Procedures to Follow if Plagiarism Occurs:

The following is a review of procedures to follow if faculty discover instances of plagiarism:

1. Meet with the student in order to inform him/her of the allegation(s), provide evidence, and allow the student to respond prior to either entering into an Informal Resolution or filing the Complaint Form Alleging Academic Misconduct with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.

2. An informal resolution outside of the formal hearing procedures should normally occur within fourteen (14) calendar days following date of the act or omission, or the date which the faculty became aware of the act or omission, The purpose of the informal meeting is for the faculty to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to file formal charges of misconduct, reach an informal resolution, or take no further action.

3. Prior to meeting informally with the student(s), the faculty should contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs to determine whether the student(s) has a prior record of misconduct. If the student has a prior record, than an Informal resolution cannot take place and the faculty must file a formal complaint.

4. The faculty' immediate supervisor should be present at an informal meeting. lf an informal resolution is reached, both the student(s), faculty, and the immediate supervisor will sign a Consent Agreement from which must be filed with the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs no later than 7 calendar days following the informal meeting. The form should contain the terms and conditions of the agreement and any sanctions imposed. The student has 3 business days to cancel the agreement in writing or it becomes binding.

5. If an informal agreement is not reached, the faculty then will take no further action or file the Complaint Form Alleging Academic Misconduct with the Office of Academic Affairs no later than 7 calendar days following the meeting.

6. Academic Affairs will review the Complaint and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to conduct a formal hearing. Academic Affairs will notify the student (s) of its determination. The student (s) then has 6 calendar days to respond in writing indicating whether he or she chooses to have the case resolved by Administrative Disposition of by a hearing of the University Academic Conduct Review Board. If the student does not respond in a timely fashion, he or she will be considered to have waived his or her rights to a Board hearing, and an Administrative Disposition meeting will be arranged (within 30 calendar days).

7. In an Administrative Disposition meeting, the administrator may question both parties,. Witnesses may be brought in and the meeting is tape recorded. The administrator determines the decision which may be appealed by the student (s).

8. The student must request in writing for the Board to hear his or her case. Please refer to the web site cited above or to the FIU student Handbook for further information about the hearing procedures.

<< Back to FIU Procedures in Plagiarism ... Continue to Disciplinary Actions >>