Frequently Asked Questions by FACULTY about Academic and Classroom
Behavior Misconduct Reporting
1. If I want to file a complaint against student, what do I do?
Any member of the University community (faculty, staff, student, or community stakeholder)
may file a complaint against any student for misconduct reasons. Complaints should be prepared
in writing and directed to the Office of Student Conduct, which is responsible for the
administration of the University student conduct system. All complaints should be submitted as
soon as possible after the incident takes place, preferably within forty-eight (48) business hours.
Complaints may be submitted online at http://www.uco.edu/conduct, hand-delivered, or faxed to
(405) 974-3817. There is a specific complaint form dedicated to faculty which is entitled, the
“Academic and Classroom Misconduct Report Form.” This form may be accessed under the “File
a Complaint” tab and under the “Faculty” tab. In addition, the Director of Student Conduct may
be reached in the Lillard Administration Building 211, (405) 974-2361 or
studentconduct@uco.edu or csnoddy@uco.edu.
1. What is the intent and purpose of the Academic and Classroom Misconduct [Report] form?
The purpose of implementing an official Academic Misconduct Report form has three (3)
primary purposes. Primarily, the intent of the Academic Misconduct Report form is to establish a
standardized process for faculty members to file complaints against students, who have allegedly
violated University policies. Secondly, the implementation of a standardized process for filing
complaints against students will help to facilitate a better understanding for all faculty members
and students of the rights, procedures, and options of resolution involved in the student conduct
process. Lastly, the Office of Student Conduct shall serve as a centralized University entity for
advice on matters of precedence and statistical data regarding possible recidivism.
2. How will the form be used?
The Academic Misconduct Report form will be utilized as a form of documentation for the
reporting faculty member, the Chair of the Department, the Dean of the College, and the Office of
Student Conduct. The accused student has a right to review a copy of this report as well.
A secondary use of the Academic Misconduct Report form will be to establish a uniform tracking
system of academic misconduct within the different colleges and the University as a whole. The
Academic Misconduct Report form, if used properly, will simplify the process of calculating the
various reported academic misconduct incidents and how they were resolved for a particular
semester, academic year, or calendar year. The Office of Student Conduct possesses an incident
tracking software that can produce reports of the various forms of academic misconduct for a
specified time period, how they were resolved, and from which department the cases originated.
Lastly, many faculty members prefer to handle certain misconduct situations by themselves. This
form and process does not discourage such efforts. In fact, the Office of Student Conduct
applauds the proactive approaches. This Academic Misconduct Report form provides a
standardized medium to inform the Office of Student Conduct and accused student(s) of a
misconduct issue, which may have been addressed by the faculty member already. In other
words, this form can serve as an “F.Y.I.,” in case a pattern of the same behavior forms in
the future in the same or other departments. Furthermore, if a faculty member suspects
academic misconduct from a certain student, then they may contact the Office of Student
Conduct and inquire of a possible academic misconduct history. However, if the faculty
member prefers to just have a conversation or issue a verbal warning with the student
without filling out the Academic Misconduct form, then the faculty member has this option
as well.
3. If the matter that I report will be investigated, then who will investigate? What factors are
considered when determining whether a student is “responsible” for an alleged behavior?
If the reporting faculty member specifies on the Academic Misconduct form that they would like
to file a formal complaint against the student, then the matter would be investigated by the
Director of Student Conduct or designee. While investigating a matter, the Director of Student
Conduct and/or designee interviews all involved parties and relevant and available witnesses (eye
witness or circumstantial) to the alleged University violation, reviews all relevant information to
the allegation(s), and considers any previous allegations against the accused student. Note: The
Office of Student Conduct must remain neutral during the investigation process, prior to making a
final decision.
The University of Central Oklahoma uses a “preponderance or weight of the evidence” standard
in determining whether a student should be held responsible for an alleged behavior. Primarily,
the Director of Student Conduct or qualified designee shall make the determination of
responsibility on the basis of whether it is “more likely than not” that the accused student violated
the Code of Student Conduct.
The factors that are considered in each case include, but are not limited to, the following:
(listed in no particular order)
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Police reports, if any
Statement(s) of the Alleged Victim
Statement(s) of the Accused Student(s)
Witness statements, if any
The nature of the incident
The intent of the student(s) involved
The effect on the University community
Prior conduct records of involved students
Prior criminal record(s), if any
The role of the accused student(s) in the incident
The cooperation and honesty of the involved student(s)
The development and education of the student(s) involved
The safety, well-being, and recovery of the surrounding and/or impacted University
community
4. Who decides what actions will be taken?
On the Academic Misconduct Report form there is a section entitled, “Purpose of Report/Notice
of Action,” which allows the reporting faculty member to specify one (1) of the following courses
of action:
1. Notice of Grade/Points Penalty
(Grade/Points Penalty________)
2. Notice of Class Failure
(‘F’ in class due to violation)
3. Informal Complaint
(FYI to S.C.O.)
