Student Academic Integrity

Table of Contents

1. I. Purpose and Scope

   • a. West Virginia University values honesty, fairness, and integrity in education. This policy explains how the University resolves concerns of student academic dishonesty.
   • b. This policy applies to all students at West Virginia University, including West Virginia University Institute of Technology and West Virginia University Potomac State College (together, the “University”), except students in the following programs, which follow their own procedures:
     • 1. School of Dentistry programs (Doctor of Dental Surgery; Master of Science in Endodontics, Orthodontics, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics); and
     • 2. School of Medicine programs (Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Health Science in Pathologists’ Assistant, Master of Occupational Therapy, and Physician Assistant Studies).
   • c. Grade appeals that are not based on academic dishonesty are handled under the Appeal of a Final Grade procedure.

2. II. The Process

   • a. Reporting. Anyone may report suspected academic dishonesty to the Office of Academic Integrity. Faculty and staff must report within ten (10) calendar days of discovering the alleged incident, and no more than thirty (30) calendar days after it occurred, unless the Office of Academic Integrity allows more time. The Office may also act on credible information it receives even if no report is filed.

   • b. Initial Review. The Office of Academic Integrity only opens a case if there are reasonable grounds to believe that academic dishonesty may have occurred. If a case is opened, the Office will contact the student, and the student may not withdraw from the course at issue.

   • c. Academic Integrity Notification. When a case is opened, the Office of Academic Integrity will send a notification to the student outlining the concern and what part of this policy it implicates.

   • d. Resolution by Agreement. This timeline and procedures do not apply to cases where a formal violation will be documented. The student has five (5) calendar days from the date the letter is emailed to respond; the Office may extend this deadline for good cause. If the student accepts the terms in the notice, or fails to respond, the case is resolved on those terms. A violation will not appear in the student’s academic discipline record if the student completes the assigned educational measures on time.

   • e. Resolution After Review. A student who contests the allegation or the proposed outcome may request a meeting with the Office of Academic Integrity by following the instructions in the letter. At the meeting, the Office will share the evidence and the student may respond. The Office will then decide whether a violation occurred and what sanctions apply, and will notify the student in writing.

   • f. Referral to Hearing. If an unforgivable F, suspension, program dismissal, or expulsion may be sought, the case is handled under the hearing procedures in Section V.

   • g. Standard of Proof. A student may be found responsible only if the evidence shows it is more likely than not that the student violated this policy (a preponderance of the evidence).

3. III. Prohibited Conduct

   • a. Academic dishonesty is prohibited and includes:
     1. Plagiarism: presenting another person’s work, ideas, or words as one’s own;
     2. Cheating: using unauthorized resources, help, or technology on academic work;
     3. Providing False Information: fabricating, altering, or misrepresenting academic information, records, or events;
     4. Violating Course or Program Rules: engaging in conduct the instructor or program has specifically prohibited; and
     5. Helping Another Person Violate This Policy.
   • In this policy, an academic assignment is any work a student submits for a grade, credit, or as a formal part of a degree program. A student is any person from the time of admission until their educational relationship with the University ends.

4. IV. Administration of Policy

   • a. The Office of Academic Integrity, working with the Office of the Provost, administers this policy and is available to help anyone understand and apply it.
   • b. The Provost must approve any changes to this policy. In this policy, “Provost” means the Provost of West Virginia University or their designee.
   • c. The Office of Academic Integrity may adopt procedures to implement this policy.

