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Procedures for Adjudication of Academic Misconduct Cases

Procedures Supplemental to University Policy 407, Code of Student Academic Integrity

Effective July 7, 2025

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Section I: Overview

Section II: Case Referrals

Section III: Resolution Types

  1. Informal Resolution Procedures
  2. Facilitated Resolution Procedures
  3. In Absentia Resolution Procedures
  4. Hearing Procedures

Section IV: Appeals

Section V: Impositions of Outcomes

Appendix A: Outcome Examples

Section I. Overview

Timely resolution of suspected Academic Misconduct cases is highly desirable for both the institution and the accused Student. To this end, Faculty Members and Referring Parties are responsible for timely communication with the appropriate University officials involved in the Academic Misconduct process.

Capitalized terms in these Procedures are defined in Chapter 2 of University Policy 407, Code of Student Academic Integrity.

Extraordinary circumstances may require that these Procedures be adjusted on a case-by-case basis by the Chair or the Director.

The following requirements must be followed during the Academic Misconduct process:

  1. If the Faculty Member on record is unavailable, or the academic exercise was evaluated by more than one person, a Referring Party may be appointed by the Department Chair to participate in the Academic Misconduct process as a representative of the University.
  2. A Student should not be prohibited from participating in, completing course work for, and/or accessing course material for a course in which they are actively enrolled, unless otherwise determined through the Academic Misconduct procedures and/or another University process.
  3. In cases where the Academic Misconduct adjudication process is not complete by the time course grades are due, the Faculty Member or Referring Party must assign an Incomplete (I) grade of in the course (if the misconduct is in the context of a course) pending the final resolution of the case.
  4. Submission deadlines for Informal Resolutions and for referring a case via an Academic Integrity Charge Form are posted on the Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution website. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should make every effort to submit information by the applicable deadline. In cases where an extension may be warranted, the Faculty Member should reach out to the Director.
  5. Failure by the Faculty Member or Referring Party to cooperate in the process or to notify the Director promptly may, at the discretion of the Director and in consultation with the Chair, result in the case no longer being pursued through the Academic Misconduct process.

Section II. Case Referrals

Anyone who suspects Academic Misconduct has occurred should make the suspicion known to the Faculty Member on record for the course or program or the Director. In cases where the Director is notified of an alleged violation of the Code of Student Academic Integrity, they will communicate the concern to the Faculty Member. If the Faculty Member is unavailable to receive the report and address the allegation, Academic Misconduct suspicions should be reported to the chair of the academic department.

The Faculty Member responsible for assigning final grades in an academic exercise or course or the Referring Party may acquire information of suspected Academic Misconduct either directly or through information supplied by others. After collecting the information available, the Faculty Member or Referring Party determines whether the case warrants an adjudication.

Faculty Members or Referring Parties are encouraged to consult with Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution staff or the Academic Integrity Board Chair, as needed, regarding policy and procedural questions. In situations where no academic advantage was gained or was attempted to be gained, but a violation of a syllabus policy or a University Policy other than the Code of Academic Integrity allegedly occurred, the case may be pursued in accordance with the Code of Student Responsibility.

If the Faculty Member or Referring Party determines that the information is sufficient to warrant an adjudication, the following steps should occur:

  1. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should contact Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution as soon as reasonably practicable to determine available resolution options.
  2. The Director or designee will provide information on which resolution options are available. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should not offer a resolution to the Student until they have confirmed with Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution what resolution options are available.
  3. Once notified of the available resolution options, the Faculty Member or Referring Party is encouraged to notify the Student immediately that they are suspected of Academic Misconduct and the resolution process available.
  4. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should then follow the steps outlined in Section III below for the adjudication method that has been determined to be appropriate.

