Academic Integrity

Academic integrity violation process for students

This overview is to be used as a guide. Any student charged with an academic integrity violation should also consult the university policy located on the University Provost website. To see the academic integrity process flow chart, click here.

1. Your instructor should notify you face-to-face by Zoom or via an email that they believe you engaged in an academic integrity violation and provide the details of their concern. Please note: withdrawing from a course will not absolve you of responsibility for an academic integrity violation.
2. Your instructor will report the violation to the Academic Integrity Office.
3. The Academic Integrity Office will review the information and send you a formal notice of the alleged violation via email.
4. Once you receive the formal notice, you have five business days* to provide your feedback to the Academic Integrity Office (AIO).
5. After you provide additional information, or after five business days elapse, the Academic Integrity Office will email you a letter indicating whether you are responsible or not responsible for the reported violation. If found responsible, the email will also contain the sanction that you will receive. 
6. If appropriate, at the time of the sanction letter, we also notify you of your opportunity to request an appeal. Properly completed appeal request forms must be submitted by the deadline indicated on the sanction notification you received.
7. If you do not request an appeal by the deadline, the case will be closed and the sanction applied.
8. Once a case is closed, violations with sanctions less than an XE grade are not placed on the student’s transcript and are not available publicly, anywhere at the university. Sanctions of XE are noted on the student’s transcript per the University Provost’s policy.
9. If you do request an appeal you must meet with the Academic Integrity Officer for a pre-appeal meeting to discuss the details of the hearing. On average, hearings are held from 4-6 weeks after this meeting.  Hearings may not always be available over summer break. 
10. Once the hearing is scheduled and completed, the hearing board will transmit a recommendation to the Dean.
11. You will be notified within 5-10 business days, via email, regarding the Dean’s final decision.
12. If the Dean recommends suspension or expulsion from the University, you will be notified of your right to appeal to a university level hearing board.
13. If a university level hearing board is required, they will hear the case.

This process applies only to allegations of academic dishonesty. Students wishing to express a difference of opinion over a grade issued by an instructor should review the grade grievance appeal policy/procedures.

*University business day, not including Saturday, Sunday, any officially recognized university employee holiday, or any day the University is closed.

Academic Integrity Tips for Students

ASU Student Honor Code

Cheating Hurts Everyone

Programming and Writing Code

Study Habits

Examinations

Group Projects

Taking Shortcuts

Procrastination

Coding and Programming Tips from the AIO and FSE Faculty Members

General ASU Student Resources

University Provost Academic Integrity Resources for Students

Fulton Schools of Engineering Student Resource Page

Dean of Students Resource Page

ASU Student Advocacy and Assistance

On Campus Tutoring 

Online Tutoring 

Graduate Student Support 

ASU Tutoring Homepage

ASU Writing Centers 

Academic Integrity Resources

ASU Provost Academic Integrity Site

Writing Style Guides 

Use this Flow Chart to Check Your Assignment

1-What happens if my instructor informs me that I’m being charged with an academic integrity violation?

Your instructor will notify the Academic Integrity Office and we will follow the procedures located in the procedures for student violations tab on this website.

2-If my instructor notifies me about an academic integrity violation does this change my status in the course?

No, during the time in which you are communicating with your instructor and / or the Academic Integrity Office about an alleged violation, you should participate normally in class, and complete all assignments and examinations.

3-May I withdraw for a class after receiving notification of an alleged academic integrity violation?

Withdrawing from a course will not alleviate you from responsibility for an academic integrity violation. When/if you are notified of an alleged academic integrity violation, you should not withdraw from the course until you have communicated with the Academic Integrity Officer about the issue.

4-If this is my first time to receive an academic integrity violation, what type of sanction can I expect?

The sanction for a first offense depends largely on the severity of the violation. First offense sanctions can be anywhere from a zero on the assignment to receiving an E in the course.  Also, all first-time academic integrity offenders are required to complete an Engineering School academic integrity remediation course in Canvas. Important note: depending on the severity of the violation the University does have the ability to sanction first offenses more severely if the situation warrants it.

5-What happens if I receive a second academic integrity violation?

While each individual situation is unique, receiving a second academic integrity violation is considered a serious breach of student academic conduct.  Possible second offense sanction are: receive an E for the course and an XE notated on the transcript. The X is a notation on your transcript that the course was failed because of an academic integrity violation. Additionally, for very egregious violations, students may be suspended from Arizona State University for a minimum of one year or expelled from the University permanently.

6-What happens if I appeal my academic integrity violation?