4. Formal Complaint to O.S.C.
(Investigate & Pursue Action, if necessary)
5. Resubmit Assignment/Retake Exam
6. Other or Desired Outcome:______________________________________________
Options #1, #2, #3 and #5 are courses of action that have already been taken by the reporting
faculty member and/or their supervisor. If options #4 is elected on an Academic Misconduct
Report form, then the Office of Student Conduct shall investigate the matter and make the final
decision. If option #6 is selected and the reporting faculty member specifically requests a
suspension, expulsion, or a similar type of sanction, then the Officeof Student Conduct shall
make the final decision as well. (Note: Suspension, expulsions, recession of credit hours, and/or
revoking of degrees requires a Student Conduct Hearing prior to any such decisions. Usually,
formal Student Conduct Hearings are conducted by the Director of Student Conduct. However,
in cases whereby the Director of Student Conduct may be considered biased or even called as a
witness, these cases may be delegated to a student conduct body, which consists of students,
faculty from another department or college, and staff.)
The reporting faculty has the option of deciding who makes the final decision. However, once a
formal complaint, #4 (and #6 for certain desired outcomes), is filed with the Office of Student
Conduct, then the final decision shall be rendered by the Office of Student Conduct, pending
normal appeal procedures, according to the current UCO Code of Student Conduct.
Appeals that are grade-related should be referred the grade appeal process. Information regarding
the specific steps involved in filing a grade appeal may be found at
http://www.busn.uco.edu/academicaffairs/Academic%20Appeals%20ProcedurePacket.pdf
Behavioral misconduct appeals (not involving suspension, expulsion, or degree revocation) shall
be addressed by the Vice President for Student Affairs. The current UCO Code of Student
Conduct outlines the steps for filing appeals to the Vice President for Student Affairs in section
III. Q. Behavioral misconduct appeals (involving suspension, expulsion, or degree revocation)
are referred to the Committee on Student Conduct, according to the current UCO Code of Student
Conduct, section III. R.-S.
5. Are the faculty members the only ones that can assign a grade or change a grade?
Yes. The reporting faculty member may inquire about the thoughts of the Director of Student
Conduct regarding the case. The Director of Student Conduct may advise the faculty member.
However, the final decision about a grade assignment or grade change shall rest with the
reporting faculty member.
6. Are these confidential reports?
Yes. The University of Central Oklahoma abides by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy
Act (FERPA) of 1974, which is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education
records. However, the student(s) about whom the report is filed has a right to know about the file
and review the contents within the file.
7. Where will the reports be stored?
The reports, which are filed with the Office of Student Conduct will be stored in the Office of
Student Conduct for the remainder of the calendar year, in which the report was filed. After the
calendar year has been completed, the report(s) will be transferred to a fire-safe file cabinet for at
least six (6) years. (Why is it this long?—Clery Act standards) Major crimes may be kept for
much longer periods of time.
8. It might not be easy to get all the banner numbers of students involved as witnesses, etc.
This is not a problem for the Director of Student Conduct, unless a name has been misspelled by
the reporting faculty member. The Banner Identification numbers are needed for the Office of
Student Conduct reports. If the reporting faculty members do not have the Banner Identification
numbers of the involved students, then the Office of Student Conduct will acquire them. Thus,
the Banner Identification number is optional if it is not readily available.
9. Is this a way to accumulate a paper trail of certain students that might be disruptive?
It can be used as a paper trail. However, the Academic Misconduct Report form will be utilized
as a form of documentation for the reporting faculty member, the Chair of the Department, the
Dean of the College, and the Office of Student Conduct. The accused student has a right to
review a copy of this report as well.
Another use of the Academic Misconduct Report form will be to establish a uniform tracking
system of academic misconduct within the different colleges and the University as a whole. The
Academic Misconduct Report form, if used properly, will simplify the process of calculating the
various reported academic misconduct incidents and how they were resolved for a particular
semester, academic year, or calendar year. The Office of Student Conduct possesses an incident
tracking software that can produce reports of the various forms of academic misconduct for a
specified time period, how they were resolved, and from which department the cases originated.