Section III. Resolution Types

A. Informal Resolution Procedures

Some first offenses are properly handled and remedied by an Informal Resolution with the Faculty Member responsible for the course or program in which the Academic Misconduct occurred. If this resolution method is determined to be appropriate, the following steps apply:

  1. Responsibilities of the Faculty Member or Referring Party:
    1. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should request a meeting with the Student, contacting them in writing through official UNC Charlotte communication accounts (email, Canvas, etc.).
    2. If the Student meets with the Faculty Member or Referring Party, the Faculty Member or Referring Party should present the information of Academic Misconduct and request an explanation from the Student.
    3. After considering the Student’s explanation, if the Faculty Member or Referring Party determines that Academic Misconduct has occurred, the Faculty Member or Referring Party should propose an Informal Resolution by filling out and signing the Informal Resolution form, noting the outcome(s) to be applied.
    4. The Faculty Member or Referring Party will route the Informal Resolution form to the Student using the Student’s university provided email address. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should also inform the Student of the deadline to return the form and inform them of their right to either accept or decline the resolution.
    5. The Faculty Member or Referring Party should explain to the Student that if they decline the offered resolution, and there is sufficient evidence to continue to pursue the case, the Faculty Member or Referring Party should refer the case to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution.
    6. The Informal Resolution form will be active in DocuSign for fourteen (14) calendar days. If the Student does not complete the Informal Resolution form by the time it expires, and there is sufficient evidence to continue to pursue the case, the Faculty Member or Referring Party should refer the case to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution by completing the Academic Integrity Charge Form.
    7. If the Student accepts or declines the Informal Resolution, the form will route to the Faculty Member or Referring Party, to acknowledge the decision of the Student. Once acknowledged, the form will route to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution, who will maintain a record of the information in accordance with the University’s record retention policy. 
    8. If the Student accepts the Informal Resolution, the Faculty Member or Referring Party may implement the accepted outcome(s). If the Student declines the Informal Resolution, and the Faculty Member wants to continue to pursue the case, they should submit an Academic Integrity Charge Form.
  2. Responsibilities of the Student:
    1. If requested by the Faculty Member or Referring Party, the Student should meet to discuss the alleged Academic Misconduct.
      1. Failure to meet with the Faculty Member or Referring Party upon written request through an official UNC Charlotte communication account (email, Canvas, etc.) may result in the case being referred directly to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution.
    2. If the Faculty Member offers an Informal Resolution, the Student has three (3) Days to consider the resolution and seek advice on whether to accept responsibility and the outcome(s) proposed by the Faculty Member.
    3. The Student should complete the Informal Resolution form via DocuSign by the deadline communicated.
      1. If the Student accepts an Informal Resolution, the outcome(s) will be implemented by the Faculty Member or Referring Party. Students are expected to complete any assigned educational outcomes by the communicated deadline, which will be sent via electronic letter by Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution.
      2. If the Student declines an Informal Resolution, and the Faculty Member or Referring Party refers the case via an Academic Integrity Charge Form, the Student will receive outreach from Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution regarding next steps.
      3. If the Student fails to accept or decline the Informal Resolution form before it expires, and the case is referred via the Academic Integrity Charge Form, the Student will receive outreach from Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution regarding next steps.
    4. Students may not appeal an accepted Informal Resolution. Additionally, failure to complete assigned outcome(s) by the communicated deadline may result in a hold being placed on the Student’s account until the outcome(s) is complete.

B. Facilitated Resolution Procedures

If the case is not resolved by Informal Resolution, and the Faculty Member or Referring Party wants to pursue an Academic Misconduct violation, the Faculty Member or Referring Party must promptly submit an Academic Integrity Charge form. Failure to do so promptly may, at the discretion of the Director and in consultation with the Chair, result in the alleged violation no longer being pursued through the Academic Misconduct process.

In cases where the Director or designee determines that a Facilitated Resolution can be offered, the following steps apply:

  1. The assigned Facilitator will communicate with the Faculty Member or Referring Party and the Student to coordinate a Facilitated Resolution.
  2. The Facilitator will work with the Faculty Member or Referring Party and Student to determine an appropriate proposed case resolution to be reviewed by both parties.
  3. Once the Facilitator offers a proposed case resolution to the parties, both parties will have three (3) Days to notify the Facilitator if they accept or decline the offered resolution.
  4. If both parties accept the Facilitated Resolution, the case is resolved with no further right of appeal.
  5. Should either party decline the option to participate in a Facilitated Resolution or decline the proposed Facilitated Resolution, the case will be referred to a Hearing.