If you submit a timely appeal request, we will put together a hearing board that consists of two faculty members and one student representative. The hearing board listens to both the student and the instructor perspective and then submits a decision and recommendation to the Dean. The Dean will then consider the board’s recommendation and make a final decision on the case. Unless the sanction is a suspension or expulsion, Dean decisions on academic integrity issues are final. Detailed policy can be found here.

7-How long will it take to have an appeal hearing board completed?

The appeal hearing process typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete.

8-What kinds of decisions and recommendations may an appeal hearing board submit to the Dean for consideration?

Appeal hearing boards may recommend that the student be found not responsible for the violation. Alternately, the board may recommend the student be found responsible for the violation. If the hearing board recommends responsibility, they will recommend an appropriate sanction which can be the original applied sanction, a lower sanction, or a higher sanction.

9-How long will the first offense academic integrity remediation course take me to complete?

The course should take you approximately 2 hours to complete. The purpose of the course is to reconnect you with the relevant ASU student honor codes, provide additional information on the types of academic integrity violations that often occur, and inform you of the severity of sanctions if you choose to engage in a second academic integrity violation.

10-What do I do if I suspect that another student is committing or has committed an academic integrity violation?

Depending on the scenario, you have several options. First and foremost, you should inform your instructor of the alleged violation.  You can also report the violation using the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering reporting portal, or, you may contact the Academic Integrity Officer directly.

11-Where can I find information related to ASU’s academic integrity policy and my instructor’s policy?

You can find the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering academic integrity procedures on this website. The ASU policy on academic integrity can be found on the University Provost website.

To understand your instructor’s specific academic integrity expectations please consult the course syllabus and all course assignment instructions.  When in doubt regarding any course related academic integrity topic always contact your instructor directly.

12-What happens if I do not request an appeal by the deadline indicated in my sanctioning letter?

If you do not submit the completed appeal form by your deadline, you will not be able to have an appeal hearing for that violation, the case will be closed and any sanctions applied.

13-Will an academic integrity violation make me ineligible for a student worker position?

No, an academic integrity violation will not make you ineligible for student employment. However, every student employment application is different. If an application for employment asks you if you have ever had a violation, you should self-report it and if possible, give a brief description.

14-Is is okay to consult online websites and/or tutoring services to help me learn my course material?

We always encourage using ASU resources whenever possible. Additionally, if you are uncertain whether a resource is allowable or not, you should always check with your instructor.

Knowing the above, you may use other resources to learn the theories and concepts of a subject. However, you must always submit assignments that are 100% original to you. You may never copy all, or even parts, of an answer or solution from a website, friend or any where else. If you are on a website that just gives you an answer…this is a dangerous website to be on. Using/modifying those answers and submitting as your own is academically dishonest. 

15-Is it okay to upload my ASU course materials to an online website?

No, all ASU course materials are copyright protected and should not be posted online. It is important to note that if you post course materials online, you can also potentially be held accountable for aiding in an academic integrity violation, if someone uses your material and submits all or parts of your work as their own.

16-Is it okay to upload ASU course materials to my personal cloud storage account?

Yes, you may utilize cloud storage for your ASU course materials since these locations are always password-protected.

Here are a few examples of ways in which a students may participate in the academic integrity process.

• All students interested in FAIM will participate in an academic integrity appeal hearing orientation with the Academic Integrity Officer (AIO). This takes about 20 minutes and is typically done on a Zoom call.
• Opportunity to participate in the review and analysis of academic integrity cases files and serve as a student representative on Engineering Academic Integrity Appeal Hearing boards. Appeal boards typically last about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Provide the Academic Integrity Office (AIO) student feedback on academic integrity within the Fulton Schools of Engineering (FSE).

The FAIM program has achievement levels that students can work towards each academic year.

• Member: student participates in an academic integrity orientation with the AIO.
• Bronze level: student completes orientation and participates in one academic integrity appeal hearing.
• Silver level: student completes orientation and participates in two academic integrity appeal hearings.
• Gold level: student completes orientation, and participates in three academic integrity appeal hearings.
• Platinum level: student completes orientation, and participates in four academic integrity appeal hearings.  

Acknowledgement of service and providing students real-life experience in ethical decision-making is an important part of the program.

• All FAIM students are recognized in an end of year virtual event for their commitment to academic integrity. Members will receive a certificate indicating their participation and status achieved; Gold, Silver, Bronze or member status.
• FAIM participation/recognition at any level may be listed on a student’s resume to indicate knowledge of ASU academic integrity policies and experience in analyzing ethical decision-making case studies.