Academic Honesty

For Faculty: The Academic Honesty Reporting Form is located here. Please read the process overview and view the flow chart below prior to filling out the form.

Academic Honesty Process Overview

The process outlined below is meant to guide faculty members in addressing and responding to alleged violations of the academic honesty policy. The designated dean of academic discipline (DDAD) or their designee, such as the Deputy DDAD, is the point person in assisting faculty members in addressing violations of the academic honesty policy. For more questions regarding the academic honesty policy, please reach out to the DDAD or Deputy DDAD and review the Code of Academic Honesty. The information herein updates and supersedes previous versions of the Academic Honesty policy. 

1. All members of the Illinois Tech community (faculty, staff, and students) can report possible violation(s) of the academic code of conduct. However, the approach each stakeholder can take will vary. 
   • Course Instructors:
     • The first step when a course instructor becomes aware of a possible violation(s) of the academic honesty policy is to thoroughly review all the relevant materials and meet with the students in question. While reviewing these materials, the instructor may (but is not required to) obtain advice or guidance on possible sanction(s) from the office of the DDAD by sending them an email at academichonesty@iit.edu. They should not discuss specific details or identify the student with other faculty or staff members. They may discuss with the chair of the major’s department without identifying the student, the DDAD designated staff, and Academic Grievance Committee members, should that become necessary. 
   • Teaching assistants, graders, tutors, supplemental instructors, and/or bystanders/witnesses:
     • These stakeholders should immediately bring this to the attention of the instructor teaching the course, so they can follow the instructor workflow outlined above. 
     • If the violation occurs outside the classroom, they should bring this to the attention of the DDAD via form submission and indicate that they are looking for additional guidance from the office on the perceived violation. The DDAD’s office will then work with the instructor or relevant stakeholders to follow the process outlined here.
2. The instructor/faculty member schedules a meeting with the alleged student(s) to discuss the alleged violation. The possible violations of the academic honesty policy include:
   • The misrepresentation of any work submitted for credit or otherwise as the product of a student’s sole independent effort, such as using the ideas of others without attribution and other forms of plagiarism.
   • The use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations
   • The acquisition, without permission, of tests, answer sheets, problem solutions, or other academic material, when such material has been withheld from distribution by the instructor.
   • Deliberate and harmful obstruction of the studies, research, or academic work of any member of the Illinois Institute of Technology community
   • Making a material misrepresentation in any submission to or through any office of Illinois Tech to a potential employer, agency, professional society, meeting, or organization, which includes, without limitation, any unauthorized access to Illinois Tech’s digital or electronic systems for the purposes of altering or seeking to alter, or submitting or seeking to submit false, misleading, or inaccurate information
   • The intentional assistance of others in the violation of the standards set forth in the Code of Academic Honesty
3. During the meeting with the student(s), faculty members should address the following:
   • The nature of the complaint
   • Why the issue(s) is a violation of academic honesty.
   • Evidence of the violation – the students under question have the right to see the evidence, so faculty members should be ready to present it to them.
   • The opportunity for the student to address the complaint.
4. Based on the discussions in the meeting with the student(s), the faculty member should make a determination based on the evaluated evidence, observations, and notes from the meeting with the students and guidance and consultation with the DDAD, if any. The faculty member can make the following sanctions:
   • Warning – a written warning to the student noting this incident and a statement that further violations will lead to more serious consequences. 
   • Reduction in grade for the assignment or exam involved or for the course may be applied 
   • Failure of assignment
   • Dismissal from course (*requires written support of the DDAD*)
5. Faculty members communicate their final sanctions with the student at the level of the class's discipline (but not actions taken by the Office of the DDAD). This can be done either during the meeting (if the evidence supports sanctions immediately) or after the meeting (if further investigation or processing is required) via email or another meeting about the determination.
6. Faculty member submits the “Academic Honesty Reporting Form” after the determination is made. 
7. DDAD or designee will issue citation(s) for student(s) involved in the incident. The office of the DDAD will also consider further sanctions for students with one or more prior violations. This may be considered in consultation with a class instructor, but is the action of the office of the DDAD not the instructor. 
8. Optionally, students may contact the DDAD or deputy DDAD to request more information, offer clarification, or defend their position. This may happen over email and/or meeting(s) with student(s).
   • Notes from any such contact will be made available to the office of the dean of students and/or academic grievance committee, as and when required. 
9. A student who believes that his or her record is factually inaccurate must inform the vice provost for student affairs and dean of students (dos@iit.edu) within seven calendar days of the date they become aware or should have become aware of such inaccuracy.

10. If a student has been found to have committed one or more prior violations under the Code of Academic Honesty, the DDAD may forward the complaint to be heard by the Academic Grievance Committee. 

Flow Chart

Please see the Student Handbook for more information on Code of Academic Honesty.

Illinois Institute of Technology expects students to maintain high standards of academic integrity. Students preparing for the practice of a profession are expected to conform to a code of integrity and ethical standards commensurate with the high expectations society places on practitioners of a learned profession. No student may seek to gain an unfair advantage over another. The Code of Academic Honesty is explained in the university's Student Handbook and all students are expected to know and adhere to this code.