The course instructor or Registrar must first investigate whether an academic offense occurred and provide the student with due process by scheduling a meeting with the student. All faculty must provide due process before imposing a disciplinary action against a student. In all circumstances, the student is presumed innocent, and the University has the burden of proof. Instructors must include their department chair in all meetings and decisions.
Due process is provided for academic offense cases by providing the student the opportunity to meet to inquire how the student completed the work in question. The meeting should not be adversarial.
To investigate a possible academic offense, faculty are required to follow these steps:
- Within ten (10 ) days after receiving the evidence, the University Official (Instructor and Chair or Registrar) must make a reasonable effort to notify the student of the concern and to invite the student to meet. Please cc or bcc Ombud@uky.edu for SACSCOC compliance.
- Set a deadline for the student to respond to the invitation to the meeting that is at least seven (7) business days after the invitation is issued. A reasonable effort must be made to schedule the meeting with the student as soon as possible.
- Meet with the student to ask how the student created the work in question and show the student the evidence. The meeting should not be adversarial.
- After the meeting, determine whether the student committed an academic offense. See Determination for more information.
Please note: If the student fails to respond to the invitation to meet within the deadline or fails to attend a meeting that was agreed upon, a finding can be determined. See Determination for more information.