academic Integrity Board shall consist of the following members with due consideration being given to possible conflict of interest:
   1. Two graduate students appointed by the Graduate Student Association,
   2. Two faculty members selected by the executive board of the Faculty Senate,
   3. A third faculty member selected by the executive vice president & provost, who will serve as the chair of the board.
   To ensure impartiality of the hearing board, members must be appointed from departments other than those in which the case originated and in which the accused student is majoring. The board shall be impaneled and set a hearing date within 21 calendar days after the appeal is referred to the vice president.
5. The hearing procedures for graduate students are the same as for undergraduate students, as stated above. The Academic Integrity Board must forward its findings and recommendations to the academic vice president within 5 days of the hearing's conclusion. The vice president will review the case and inform the student and all other concerned parties of the final action taken within 15 calendar days of the hearing's conclusion.