Responding to Undergraduate Misconduct
All undergraduate students in CLAS courses are expected to abide by the CLAS Code of Academic Honesty. Please review this section of student handbook for a description of possible types of academic misconduct. Please share information about the Code of Academic Honesty on your syllabus, and talk with students about academic misconduct and your expectations concerning their work.
This policy supports the UI Code of Student Life, overseen by the Office of the Dean of Students, which outlines student obligations as members of the University community. Academic misconduct, as stated in the related policy, is ordinarily handled by the student’s undergraduate college and its specific policies and procedures:
Please use this form to report academic misconduct by undergraduates: CLAS Report of Undergraduate Academic Misconduct. CLAS uses these reports to apply a collegiate sanction in addition any grading sanction for the assignment by the instructor.
If you have questions about academic misconduct or would like to consult on a specific case, please contact CLAS Undergraduate Programs, clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2633.
Reporting Academic Misconduct
Each UI undergraduate college tracks offenses on a shared database, with academic misconduct reports shared across UI undergraduate colleges and with sterner consequences for repeat offenders.
For example, if a CLAS student commits academic misconduct in a Tippie College of Business course, CLAS is notified and thus is able to apply a collegiate-level sanction, regardless of the administrative home of the course.
In order for the College to contact and educate students within CLAS and at other UI undergraduate colleges, instructors must consistently report these incidents. Unreported incidents lead to repeat offenses, with the integrity of the classroom questioned by students.
Procedures for reporting academic misconduct to the college
- Determine any grade sanction that is appropriate for the incident.
- Inform the student of the concern in an email at the uiowa.edu account, asking the student to discuss the situation.
- After meeting with the student, or if the student does not respond within a reasonable period of time, the instructor may proceed with reporting the incident to the college. Note: TA's who are not the primary instructor for the course should report academic misconduct to the course supervisor who will take further action. Adjunct instructors working with a course supervisor may submit the report themselves, but generally first consult with a supervisor. Each department and program may have slightly different procedures depending on the course type, size, experience of the instructor, and other matters.
- Please submit the academic misconduct report via the CLAS Report of Undergraduate Academic Misconduct form within two weeks of the end of the session in which the incident occurred. In the report, describe the academic misconduct and the action taken; attach documentation to support the claim. CLAS Undergraduate Programs is happy to consult so feel free to contact us at clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu or call us at 319-335-2633.
Sanctions
Grading sanctions assigned by the instructor
In the case of an academic integrity violation, an instructor may fail the exam, quiz, or assignment showing evidence of academic misconduct or may assign a lower grade than otherwise would have been earned. The instructor may also decide to request a revision of the work in question and may accept the revision for a grade, as warranted.
Generally, instructors may not fail the student for an entire class or impose a grade reduction for entire course because of academic misconduct. However, if special circumstances exist and an instructor believes that a student should be failed for the entire course because of academic misconduct, the instructor should consult on the matter with CLAS Undergraduate Programs.
Reporting the student to the college is also considered a sanction assigned by the instructor.
Sanctions applied by the college
CLAS will review the instructor's report and adjudicate the academic misconduct case. The instructor who submitted the academic misconduct report will be copied on the letter that the college sends to the student. The college may find the student not responsible, or may apply a warning, and/or the sanctions listed below. Please note that sanctions may be modified depending on the case. If a student's primary college of enrollment is not CLAS, then that college will be notified and determine any collegiate sanction for their student.
For a first offense
The student may be required to enroll in a non-credit academic integrity seminar (AIS). The seminar includes close readings and requires short essays answers, asking students to consider the role of integrity as essential to learning and to the role of a university's research and creative mission. The seminar encourages students to reflect on the deeper worth of their own learning and its importance to a civil society. Many students find this reflection inspirational, helping to recenter their goals and values. The seminar takes around 10-15 hours to complete. The student is charged $115 for the course and the student's ability to register for the next semester or session is held until the course is completed. The fee is not included in UI tuition and is paid separately online. A notation concerning academic misconduct does not appear on the transcript for a first offense since this is seen as a learning experience.
For a second offense
For a second offense, a student could be suspended and not allowed to register as a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for one year. During suspension, the offense is noted on the student's transcript as: Not permitted to register-Academic Misconduct. At the end of the suspension, the student may return to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the academic misconduct notation is removed from the student's transcript.
For a third offense
For a third offense, the College may recommend to the Office of Executive Vice Provost and Provost that the student be expelled. If expulsion occurs, the offense is recorded on the student's transcript as follows: Not permitted to register-Academic Misconduct. If expelled, the student may not return to the University of Iowa.
Student Appeals
Every student has the right to appeal. A student is invited to meet with the CLAS Undergraduate Programs at any point in the process below.
- If a student believes that the finding of academic misconduct is in error, the student should first arrange a meeting with the instructor (or the course supervisor) and/or the departmental executive officer (DEO).
- If the student is dissatisfied with the result of these meetings, the student should make an appointment to discuss the matter with CLAS Undergraduate Programs. The student may call 319-335-2633 to schedule an appointment.
- After the above meetings, the student may appeal the departmental decision and/or the collegiate decision to the CLAS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. The college typically reviews appeals only for the current or previous semester.
- If the student is not satisfied with the results of the formal appeal to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the student may then request a review of the decision by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Appeals are not heard by the Associate Provost until the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has responded to the formal appeal from the student.
See the related policy for students, including the CLAS Code of Academic Honesty: Academic Standards: Academic Honesty.
Academic misconduct by graduate students must be reported to the Graduate College according to Section IV.F of the Graduate College Manual.
If you have questions about responding to undergraduate academic misconduct in a course offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, please reach out to clas-undergrad@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2633.