Academic Judiciary Committee Members
For Faculty
- Report Academic Dishonesty
- Preventing Academic Dishonesty
- Detecting Plagiarism
- Syllabus Statement
- FAQs
For Students
- Appeal an Accusation
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- File a Grievance
- How to get involved
- FAQ
AJC Home Page
Office of Academic Judiciary
College of Arts & Sciences
E3310 Melville Library
SUNY at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY 11794-3351
631-632-7080
Secretary
Hearing Officer
Site Designed by
Melissa Bishop/DoIT
Last Modified 04/29/2005 10:30:26 AM EDT
My professor told me he was reporting me to the academic judiciary. What happens next?
Once an instructor files an accusation of academic dishonesty against a student, a letter is sent to the student’s address on file in SOLAR (dorm or home). The letter will also be sent with a copy of the accusation and a copy of the brochure, “Policies and Procedures Governing Academic Dishonesty.” The student has 21 days from the date of notification to decide whether or not to appeal the accusation. The instructor is under no obligation to discuss the accusation with the student and is not allowed to retract an accusation. A student should direct all questions to the appropriate judiciary office.
Can I appeal the accusation?
Yes. An appeal means you are pleading not guilty and a hearing will be scheduled. An appeal can be filed from this website or by written report to the relevant judiciary office. While the judiciary office tries to schedule the hearing within 6 weeks of the accusation, it is not always possible because of the caseload, the timing of the accusation (right before winter break or over the summer) and the availability of the instructor and the student to attend a hearing. While the case is pending, the student will receive a grade of “I” in the course and a notation that reads “Academic Judiciary Action Pending” will appear on the student’s transcript.
What if I don’t appeal?
If a student does not appeal an accusation, the student is found guilty. A remark of “Found Guilty Academic Dishonesty” will be placed on the student’s transcript and a grade of Q, denoting academic dishonesty, will be recorded for the course. The Q is factored into the student’s GPA as an F as long as it is on the transcript.
What if I am found not guilty at a hearing?
The accusation is dismissed and the earned grade is restored without penalty.
What is the difference between being found guilty at a hearing and by not appealing?
The only difference, other than the time spent waiting for the hearing to take place, is that when a student is found guilty at a hearing, the hearing board sets the penalty, which may differ from the instructor’s recommendation, based on the severity of the action and the penalties received by students found guilty of similar offenses. When a student does not appeal, he/she typically receives the grade penalty recommended by the instructor.
What is a typical penalty for a first offense?
Unless the student has committed an egregious act, such as forging documents or using a “ringer” to take an exam for him/her, a typical penalty would range from a zero on the assignment in question to an F in the course. More serious acts may warrant suspension or permanent expulsion from the University. The student will be required to take the Q course.
What is the Q course and how do I sign up for it?
The Q course is the University’s course on academic integrity and includes topics such ethics, effective work habits, and time management skills. The ten-week course is held twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring semester. It meets on Wednesdays during Campus Lifetime. (It may also be offered during the summer and winter intersession, subject to instructor availability.) A student must attend all sessions during the semester and complete the assignments to have the Q removed from his/her transcript. Students sign up for the Q course in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs, E-3310 Melville Library. [Contact: Ms. Diane West, 632-7080, dwest@notes.cc.sunysb.edu]
What happens after I complete the Q course?
For a first-time offender, the “Found Guilty – Academic Dishonesty” remark on the transcript will be removed and the Q for the course and be replaced by the earned grade with any assigned penalty factored in. The course grade is often an F with a zero (the minimum penalty) on a major assignment in a course usually causes enough damage to warrant an F for the final grade.
What happens if I am found guilty of academic dishonesty a second time?
A student found guilty of more than one infraction will be suspended or permanently expelled from the University based on the nature of the offense. The Q for the most recent offense will be permanent, and a Q for each previous offense will be placed back on the transcript and will also be permanent. Finally, there will be a permanent notation of academic dishonesty on the student’s transcript.