Additionally, the Office of Student Conduct has a significant role within the UCO C.A.R.E.
(Campus Awareness, Response, and Evaluation) Team. The Office of Student Conduct regularly
communicates with the UCO Police Services, UCO Student Counseling Center, Housing and
Dining Services, and other campus entities regarding the behavior of students. Thus, the reports
of unusual, strange, disturbing, and/or disruptive behavior from one area on campus may be
relevant to reports of similar behavior in other areas on or off campus properties. The awareness
of these reported behaviors may serve the University well in the timeliness, appropriateness, and
effectiveness of the responses to the student(s) of concern, their behavior(s), and the community
thereby affected.
10. What degree of disruption/disturbance warrants this form being submitted?
Any disruption/disturbance that violates the UCO Code of Student Conduct could warrant a
complaint being filed. The Office of Student Conduct is available for consultation, if desired,
prior to filing a complaint.
The key is preparation for classes prior to start of classes. A good syllabus will outline some key
guidelines for assignments, exams, attendance, as well as behavior expectations, which
correspond with the current UCO Code of Student Conduct. In addition, a brief definition and/or
examples of “classroom disturbance/disruption” would prove useful to students.
Ignorance of the rules is not an “exemption pass” to break the rules. However, if each student in
your classroom is aware of the rules, then everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in the
classroom. Therefore, when someone “disturbs/disrupts” this opportunity for themselves or
others, then the “ignorance excuse” is nullified.
Each instructor has the responsibility to set a tone in their own classrooms. Henceforth, each
instructor has to decide when to utilize this form. Of course, in times of CLEAR AND
PRESENT DANGER, then the University of Central Oklahoma Police Services (UCOPS) should
be called immediately at (405) 974-2345. After the proper departmental and college entities have
been made aware, then the Office of Student Conduct should be contacted soon thereafter at (405)
974-2361.
11. Who monitors for multiple offenses?
The Office of Student Conduct monitors for multiple offenses. However, faculty members may
monitor for multiple offenses if they are aware of any for particular students. The Office of
Student Conduct encourages the reporting of offenses,
12. Who initiates an action if multiple problems are beginning to arise?
The Office of Student Conduct investigates all student complaints that are filed through the
Office of Student Conduct.
13. Does there need to be a series of offenses with a student before it is filed for the first time or
a sequence of events before this form is completed?
No, there does not need to be a series of offenses that a particular student has to commit prior to a
complaint being filed with the Office of Student Conduct. The Office of Student Conduct does
encourage talking with students, if possible, when a minor violation occurs.
14. Is there due process for the student?
Oh yes! This Academic Misconduct Report form facilitates due process by asking the instructor
if the following courses of action have been executed:
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Has contact been established with the student(s)?
Yes
or
How were the student(s) contacted? _______________________
Did student(s) have opportunity to voice their version of the incident? Yes
or
Did student(s) admit or deny responsibility for allegations?
Admitted
No
No
Denied
Furthermore, when a formal complaint is filed with the Office of Student Conduct the following
steps are made:
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The allegations are thoroughly investigated.
The student is notified of the allegations.
The Student Conduct Hearing or Informal Conduct Meeting is held
The decision is made by the Office of Student Conduct.
The appropriate sanction is enforced, if the student is found responsible.
The accused student is informed of Appeal process.
The Office of Student Conduct does not make a decision on a case until all perspectives have
been heard and evaluated with the relevant information.
15. Will the student know that these forms have been placed in their file?
Yes. There is a place for the student to sign on the form. However, if student refuses to sign the
form, then the reporting faculty member should indicate such in the space allotted for the student
signature.
16. Does the Department Chair or Dean need to sign?
Yes. However, the Dean may not need to sign off on all the issues. Some complaints will be
files as FYIs. The Deans may be difficult to access to sign on some of the less major or frequent
infractions that are filed as FYIs. Therefore, we will defer to each College for the necessity of the
Dean signature, unless it is a major case.
Acquiring the Chair’s signature is highly recommended. The Office of Student Conduct
recommends that the Chair be involved or at least aware of all complaints filed within the Office
of Student Conduct from their department.
17. Is this form for the instructor?
Primarily, the Academic Misconduct Report form will be utilized as a form of documentation for
the reporting faculty member, the Chair of the Department, the Dean of the College, and the
Office of Student Conduct. The accused student has a right to review a copy of this report as
well.
