According to the “Code of Academic Integrity”, it is the moral responsibility but not the sanctioned obligation of each member of the George Washington University community to respond to suspected acts of academic dishonesty by:

1)   consulting the individual(s) thought to be involved and encouraging them to report it themselves, and/or

2)   reporting it to the instructor involved, and/or

3)   reporting it to the Academic Integrity Council.

4)   Reporting oneself after committing academic dishonesty is strongly encouraged and may be considered in determining sanctions.

Charges involving violations of the “Code of Academic Integrity” may be initiated by either faculty, students, librarians or administrators.  When charging a student for an academic integrity violation, complainants must sign and submit the Charge of Academic Dishonesty form to the Office of Academic Integrity.

Any charges should be made as expeditiously as is reasonably possible (normally within twelve working days except in the summer or during academic breaks and holidays) from the discovery of the infraction.  Charges may be initiated as follows:

1. A student may initiate a charge of academic dishonesty against another student, by referring the case to the faculty member involved and/or to the Academic Integrity Council.  If the case is brought directly to the Academic Integrity Council, for action by a Hearing Panel, then the Director of the Office of Academic Integrity or a designee shall promptly notify the instructor of the involved course.
    
2. When a faculty member initiates a charge or is made aware of a violation which the faculty member determines to be substantive, the faculty member shall contact the Office of Academic Integrity in order to discover whether the student has ever been found in violation of a charge of academic dishonesty.

             i)    In first offense cases, the instructor shall either act directly, in consultation with the Department Chair, or refer the case to the Academic Integrity Council for action by a Hearing Panel.  An instructor who acts directly must  present the student with specific charges and a proposed sanction.  Sanctions will be determined in accordance with Article III, Section 5 and Article II, Section 2 of the “Code of Academic Integrity.”

            ii)    If the faculty member acts directly then the accused student shall have the right to appeal directly to the Academic Integrity Council, for action by a Hearing Panel, should he or she disagree with the validity of the charge or the appropriateness of the sanction. 

            iii)   Second offenses shall go directly to the Academic Integrity Council, for action by a Hearing Panel.

            iv)   If a faculty member is made aware of a violation which the faculty member determines not to be substantive, the faculty member shall notify the complaining student promptly.

3)   All charges initiated by members of the administration or librarians shall go directly to the Academic Integrity Council, for action by a Hearing Panel.

            i)   All actions, on any level, shall be recorded with the Office of Academic Integrity.  This includes cases handled directly by instructors.

For more information, please review the “Code of Academic Integrity” or contact our office at (202) 994-6757.