Unacceptable Academic Practice: Template Letters to Students
Letters should be sent or copied to AQRO in electronic format and emailed to uapstaff@aber.ac.uk
LETTER A1 – UAP substantiated in coursework assessment (Investigation by Chair of
Examination Board)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to inform you that I have received details of suspected Unacceptable Academic
Practice in relation to module [please insert details] . Following consideration of the evidence I have concluded that Unacceptable Academic Practice has occurred. There will be no formal penalty of deducting marks on this occasion, but note that your assignment will be marked in accordance with departmental criteria.
[Please note that referral to the EAAP course is optional] Following consideration of the case, I have also decided that you would benefit from further skills training. The course is entitled ‘Essential Aspects of Academic Practice’ and is delivered by the International English
Centre, who will contact you in due course with further details.
I would also remind you that Unacceptable Academic Practice is taken very seriously by the
University as a breach of the Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice. Please note that a second finding of UAP by the Chair of the Examination Board would be recorded as
100 points in the Points-Based Penalty System. This would mean that in the event of a subsequent investigation by Institute or University Panel, 150 points would be assigned
(under section (i): Previous Cases), with potentially serious consequences for the resulting penalty.
In accordance with section 6.2 of the Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice, you are entitled to request that this case is referred to the Institute Panel for investigation, by sending a formal request by email to uapstaff@aber.ac.uk
no more than three working days after receiving this confirmation.
A report of the investigation is enclosed, and I would advise you to contact your Department for further advice on the consequences of this decision. You are entitled to request a Review of this decision. The Procedure is set out in section 15 of the Regulation on Unacceptable
Academic Practice, and you should note the permitted grounds for Review: requests on other grounds cannot be considered: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/academic-quality-recordsoffice/unacceptable-academic-practice/regulation/

Yours sincerely
Chair of the Examination Board c. Academic Quality and Records Office uapstaff@aber.ac.uk

LETTER A2 – UAP substantiated in formal examination (Investigation by Chair of the
Examination Board)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to inform you that I have received details of suspected Unacceptable Academic
Practice in relation to the examination for module [please insert details] . Following consideration of the evidence I have concluded that Unacceptable Academic Practice has occurred. There will be no formal penalty of deducting marks on this occasion, but I would remind you that Unacceptable Academic Practice is taken very seriously by the University as a breach of the Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice. A second finding of UAP by the Chair of the Examination Board would be recorded as 100 points in the Points-Based
Penalty System. This would mean that in the event of a subsequent investigation by
Institute or University Panel, 150 points would be assigned (under section (i): Previous
Cases), with potentially serious consequences for the resulting penalty.
In accordance with section 6.2 of the Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice, you are entitled to request that this case is referred to the Institute Panel for investigation, by sending a formal request by email to uapstaff@aber.ac.uk
no more than three working days after receiving this confirmation.
A report of the investigation is enclosed, and I would advise you to contact your Department for further advice on the consequences of this decision. You are entitled to request a Review of this decision. The Procedure is set out in section 15 of the Regulation on Unacceptable
Academic Practice, and you should note the permitted grounds for Review: requests on other grounds cannot be considered: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/academic-quality-recordsoffice/unacceptable-academic-practice/regulation/
Yours sincerely
Chair of the Examination Board c. Academic Quality and Records Office uapstaff@aber.ac.uk

LETTER A3 – UAP not substantiated (Investigation by Chair of Examination Board)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to inform you of the outcome of an investigation to consider an allegation of
Unacceptable Academic Practice. I can confirm that the allegation has not been substantiated, and that there is no case of Unacceptable Academic Practice. No further action will be taken.
Chair of the Examination Board c. Academic Quality and Records Office uapstaff@aber.ac.uk

LETTER B – Initial letter to student (Investigation by Institute Panel)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to notify you formally that you are suspected of Unacceptable Academic Practice
(UAP) in relation to the following module [insert details]
Details of the allegation are enclosed in the UAP Investigation Form (section 1), and I have also enclosed a copy of the University’s Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice. The
University takes UAP very seriously and the allegation must be investigated to determine whether UAP has taken place. We need to establish what has happened, to give advice on how to avoid any repeat, or to impose appropriate penalties where necessary. It may of course be that the allegation will not be proved.
Following initial consideration of the nature of the allegation by the Chair of the
Examination Board, an Institute Panel will be convened to investigate the case, according to section 7 of the Regulation.
The panel will be meeting to consider the suspected case on [add date and location] . You have the opportunity to attend this meeting, and to submit written evidence in advance of the meeting. If you wish, you may also be represented by an advisor from the Students’
Union. If you fail to attend the panel meeting, without good reason, the meeting will proceed in your absence, and you will be informed of the outcome in writing.
Yours sincerely c. Academic Quality and Records Office uapstaff@aber.ac.uk

LETTER C – Initial letter to student (investigation by University Panel)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to notify you formally that you are suspected of Unacceptable Academic Practice
(UAP) in relation to the following module [insert details]
Details of the allegation are enclosed in the UAP Investigation Form (section 1), and I have also enclosed a copy of the University’s Regulation on Unacceptable Academic Practice. The
University takes UAP very seriously and the allegation must be investigated to determine whether UAP has taken place. We need to establish what has happened, to give advice on how to avoid any repeat, or to impose appropriate penalties where necessary. It may of course be that the allegation will not be proved.
Following initial consideration of the nature of the allegation by the Chair of the
Examination Board, the University will be convening a panel to investigate the case, according to section 8 of the Regulation.
The University Panel will be meeting to consider the suspected case on [add date and location] . You have the opportunity to attend this meeting, and to submit written evidence in advance of the meeting. If you wish, you may also be represented by an advisor from the
Students’ Union. If you fail to attend the panel meeting, without good reason, the meeting will proceed in your absence, and you will be informed of the outcome in writing.
Yours sincerely
University Panel Secretary
Academic Quality and Records Office c. Chair of the Examination Board

LETTER D – Confirmation of penalty by AQRO
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to inform you of the outcome of an investigation to consider an allegation of
Unacceptable Academic Practice. The [Institute or University panel] found that the allegation had been substantiated, and the following penalty has been imposed:
……………………………………………………………………………………………
A report of the investigation is enclosed, and I would advise you to contact your Department for further advice on the consequences of this decision. You are entitled to request a Review of this decision. The Procedure is set out in section 15 of the Regulation on Unacceptable
Academic Practice, and you should note the permitted grounds for Review: requests on other grounds cannot be considered: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/academic-quality-recordsoffice/unacceptable-academic-practice/regulation/
Yours sincerely
Academic Quality and Records Office c. Chair of Institute Panel/ Chair of Examination Board

LETTER E – Confirmation letter from AQRO to student (allegation not substantiated)
Dear
Allegation of Unacceptable Academic Practice: Module [please insert details]
I write to inform you of the outcome of an investigation to consider an Allegation of
Unacceptable Academic Practice. The [Institute/University Panel] found that the allegation had not been substantiated, and that there is no case of Unacceptable Academic Practice.
No further action will be taken.
Yours sincerely
Academic Quality and Records Office
c. Chair of Institute Panel / Chair of Examination Board