Academic and Professional Integrity Committee Procedures

The Academic and Professional Integrity Committee is an ad-hoc committee composed of three full-time faculty members.

The Assistant Dean of the program or designated representative will be responsible for scheduling hearings at the earliest convenient time and for notifying the person(s) who are to appear before the committee. A copy of the procedures for the conduct of the hearing will be provided in writing to the person(s) who are scheduled to appear, together with notification of the time and place of the hearing. A copy of these documents will be provided to the Associate Dean of the Program.

In exceptional cases, upon the student’s request, the Assistant Dean or designated representative may postpone a hearing, but every effort should be made to arrange a prompt and thorough hearing of the matter. The student(s) accused must attend the hearing, except in cases in which a violation of academic or professional integrity has been admitted. In such a case, a student may advise the chair in writing of any mitigating circumstance(s) that should be weighed by the committee in its consideration of disciplinary sanction. (Even when a student has admitted to the violation, it is still advised that the student(s) appears in person before the committee.) Any student who does not appear at the formal hearing retains the right to appeal any sanction imposed by the Academic and Professional Integrity Committee.

The formal hearing will be held as a closed hearing. The hearing may include the committee, the person(s) making the complaint, the student(s) charged, and one (1) additional observer chosen by the charged student(s) and/or the person making the complaint. All observers must respect the confidentiality of the disciplinary process and are there only for support.

The Academic and Professional Integrity Committee will employ the following specific procedures in hearing a case:

The complainant and the respondent shall have the opportunity to present statements summarizing their respective cases and the evidence to be presented.
The complainant shall present their evidence. The complainant may decide whether or not to testify during the hearing. Except as otherwise noted in this subsection, the respondent and members of the Committee may question the complainant’s witnesses.
The respondent shall have the opportunity to present evidence. The respondent may decide whether or not to testify during the hearing. Except as otherwise noted in this subsection, the complainant and members of the Committee may question the respondent’s witnesses.
The complainant and the respondent shall have the opportunity to present concluding remarks.
In any hearing, the Committee may ask questions of any participant in the hearing (including the complainant, the respondent, and any witness) at any time during the hearing, and may also recall witnesses and/or request that additional witnesses be called.

The student(s) charged will have the right to examine documentary evidence presented during the hearing and have the right to hear and cross-examine witnesses at the hearing.

Immediately following the hearing, the Academic and Professional Integrity Committee will meet in closed session to consider all the evidence and information presented. The committee will, by majority vote, first determine whether the student(s) involved are in violation of all or part of the charges at issue. If the committee finding is “not in violation,” the Assistant Dean or designated representative will notify the student(s) within five (5) business days. The chair also will notify the Associate Dean of the program concerning the committee’s decision.

If the committee finding is “in violation” for all or part of the charges brought against the student(s), the Academic and Professional Integrity Committee will then decide by majority vote on appropriate sanctions for the offense in question, consistent with the guidelines. The committee will notify the Associate Dean of the program regarding the outcome of the hearing and the recommended sanctions. The Associate Dean will accept or modify the recommended sanction from the Committee and notify the student in writing within five (5) business days of notification.

Sanctions

The following sanctions may be imposed if a student violates the academic or professional integrity policy:

A formal written reprimand.
Educational sanctions, such as completing a workshop on plagiarism or academic ethics or attending a professional ethics workshop or required training to address professional integrity violation.
Complete an educational project related to appropriate conduct of research and scholarship.
Restitution paid to appropriate party in the form of service, money, or material replacement.
Student is asked to articulate a plan of action to address personal professional integrity.
Grade deduction for resubmission of the assignment.
Student(s) fails the assignment.
Student(s) fails the course.
Student(s) receives a course grade penalty less severe than failure of the course.
A restriction not allowing the student(s) to retake the course.
Disciplinary probation for a definite period of time or until defined conditions are met. The probation will be noted on the student’s or students’ transcripts and internal record while it is in force.
Continuing in the program with no sanctions.
Continuing in the program if certain conditions are met.
Counseling the student to voluntarily withdraw from the program.
Recommended suspension or expulsion from the university to the Dean of the Brown School.

A recommendation of suspension or expulsion by the Committee and/or Associate Dean is sent to the Dean of the Brown School, who will determine whether to accept the Committee’s recommendation. The Dean will formally inform student of their final decision.

In order to protect the safety of any student or other member of the Brown School community, the Chancellor’s designees have the option of suspending a student from attending classes or other School functions. If this temporary suspension is to last more than one (1) week, the matter will be referred to the Academic and Professional Integrity Committee for recommendation. The student may remain suspended while awaiting the final decision from the Associate Dean. Temporary suspensions may be appealed to the Chancellor designee under the provisions of the Washington University Student Conduct Code.

Appeals

The student(s) being charged, as well as the charging party, will have the right to appeal in writing to the Dean of the Brown School within fourteen (14) business days after being notified by the Associate Dean. Such appeal shall be made in writing to the appeal officer and shall be limited to grounds that a fair hearing was not provided or that the sanction imposed was insufficient or excessive.

The appeal must outline the reason for the appeal and provide all information relevant to the case for consideration of the appeal. The Dean then will have the opportunity to request additional information. The Dean will then determine whether an unfair hearing has occurred or whether the sanctions imposed are insufficient or excessive. If the Dean grants the appeal, they may order a new hearing or may reduce or modify the sanctions imposed.

All decisions are final, except that expulsions and suspensions may be appealed to the Chancellor designee under the provisions of the Washington University Student Conduct Code.

Record Keeping

It is the responsibility of the Assistant Dean to maintain the records concerning academic and professional integrity violations. When a student has been found to have violated this policy, a letter summarizing the allegation, the outcome, and sanction will be placed in the student’s official file in the Brown School Registrar’s Office.

The responsible Assistant Dean or designated representative reports the outcome of every formal accusation of student misconduct to the Director of the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, who will maintain a record of each incident.

The responsible Assistant Dean will make periodic (at least annual) reports to the faculty and administration of the School concerning accusations of academic and professional misconduct and the outcomes, without disclosing specific information that would allow identification of the students involved.