18. a. Should there also be a form a student fills out when they complain? b. Or is this form for
students also?
a. Definitely.
b. This form is strictly for faculty members filing complaints against students. Students
may fill out a Student Issue File form. Their issue may consist of a faculty complaint. In
these cases, the Office of Student Conduct would refer the student(s) to the Alleged
Violation of Professional Ethics section of the current Code of Student Conduct. The
Office of Student Conduct only manages complaints against students, not faculty or staff.
***Special Note: The Office of Student Conduct recommends that each Academic College
and/or Department holds a Student Conduct portion in their annual faculty orientations. During
these orientations, the Office of Student Conduct could review some sample examples of how to
fill out the forms.
Every conduct incident will not have a witness. The roles (accused, alleged victim, and witness)
are just labels to attach to students that were involved in the alleged University violation. For
example, if a student is found to be responsible for plagiarizing a paper, then there may not be
any witnesses. The accused student and information, which illustrates that the student “more than
likely” plagiarized may be the only documentation needed from the standpoint of the reporting
faculty member.
There may or may not be witnesses for students who are accused of cheating on exams. The
exact situation determines whether there are witnesses or not.
19. So what is the exact process of filing an Academic Misconduct Report?
Academic/Behavioral Misconduct Reporting Procedures for Faculty
1.
Faculty member becomes aware of possible University violation by student.
2.
Faculty member investigates issue or contacts supervisor and/or the Office of Student Conduct
for advice on how to proceed.
Action A:
If faculty member decides to conduct internal investigation and finds that no
University violation occurred, then process ends. (Note: An internal
investigation may consist of one (1) discussion with the accused student. On the
other hand, an internal investigation may include several discussions with the
accused student, possible witnesses, gathering of relevant information, and
consideration of prior allegations.)
There is no need for further paperwork.
Action B:
If faculty member decides to conduct internal investigation and discovers that a
University violation did occur, then faculty member contacts student and
discusses issue. (This can be done as a one-on-one with the student and
instructor only. This meeting can also be conducted as a one-on-two with the
student, reporting faculty member, and supervisor or Director of Student
Conduct.)
Result #1:
If student admits to alleged University violation, then faculty
member may address and assign an appropriate sanction.
Faculty member may fill out Academic Misconduct Report form,
indicate the University violation, indicate the action taken by
faculty member, and send to the Office of Student Conduct.
Faculty member should acquire proper signatures, including the
student signature. (Note: Dean’s signature may not be needed in
this type of result.)
Result #2:
If student denies alleged University violation, but relevant
information overwhelmingly supports that student is “more than
likely” responsible for University violation, then faculty member
may address and assign sanction. (*Note: Student cannot be
permanently removed from class, suspended, or expelled without
being afforded a formal Student Conduct Hearing.) Faculty
member may fill out an Academic Misconduct Report form,
indicate the University violation, indicate the action taken by
faculty member, and send to the Office of Student Conduct.
Faculty member should acquire proper signatures, including the
student signature. (Note: Dean’s signature may not be needed in
this result. If accused student refuses to sign the Academic
Misconduct Report form, then the reporting faculty member
should note the refusal on the student signature line.)
Result #3:
If student denies alleged University violation or refuses to
informally meet with faculty member and/or faculty member’s
supervisor, then faculty member may consult with supervisor
and/or Office of Student Conduct. This action step may lead to
Result #4 or #5.
Result #4:
If faculty member decides to file a formal complaint with the
Office of Student Conduct, then the Office of Student Conduct
may launch an investigation. (Note: The Academic Misconduct
Report form must be submitted prior to the commencement of an
investigation.)
I.
A member of the Office Student Conduct interviews
student, other individuals involved in case, and gathers
and evaluates relevant information.
II.
An Informal Conduct Meeting is initiated by the Office
of Student Conduct. Informal Conduct Meetings may
include the reporting faculty member. Depending upon
the nature of the case, the matter may be go to a formal
Student Conduct Hearing.
Result #5:
III.
Students may be found to be responsible or not
responsible based upon interviews and relevant
information.
IV.
After the appropriate student conduct body makes a
decision on case, then all involved parties are informed.
Student and reporting faculty member are informed of
sanction and appeal procedures in writing.
If faculty member decides to drop case and deem case
inconclusive or unnecessary, then faculty member may fill out
Academic Misconduct Report form and send to the Office of
Student Conduct as an “FYI,” in case a pattern develops in the
future. (Note: The student is informed of the report, which is
placed in their file. The student has the right to challenge any
content in their file through a formal Student Conduct Hearing.)
The Office of Student Conduct is located in the Lillard Administration Building, rm. 211; 974-2361; fax 974-3817. Reports may
be filed online at http://www.uco.edu/conduct.