5. V. Hearing Procedure

   • a. When a Hearing is Used. A hearing is required when the University seeks a sanction of suspension, expulsion, dismissal from an academic program, or unforgivable failure of the course and the student does not agree to the outcome.
   • b. Hearing Adjudicator. The University shall appoint a neutral party to serve as the Hearing Adjudicator. The Hearing Adjudicator shall have no prior involvement with the investigation or adjudication of the case.
   • c. Burden of Proof. The University bears the burden of proof at the hearing.
   • d. Notice of Hearing and Disclosure. The Notice of Hearing and all evidence the University intends to present at the hearing shall be provided to the student no fewer than seven (7) calendar days before the hearing. The student shall provide the University with all evidence the student intends to present no fewer than seven (7) calendar days before the hearing. Disclosure includes the names of any witnesses each party intends to call and a brief statement of the subject of the witness’s testimony. Listing a witness in disclosure does not require the party to call that witness at the hearing.
   • e. Continuances. The Office of Academic Integrity sets the hearing date. The Hearing Adjudicator may grant a continuance only upon a showing of good cause. In considering a continuance request, the Hearing Adjudicator shall weigh the requesting party’s interest in additional time against the University’s interest in resolving the matter promptly and any prejudice to other parties or witnesses. Each party is limited to one continuance under this provision unless both parties agree to additional continuances. A continuance request must be submitted in writing to the Hearing Adjudicator and the opposing party no later than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled hearing. The Hearing Adjudicator may consider a request submitted after that deadline only in the case of a genuine emergency.
   • f. Right to an Advisor or Attorney. The student may be accompanied at the hearing by an advisor, including an attorney. Any attorney appearing on a student’s behalf must be licensed to practice law in the State of West Virginia and may actively participate in the hearing. An advisor who is not an attorney may consult with the student during the hearing but may not actively participate in the proceeding, including by speaking on the student’s behalf, examining witnesses, or making arguments.
   • g. Confrontation and Response to Evidence. The student shall have the opportunity to receive, respond to, and rebut the evidence presented by the University. The University is not required to present live witnesses, and may rely on documentary, video, audio, or other evidence alone. To the extent the University presents witness testimony, the student may question those witnesses, either directly or through the Hearing Adjudicator at the Adjudicator’s discretion.
   • h. Right to Present Evidence. The student shall have the opportunity to present witnesses and evidence on the student’s own behalf, subject to the same disclosure requirements applicable to the University.
   • i. Sequestration. Witnesses other than the student shall be sequestered from the hearing during other witnesses’ testimony, except as the Hearing Adjudicator may otherwise direct.
   • j. Failure to Appear. If the student fails to appear at a hearing for which proper notice was provided, the hearing may proceed without the student. No inference will be drawn from the student’s absence, and the Hearing Adjudicator may make findings and impose sanctions based on the evidence presented.
   • k. Order of Events. The hearing shall proceed in the following order unless amended at the discretion of the Hearing Adjudicator for good cause:
     1. Preliminary matters. The Hearing Adjudicator opens the proceeding, confirms attendance, addresses any pre-hearing issues or procedural questions, and reviews the order of events with the parties.
     2. Opening statements. The University presents an opening statement. The student may present an opening statement immediately after the University, or may reserve the opening until the start of the student’s case.
     3. University’s case. The University presents its evidence and any witnesses. The student may question University witnesses after the University’s direct examination, and may respond to documentary, video, audio, or other evidence as it is presented.
     4. Student’s case. The student presents the student’s evidence and any witnesses. The University may question the student’s witnesses after the student’s direct examination.
     5. Closing arguments. The University presents a closing argument, then the student presents a closing argument. The University may then present a brief rebuttal limited to matters raised in the student’s closing argument.
   • l. Notice of Outcome. The Hearing Adjudicator deliberates privately and issues a determination, either at the conclusion of the hearing or in writing within a reasonable time, but no longer than fourteen (14) calendar days from the close of the hearing. The Hearing Adjudicator determines whether the student is responsible for violating this policy, and if so, what sanction(s) will be imposed.
   • m. Recording. Hearings will be recorded. The University will maintain the recording. Participants are prohibited from making their own recordings. Upon written request, the recording will be made available to individuals with rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, subject to applicable conditions for access.
   • n. Hearing Procedures Generally. Formal rules of evidence do not apply at the hearing. The Hearing Adjudicator has authority to decide questions of relevance and admissibility, to manage decorum, and to remove any person whose presence is disruptive or who is not authorized to participate in the proceeding. Deviations from prescribed procedures shall not invalidate a determination unless the deviation resulted in significant prejudice to the student or the University.
   • o. Records and Retention. Case records will be retained in accordance with the University’s records retention schedule.

6. VI. Appeal

   • a. A student adjudicated responsible may appeal the decision, the sanction, or both within fourteen (14) calendar days after they are notified of the decision. If no appeal is filed within that period, the sanctions take effect and the matter is closed.
   • b. An agreed resolution cannot be appealed.
   • c. Sanctions of expulsion, suspension, dismissal from an academic program, probation, failure of the course with exclusion from further participation, or unforgivable failure of the course are paused while an appeal is pending. The grade on the underlying assignment or in the course is not paused.
   • d. A student may appeal on the grounds that the decision:
     1. was arbitrary, capricious, or clearly unreasonable based on the information presented;
     2. reflected discrimination prohibited by the University or demonstrable prejudice in the decision-making process;
     3. imposed an unreasonably severe penalty; or
     4. did not account for information that was not available during the proceeding.
   • e. The Provost will decide the appeal within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving it. If more time is needed, the Provost will notify the student and the Office of Academic Integrity within that period.
   • f. The Provost may deny the appeal, grant it in full, modify or reduce the sanction (but may not increase it), or return the matter for a new proceeding or to restart at a specific stage.
   • g. The Provost’s decision is final.

7. VII. Sanctions and Educational Measures

   • a. The Office of Academic Integrity may impose sanctions and educational measures appropriate to the circumstances of the case, including:
     1. educational measures, such as required modules, tutorials, reflective assignments, or community service;
     2. grade-related sanctions, such as a reduced grade or zero on the assignment, a reduced grade or failure in the course, failure of the course with exclusion from further participation, or unforgivable failure of the course;
     3. disciplinary sanctions, such as a written reprimand, disciplinary probation, suspension, dismissal from an academic program, or expulsion; and
     4. any other measure that reasonably relates to the nature and severity of the conduct.

8. VIII. Responsibilities

   • a. The Provost or their designee is responsible for interpreting this policy.

9. IX. Authority and References

   • a. West Virginia University Board of Governors Academics Rule 2.5, Student Rights and Responsibilities, Section 3.1.5.

10. X. Supersedes

    • a. This policy supersedes prior University policies, procedures, or guidelines to the extent they are inconsistent with this policy.