C. In Absentia Resolution Procedures

If a Student fails to respond within six (6) Days of an initial written request from the Director or designee for a meeting, the case may be resolved in the Student’s absence through an In Absentia Resolution.

  1. If the case is resolved through an In Absentia Resolution, the Director or designee will, in their professional judgment, make a determination on responsibility for any charge(s) and any appropriate outcome(s). Recommendation(s) on appropriate outcomes provided by the Faculty Member or Referring Party will be taken into consideration by Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution.
  2. The Student shall be notified of the In Absentia Resolution in writing no later than five (5) Days after the determination is made.
  3. If the case is resolved through an In Absentia Resolution, the Student has the right to petition for their case to be reopened. Petitions must be received no later than five (5) Days after written notice of outcome.  If granted, a Facilitator be appointed by the Director or designee to move forward with either a Facilitated Resolution or Hearing. The Director or designee may consider any factors in reopening the case, including, but not limited to, extenuating circumstances related to the Student’s failure to respond, and/or access to information not available at the time of the In Absentia Resolution.
  4. Failure to submit a petition by the written deadline will result in the In Absentia resolution being finalized. The Faculty Member or Referring Party will be notified by Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution of the finalized outcome.

D. Hearing Procedures

1.   Notice of Hearing

If the Director or designee determines that an Academic Misconduct charge(s) shall be pursued, they will deliver a written notice of Hearing to the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party. The notice of Hearing will include the following:

  1. notice of the charge(s), citing the alleged behavior prohibited by the Code;
  2. date, time, and location of the Hearing;
  3. the names of the Hearing Panel members who will hear the case;
  4. if known, the names of any witnesses being called to provide information;
  5. a statement indicating the accused Student may seek assistance from a Procedural Advisor in the preparation of their case for the Hearing;
  6. a statement indicating the accused Student has access to the case file in Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution and may review the evidence by scheduling an appointment.

The Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party will have no fewer than five (5) Days’ notice of the Hearing. The time limit for any notice may be waived if both parties agree.

Hearings may be delayed pursuant to Chapter 7, Section II.D.3 of the Code of Student Academic Integrity. Such delays shall not be considered as violating due process rights or as grounds for an appeal.

Notice of the Hearing is sufficient if sent via email to the Student’s University email address, mailed via first class, hand delivery, or by telephone followed up by email or letter confirming the telephone notice. All claims of failure to receive adequate notice are waived by the Student if the Student appears at the Hearing and does not formally raise the issue of adequate notice at the first opportunity.

2.   Submission and Review of Evidence

The Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party must submit all evidence to the Director or designee within three (3) Days after receiving notice of the hearing. Absent extraordinary circumstances, in the determination of the Director, in consultation with the Chair, new evidence cannot be introduced during the hearing unless it has been submitted in accordance with the given deadlines.

Both the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party will be provided the ability to review the evidence that is shared with the Hearing Panel. Evidence may be provided to the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party in a redacted format in order to protect education records of other students or intellectual property rights. Evidence or information submitted that is outside the scope of the Academic Misconduct Procedures will not be included and/or will be redacted.

3.   Conduct of the Hearing

  1. Attendance of Parties
    1. If the Student or the Faculty Member or Referring Party fails to appear at the Hearing after being notified pursuant to the Code, the Hearing will continue in the absence of the Student, Faculty Member, or Referring Party.
    2. An outcome may be imposed upon a Student if, after notice and without showing sufficient justification for delay, the Student is unavailable for the Hearing.
  2. Attendance of Procedural Advisors

The Director will appoint a Procedural Advisor for each party in advance of the Hearing and will notify the parties of their appointed Procedural Advisors.  The Procedural Advisors will attend the Hearing and may provide procedural advice to their appointed parties. Any witnesses called to provide information may seek procedural advice from a Procedural Advisor. Parties may decline the assistance of a Procedural Advisor.

  1. Challenges of Hearing Panel Members

The Student, Faculty Member, or Referring Party may challenge a Hearing Panel member as indicated in Chapter 7, Section III.C of the Code.

