Frequently Asked Questions: Faculty

• What is the procedure I am supposed to follow when I suspect a student of cheating?
• What kind of support can I expect from my chair, colleagues and the administration when I determine that a violation of academic honesty has occurred?
• Does Hofstra have an honor code? What does it say?
• What are the range of penalties open to me when I conclude that a student has cheated?
• What happens if a student wants to appeal my judgment regarding her/his work?
• What steps can I take that will minimize the temptation to cheat on exams, papers or other work?
• Why does Hofstra ask instructors to report instances of academic dishonesty?

What is the procedure I am supposed to follow when I suspect a student of cheating?

In general the first step should be a discussion of the alleged offense and its circumstances with the student. Once you’ve determined that an offense has occurred you are responsible for imposing a penalty appropriate to the offense and circumstances within the context of the course. The decision must be documented using the Report Form on Violations of Academic Conduct (CREATE LINK to Word Document) with copies sent to the student and the Provost’s office.

Academic Honesty policy and procedures differ among the schools. For details see: Undergraduate Students: FPS 11, Graduate Students: FPS 11G, Law School Students: FPS 11A, and Medical School Students (Bulletin 2010-11 p. 111ff).These documents outline steps for discussing the issue with students, reporting the information to the Provost’s office and what to do in the event that a student appeals your decision. A flow chart of the procedures can be found at (FLOW CHART LINK)

What kind of support can I expect from my chair, colleagues and the administration when I determine that a violation of academic honesty has occurred?

Department Chair and Colleagues
It is always advisable to talk through academic honesty violations with one’s chair and colleagues. They are likely to have handled such incidents in their own classrooms. The chair in particular will likely have talked with other faculty in your department about such incidents. These conversations can help you to see how similar circumstances have been handled previously and give you some context as you develop your own responses. At this stage, the chair’s role is advisory, aimed at helping a faculty member to make a well-informed decision about the incident.

Provost’s Office
Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies Liora P. Schmelkin is available for conversation and advice as you determine the correct response to a particular incident. Just as your chair can supply information about how such incidents have been handled in your department, the Provost's office can supply information about how such incidents have been handled across the spectrum of Hofstra schools and colleges.

Should a student decide to appeal, your chair and the Provost office can also be helpful resources as you prepare documentation for the ad hoc appeals committee. Procedures on appeals can be found at Undergraduate Students: FPS 11, Graduate Students: FPS 11G, Law School Students: FPS 11A, and Medical School Students (Bulletin 2010-11 p. 111ff).

Does Hofstra have an honor code? What does it say?

Hofstra expects students to commit to the community standards that are summarized in the P.R.I.D.E Principles which include the following statement and pledge: “Academic integrity is paramount to the credibility of the University's reputation and the scholarly pursuits of its members. Hofstra students bear the ultimate responsibility for upholding the principles of academic honesty and integrity. ‘I will not engage in any activity that will violate the standards of academic integrity and will not tolerate acts of cheating, plagiarism, falsification, forgery, perjury, misrepresentation or dishonesty.’”

In light of this pledge, the Hofstra community is currently engaged in a public discussion of the pledge’s implications for faculty, students, administrators and staff. The Academic Integrity Task Force invites all Hofstra community members to join in that discussion. LINK TO BLOG and FACEBOOK PAGE

What are the range of penalties open to me when I conclude that a student has cheated?

Under current procedures (Undergraduate Students: FPS 11, Graduate Students: FPS 11G, Law School Students: FPS 11A, and Medical School Students (Bulletin 2010-11 p. 111ff)) faculty are responsible for assigning appropriate penalties when they determine that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty. The penalty varies with the type and severity of the act but ALWAYS includes reporting the incident using the Provost’s Academic Integrity Violation report form (Link to Form). A conversation with your department chair can provide you with information on how such incidents have been handled by others in your field. The range of penalties extends from a modest grade reduction in the work or the course (for accidental or minor offenses) to course failure (for major violations). If the provost determines that an act is actually a repeat offense, additional penalties could be imposed up to and including expulsion from the university.

If a student appeals your decision or the penalties you imposed, an ad hoc committee to review the conclusion that cheating did occur and/or whether the penalties imposed are appropriate. The ad hoc committee is created only after the student has contacted the Office of Community Standards.

What happens if a student wants to appeal my judgment regarding her/his work?

In all schools students have a fixed period of time after receiving written notification of your judgment to appeal either the conclusion that cheating occurred or the penalty imposed. The procedures for such appeals are outlined in Undergraduate Students: FPS 11, Graduate Students: FPS 11G, Law School Students: FPS 11A, and Medical School Students (Bulletin 2010-11 p. 111ff). The decisions of appeal boards are final and binding.

What steps can I take that will minimize the temptation to cheat on exams, papers or other work?

Hofstra’s Center for Teaching and Scholarly Excellence (CTSE) has constructed an academic honesty website with basic information about Academic Integrity and a collection of resources for faculty who want to adopt strategies that will minimize the temptation to cheat.

In addition, the CTSE regularly runs workshops and presentations on this issue. LINK TO CALENDAR.

Why does Hofstra ask instructors to report instances of academic dishonesty?

By adopting a standard procedure for initiating a disciplinary process involving academic integrity the University aims first to ensure the protections of due process for both the student and faculty involved. In addition, since the outcome of each incident is typically held in confidence (except when appeals are made), it is important that a confidential record be kept so that second offenses are treated differently than first ones. Finally, matters of academic integrity are not isolated transactions between a student and faculty member, they concern the whole Hofstra community. Incidents reported by faculty are stripped of identifying information and shared with the community in regular Academic Integrity Reports.