1 Policy Statement

Students are expected to behave honestly and ethically in all matters relating to their program of study and to avoid any form of academic misconduct.

2 Procedures

1. All alleged cases of academic misconduct, shall be reported in the first instance to the Head of Department responsible for administration of the course.

2. The Head of Department shall inform the student of the allegation and its basis and whether it is considered to be a minor infringement, as defined in the Policy Library Definitions.

3. For minor infringements the Head of Department shall inform the student in writing of the proposed course of action, which will be to include the student’s name in a Faculty record of academic misconduct and, in addition, may be one or more of the following:

   1. the student be issued with a formal warning;

   2. a reduction in marks of up to 20 percent of the marks available for that assessment item;

   3. the student be required to resubmit the piece of assessment by a specified date (Note: In the case of resubmission the only passing grade or mark shall be C or 50% as appropriate);

   4. the student be required to undertake additional, equivalent assessment by a specified date (Note: In the case of additional, equivalent assessment the only passing grade or mark shall be C or 50% as appropriate).

4. For matters other than minor infringements, or at the student’s request, the matter shall be dealt with under point five below. Where students elect to have the matter heard under point five below, they shall so advise the Head of Department within seven calendar days of being informed of the allegation.

5. The Head of Department shall consult with the student or staff member making the allegation and the student concerned in person or using an appropriate communication method. The student may elect to have supporting representation by a member of the Student Guild.

   1. Where the Head of Department is satisfied there is conclusive evidence the student has committed an offence, the Head of Department shall notify the Dean with a recommendation that one or more of the following courses of action be taken:

      1. the student be required to undertake additional assessment in the course;

      2. the student be failed in the piece of assessment;

      3. the student be awarded a grade of Fail for the course;

      4. the student be withdrawn from the course with academic penalty;

      5. the student be excluded from the course or the program for a specified period of time;

      6. the student be disciplined in accordance with Statute No.3 (Student Discipline) 1999.

   2. Where a student is excluded under V above, initial exclusion from the University shall normally be for a period of one year. A student excluded for a second time can be excluded for a period of up to three years. Any period of exclusion will count towards the length of time taken by the student to complete the program. Where the student is enrolled in a program offered by a Faculty other than that offering the course, the Deans of both Faculties will consult about the proposed exclusion from a course or program or about proposed discipline in accordance with Statute No.3 (Student Discipline) 1999.

   3. Where the Head of Department is not satisfied that there is strong evidence of the allegation, the student shall be so advised and no further action taken.

   4. Upon notification by a Head of Department that there is conclusive evidence that a student has committed an offence, the Dean shall:

      1. provide the student with sufficient details of the allegation to allow the allegations to be answered;

      2. and advise the student in writing of the proposed penalty, the procedure for admitting to the allegation and the avenue of appeal to the Appeals Committee for the Faculty. A Student shall be taken to have been officially contacted by the University when a communication is: posted to the student’s postal address or emailed to the student’s University issued electronic mail address; or posted to the agent or partner associated with the student. The student will have fourteen days from the date of receipt of the letter in which to reply. Students who do not reply within that fourteen days shall have no further right of appeal and will be advised in writing that the penalty notified in the Dean’s letter shall be implemented.

6. In the case of proposed exclusion from a program or proposed discipline under Statute No.3 (Student Discipline) 1999, the Appeals Committee of the Faculty offering the program in which the student is enrolled, shall hear the appeal.

7. Students excluded under V above, shall be reinstated on request at the end of the period of exclusion.

3 Other Policy Information