  1. Multiple Students

To protect Student education records under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a charge of Academic Misconduct against multiple Students involved in the same incident may be heard in a single Hearing only if each Student consents in writing in advance of the Hearing.

  1. Special Accommodations

Upon timely request to the Director, the Student, Faculty Member, Referring Party, or any witness, may request the University provide special accommodations for testimony by alternate methods (e.g., telephone or video conference). Such accommodations are at the discretion of the Director, in consultation with the Office of Disability Services.

  1. Administration of the Hearing
    1. Formal rules of evidence do not apply. The Convener, in consultation with the Staff Advisor, will determine the admissibility of any information. The Student’s prior Academic Misconduct record is not to be considered in the Hearing unless and until the Student is found responsible for a violation(s) of the Code, when such information may be considered in determining an outcome(s).
    2. The Convener will exercise control over the proceedings in order to maintain a fair, impartial, and efficient Hearing. The Convener may exclude or remove any individual who unreasonably delays, disrupts, or otherwise interferes with the Hearing, including the Student or their Advisor, or Faculty Member or Referring Party or their Advisor.
    3. A Staff Advisor appointed by the Director will attend the Hearing, may comment on questions of procedure and admissibility of information, and will assist in conducting the Hearing. The Staff Advisor will be present during deliberations of the Hearing Panel but may not actively participate in the deliberations or vote.
    4. Each Hearing shall be audio recorded and/or transcribed by the University and not by any other individual, and the recording and/or written transcript becomes a part of the case file maintained by Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution. All documents or recordings included in the case file are the property of the University.
       
  2. Closed Hearing

A Hearing before a Hearing Panel is an open meeting pursuant to North Carolina law; however, the Hearing shall be closed to the public once a proper motion to go into closed session is made and adopted by the Hearing Panel. Once the Hearing is closed, admission of any individual to the Hearing shall be at the discretion of the Convener of the Hearing Panel, in consultation with the Staff Advisor.

  1. Witnesses and Testimony
    1. The Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party may request the attendance of witnesses at the Hearing.
    2. The Student and the Faculty Member or Referring Party may request the assistance of the Director in securing the attendance of witnesses.
    3. All witnesses are required to give truthful testimony. Furnishing untruthful testimony may subject a University student or employee to appropriate disciplinary action.
    4. Where possible, witnesses are encouraged to attend and provide testimony in person or via virtual participation.
    5. Subject to other provisions in the Code related to the admissibility of information, written witness statements in lieu of appearance and testimony at the Hearing may be admitted as information only if the witness’s attendance would result in significant and unavoidable personal hardships or substantial interference with normal University activities. To be eligible for admission as information, such written statements must be signed by the individual writing the statement and verified by an individual appointed by the Director.
       
  2. Impact Statements and Character Documents

If the Hearing Panel determines that the Student is responsible for a violation(s) of the Code, the Student may present an impact statement as part of the outcome phase of the Hearing. An impact statement means a submitted oral or written statement that describes how an incident affected the individual’s life and any outcome(s) the individual would like to see imposed and the effect of the outcome(s) on the individual.

The Student may also present any documents or letters regarding their character as part of the outcomes phase of the Hearing.

The Hearing Panel may consider, but is not bound by, any impact statement(s) or character documents in determining a recommendation on outcome(s).

  1. Outcome-Only Hearing
    1. In order for a Student to request an Outcome-Only Hearing, the Student must submit an Outcome-Only Hearing request form within three (3) Days after receiving the notice of hearing referral.
    2. By requesting an Outcome-Only Hearing, the Student is acknowledging that they are taking responsibility for the violation(s). If the Student is charged with more than one violation in a single case, they must take responsibility for all charges in order to request an Outcome-Only Hearing. A request for an Outcome-Only Hearing will not be approved if the Student takes responsibility for only a portion of the violations.
    3. Once a Student submits the form to request an Outcome-Only hearing, the request cannot be rescinded. If a Student is unclear as to whether or not they intend to take responsibility for the violation(s), they should proceed with the full hearing, where the Hearing Panel will make a determination on responsibility and, if applicable, an outcome(s).

