Speed School Procedure for Dealing with Academic Dishonesty

In accordance with The Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, academic dishonesty is prohibited at the University of Louisville.

1. An instructor who believes a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty will notify the student. This notification will include an explanation of the basis for the allegation and the academic penalties. Academic penalties are penalties associated with the class in question, such as resubmission of alternate assignment, F on the assignment, F for the course, etc.  The student will have 10 school days to notify the instructor whether the student accepts or does not accept the academic penalties.  Failure to notify the instructor within 10 school days will be interpreted as an acceptance of the academic penalty.
2. If the student accepts the instructor’s academic penalties the following actions will occur:
   • The instructor implements the academic penalties.
   • The instructor notifies the department chair and SSoE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs of the incident and imposed penalties within 10 school days of receiving the student’s notification of accepting the penalties.
   • The SSoE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the documents within 10 school days of receipt and issue a decision regarding whether any administrative sanctions will be imposed on the student by the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, and whether any University-wide sanctions will be recommended to the Provost.  Administrative penalties may include suspension or expulsion from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering or the University of Louisville. The Dean will notify the student, the instructor and the Department Chair of this decision. The Dean will forward any recommended University-wide sanctions to the Provost.
3. If the student does not accept the instructor’s academic penalties, the following actions will occur:
   • The department chair, or, if the department chair is the instructor making the allegation, the SSoE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will meet with the student in a timely manner.
   • At the meeting, the student will be provided an opportunity to present oral testimony and written evidence. The burden of establishing the student’s guilt rests with the instructor, who must do so by a preponderance of the evidence. After the meeting, the department chair or the Associate Dean, as appropriate, will render a decision within 10 school days of meeting with the student and submit written documentation of the incident and decision to the SSoE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
   • If the student fails to appear at the meeting a final decision will be rendered by the department chair or SSoE Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
   • The SSoE Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the documents within 10 school days of receipt and issue a decision regarding whether any administrative sanctions will be imposed on the student by the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, and whether any University-wide sanctions will be recommended to the Provost. Administrative penalties are penalties may include suspension or expulsion from the J.B. Speed School of Engineering or the University of Louisville. The Dean will notify the student, the instructor and the Department Chair of this decision. The Dean will forward any recommended University-wide sanctions to the Provost.

As per the University of Louisville ‘Student Rights and Responsibilities,’ an academic unit that determines that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty may impose any academic punishment on the student that it sees fit, including suspension or expulsion from the academic unit. A student has no right to appeal the final decision of an academic unit. However, a student who believes that they have been treated unfairly, have been discriminated against, or have had their rights abridged by the academic unit may file a grievance with the University Student Grievance Committee.  The University of Louisville Student Complaint and Grievance Procedures are detailed here.  An academic unit that suspends or expels a student from the academic unit because the student has been found guilty of academic dishonesty may recommend to the University Provost in writing that the student also be suspended or expelled from all other programs and academic units of the University. Neither the student nor the academic unit shall have the right to appeal the Provost’s decision. However, a student who believes that they have been treated unfairly, has been discriminated against, or has had their rights abridged by the issuance of a decision by the Provost may file a grievance with the University Student Grievance Committee.