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Student Guide to Due Process: What Happens When There Is an Alleged Academic Integrity Concern?

1. Notice issued
   • You received a Notice of an Alleged Academic Integrity Concern
   • This does not mean a decision has been made
   • It means a concern has been identified and is under review
   • The formal notice provides:
     • Information about the alleged violation(s)
     • Next steps
     • An opportunity to respond
   • This process follows the Student Code of Conduct
     
   • There is a concern that an academic integrity violation might have occurred,
     but no findings or conclusions have been made
2. What you need to do within five days of receiving the notice
   • Respond to your professor
   • Propose available dates and times for a conference meeting
   • Use your Carroll email account for all communication
   • Prepare to share your perspective
3. Conference meeting with your professor: What happens during the meeting
   • Your professor will explain the specific concern
   • You will have the opportunity to:
     • Share your perspective
     • Provide context or documentation
     • Ask questions about the concern and the process
   • The focus of the conference is the available information and applicable policy
   • No assumptions of intent are made
   • Purpose of the Educational Review Process:
     Regardless of the final outcome, it is:
     • Educational; not punitive
     • Designed to help students:
       • Understand academic integrity expectations
       • Learn how to safeguard academic work
4. Decision and communication after review
   • You will receive clear communication regarding:
     • Any determination
     • Outcomes of the review
   • If a student is found responsible, outcomes depend on whether the violation
     is a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd violation
   • Examples of outcomes may include:
     • Revision of an assignment within a specified time
     • A grade of 0 on an assignment or exam
     • Retaking an exam, possibly with a grade reduction
     • Taking an online or in-person proctored exam
   • Your Academic Integrity Module assignment, if applicable
   • Next steps, if applicable
5. Appeal option (if applicable)If it is determined that you are responsible for the alleged violation and you
   disagree, you may appeal on the following limited grounds:
   • Substantial Procedural Error — A significant mistake in
     applying College procedures or policy that resulted in an unfair process
   • Disproportionate Sanction — The outcome is substantially more
     severe than reasonable given the violation
   • New Evidence — Significant information not reasonably
     available during the original review that would have impacted the decision

1. Incident report submitted:
   Using the Student Code of Conduct, the Faculty member determines if there is
   evidence of an alleged violation and submits an Incident Report through the
   established Canvas workflow.
2. Faculty reporter notified:
   The Director of Student Care and Integrity reviews the report and, through the
   established workflow, informs the Faculty member of any prior violations.
3. Student Integrity sends written notice to student:
   The student receives email notice through the established workflow regarding
   the alleged violations and next steps. The email comes from
   StudentIntegrity@Carrollcc.edu.
4. Faculty emails the student to schedule a conference:
   Student Integrity authorizes the Faculty member to email the student. The
   Faculty member offers a meeting, outlines the alleged violation, applicable
   policy, and next steps, and provides five (5) business days for the student to
   respond. The email explains that a decision will be made with or without the
   student’s response.
5. The student can be heard:
   The Faculty member and student meet to discuss the concern. The Faculty member
   reviews all relevant information, consults campus partners as needed
   (e.g., BIT, Title IX, Disability Support Services), and makes a decision based
   on what the available information most strongly supports.
6. Faculty member decides sanction and completes Conference Summary:
   • During the meeting, the Faculty member decides sanctions, outlines the
     outcome, explains Disciplinary Records (5 years), and completes the
     Conference Summary.
   • Sanctions depend on the severity of the violation and whether the violation
     amounts to a 2nd, 3rd, etc. offense.
7. Faculty member obtains student response:
   The student agrees or disagrees regarding their responsibility during the
   conference. If the student disagrees, they may appeal if there are grounds.
   Student Integrity will inform the student of next steps via the workflow.
8. Final letter:
   Student Integrity sends the student a Final Letter providing notice of the
   final disciplinary action.

Pause, Pivot to Policy, Provide Due Process

Faculty members have a responsibility to uphold the Student Code of Conduct by
adjudicating alleged Academic Integrity violations. Per Association for Student
Conduct Administration (ASCA) guidelines, to adjudicate means to:

• Review relevant information, apply the Student Code of Conduct, and determine responsibility through a fair and impartial process that includes notice and an opportunity to be heard, on behalf of Carroll Community College. Adjudication is educational in nature (not punitive) and grounded in due process.
• Due process (click here) is the constitutional guarantee that public institutions of higher education must follow fair policies, procedures, and rules when addressing accusations related to a student.

Pause: Ground Your Actions in Policy. Due Process Is Your Best Protection Against Risk and Liability.

When a potential academic integrity concern arises, pause before acting. As the faculty adjudicator, you are serving on behalf of Carroll Community College to uphold students’ constitutional right to due process.

• Focus on observable evidence, not assumptions of intent
• Separate your instructional role from your adjudicative responsibility
• Avoid informal penalties or grading actions prior to completing the College process

Pivot to Policy: Apply the Student Code of Conduct.

• Use the Student Code of Conduct to identify the alleged violation
• Follow established College procedures for notice, meetings, documentation, and outcomes
• Refrain from implementing personal or alternative expectations or processes

Provide Due Process: Adjudicate Fairly and Consistently.

• Notice: Inform the student of the alleged violation and applicable policy
• Opportunity to Respond: Provide a meaningful chance for the student to share their perspective
• Fair Evaluation: Assess information objectively using the preponderance of evidence standard
• Educational Outcome: Assign proportional, developmental outcomes aligned with College guidance

Why This Matters at Carroll

• Upholds student rights and procedural fairness
• Protects faculty by anchoring decisions in the Student Code of Conduct
• Reinforces Carroll’s values of care, integrity, accountability, and learning