4.   Attendance of Advisors

The Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party may each invite up to one  individual to the Hearing to serve solely as an Advisor. During the Hearing, the Advisor may confer with the Student, Faculty, or Referring Party they are advising but may not address a University official, the Hearing Panel, or other parties, and may not unreasonably delay, disrupt, or otherwise interfere with the proceedings.

An Advisor may not argue, make statements, or question witnesses; however, an Advisor may respond to questions if asked to do so by the Hearing Panel. An Advisor may not be called as a witness.

The Student must complete a FERPA Consent Form prior to being accompanied by an Advisor.

5. Hearing Panel Determinations

  1. ​​Standard of Proof

For a Student to be found responsible for Academic Misconduct under the Code, the information must establish that the Student is responsible for Academic Misconduct by a preponderance of the evidence — that it is more likely than not that the Student engaged in Academic Misconduct as charged. This determination must be based solely on the information presented, which may include, but is not limited to, pertinent records (e.g., assignment, syllabi), exhibits (e.g., photographs, audio/video information, social media information), and written/oral statements.

A Student is presumed not responsible unless, and until, a preponderance of the evidence is met.

  1. Deliberations on Responsibility
    1. The determination by the Hearing Panel on responsibility shall be made in private, based solely on the information presented at the Hearing.
    2. The determination shall be by majority vote of the Hearing Panel.
    3. The determination on responsibility must be announced at the Hearing prior to making a determination on an outcome(s).
    4. The determination on responsibility must contain a brief rationale upon which the determination is based.
       
  2. Determination of Not Responsible

If the determination of the Hearing Panel is that the Student is not responsible for Academic Misconduct, the Hearing is called back to order and the Convener announces the finding of the proceeding.

The Panel drafts a summary of the hearing and sends it to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution. Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution maintains an internal record for eight years. No part of that file becomes part of the Student's disciplinary record. The case is closed, and no outcome may be imposed.

  1. Determination of Responsible

If the determination by the Hearing Panel is that the Student is responsible for Academic Misconduct, the Hearing Panel moves into the outcome phase of the hearing.

6.   Outcomes

  1. Deliberations on Outcome(s)
    1. In the outcome(s) phase of the hearing, in an Outcome-Only hearing, or in the case of a determination of responsibility for Research Misconduct under the Research Misconduct Policy and a subsequent referral to the Hearing Panel for a determination on an outcome (see Chapter 3, Section III.2 of the Code), both the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party may submit information and make statements concerning the appropriate outcome(s) to be imposed. The Staff Advisor will provide to the Hearing Panel the Student's Academic Misconduct history, if applicable, which may include if a student is eligible for Remediation.
    2. After submission of all information and statements on the appropriate outcome(s), the Hearing Panel will deliberate in private and will consider compelling factors.
    3. Upon making its determination of the outcome(s), the Convener announces the outcome(s) determined by the Hearing Panel.
  2. Determination on Outcome(s)
    1. After the conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing Panel prepares a summary of the hearing stating its findings, the determination on responsibility, and the outcome(s) it deems appropriate, along with a brief rationale upon which both determinations are based.
    2. The Hearing Panel submits the summary to the Director or designee, who sends a Notice of Outcome to the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party imposing an outcome(s) that includes the Hearing Panel's findings, determinations, and outcome(s).
    3. The Director or designee shall deliver the written Notice of Outcome to the Student and Faculty Member or Referring Party no later than ten (10) Days after the conclusion of the Hearing.

Section IV. Appeals

Appeals may be submitted in accordance with Chapter 9 of the Code. Appeals should be submitted using the appeal form.

Section V. Imposition of Outcome(s)

  1. If the case resolution includes an outcome(s) of a reduced grade (including "F" if undergraduate academic exercise/course and "U" for graduate academic exercise/course), the Faculty Member is responsible for the imposition of the outcome(s) and submission of a Grade Change Request, if applicable.
  2. Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution will be responsible for imposition and completion of all Educational outcome(s).
  3. At the discretion of the Director, the imposition of an outcome(s) normally will be deferred until after a decision on an initial level of appeal but may be imposed immediately after the Hearing.
  4. See examples in Appendix A.

Appendix A, Outcome Examples