Procedures in Instances of Academic Dishonesty or Code of Ethics Violations

An accusation of academic dishonesty or violation of the Code of Ethics may be brought against a student by a professor, a program, a group of faculty, an administrator, or another student and must be reported to the Office Student Affairs or the Associate Dean.

Faculty are encouraged to discuss the matter with the student, including possible resolution, but no student may be assigned a grade as a sanction without the student’s agreement or a due process determination. Any such resolution must be reported to the Director of Student Affairs and the Associate Dean.

The Director of Student Affairs, upon receiving an allegation of academic dishonesty, works with the Associate Dean to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to warrant levying formal charges against a student or whether an effort should be made to resolve the issue through conciliation.

If formal charges are filed, a five-person disciplinary committee (two students, two faculty members and a chair) hears the evidence, presented by the Associate Dean; the student charged with the offense is given the opportunity to respond and present his/her case in writing and also in person or by phone, and represented by counsel if so desired.

The disciplinary committee first decides guilt or innocence on the charges and then the appropriate penalty in the instance of a guilty finding. The committee chair notifies the Associate Dean and the Director of Student Affairs of the committee’s decision.

The student may appeal the decision to the Dean, whose opinion will be final, except if the penalty is greater than a one semester suspension or dismissal. In that case, the student may appeal further, to the appropriate committee of the CUNY Board of Trustees.