Faculty Staff Advocacy and Accountability Info

Initiating the Accountability Process

Any faculty, staff, or student who has a reasonable basis to believe that a student may have committed a violation of the Code of Student Conduct shall present this information to the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office. The information should be in writing, and the complainant should provide his or her contact information; however, the initial contact may be in person or by telephone. In addition, official reports from LSUS Police Department, University Court Apartments, any University department, and other police entities will also be accepted.

Faculty are encouraged to include the following information when reporting a possible academic misconduct violation:

• A written summary of the alleged violation.
• A copy of the assignment in question. If the assignment is a paper, please mark the areas of concern and provide a copy of the suspected source.
• A copy of the course syllabus.
• A copy of the assignment instructions.

Faculty's Role in the Accountability Process

A reporting faculty member is not expected to conduct a full investigation of the alleged misconduct. Providing the information that is mentioned above fulfills the responsibility in submitting a referral with the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office. Faculty may choose to notify student(s) that an irregularity in an assignment was detected and that the assignment has been forwarded to the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office for review. If faculty members prefer not to have contact with the student regarding the referral, the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office will make the notification. Faculty are encouraged not to engage in communication with the student(s) regarding the assignment in question. However, communication about other course requirements may continue. Additionally, faculty should redirect student questions about the accountability process and potential outcomes to the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office.

The Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability will schedule an accountability meeting with the referred student. The matter may be resolved administratively if the student accepts responsibility for his or her conduct in writing, agrees to the outcome recommended by the Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability, and waives his or her right to have the case considered by the University Hearing Panel. However, if a charged student declines the Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability’s outcome or the Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability declines to issue an outcome, the matter will be referred to the University Hearing Panel.

If a University Hearing Panel is convened, the reporting faculty member will be called to serve. The panel members and the charged student would then have the opportunity to ask the faculty member questions about the alleged misconduct.

Following an Administrative Hearing or a University Hearing Panel meeting, the reporting faculty member will be informed of the case outcome.

Incompletes or "I" Grades

Faculty members should not assign a grade to any assignment referred to the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office.

When reporting incidents of academic misconduct near the end of a semester, faculty members should submit an "I" or incomplete for the student(s) in question. This will allow the time needed for the Student Advocacy and Accountability Office to gather information and conduct the accountability process. Once the matter is resolved and an accountability outcome is issued, the faculty member may calculate the final grade, with the outcome in mind, and submit a Removal of "I" Grade Form (located on the G Drive under Admissions and Records Office/Forms).

Adapted from the Louisiana State University Agricultural and Mechanical College Student Advocacy and Accountability website.