Adjudication Process - Honor Council

STEP 1

A student or instructor may call the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office staff for clarification of an alleged violation of the Honor Code.  If the student or instructor (hereinafter referred to as the "Reporting Party") decides an alleged violation may have occurred, he/she fills out the Honor Code Violation form.  This report becomes part of the case file.

STEP 2

The Reporting Party shall file the Honor Code Violation form with the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office as soon as practical (with a preference for five (5) University business days) of the Reporting Party's discovery of the alleged violation.  A notification of the report is sent to the department head.  The case manager issues a case number and the report is filed in the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office.  The instructor may choose to handle the case autonomously, if it is determined by the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office that there were no previous violations for the student, or the instructor may choose to refer it to the Honor Council.  Reporting Parties must report all infractions, whether handled autonomously or referred to the Honor Council.

STEP 3

A.  If the instructor handles the case autonomously, please review the Instructor Process.

B.  If Reporting Party refers the case to the Honor Council, the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office starts a case file and sends an email to the Alleged Violator notifying him/her of the report.

STEP 4

The Galveston Aggie Honor System Office appoints one student and one faculty case investigator from the members of the Honor Council, and schedules a meeting with the case investigators and the Reporting Party.

STEP 5

The case investigators meet with the Reporting Party to gather information that supports the allegation, including the course syllabus, assignment guidelines, and any other materials that help clarify the case.  The Reporting Party may offer the names of others who have knowledge that could clarify the case.  It is critical that all communications remain confidential (until shared with the Alleged Violator later in the process).

STEP 6

The case investigators meet with the Alleged Violator to gather information.  The case investigators may also meet with other persons who have information about the case.  The Alleged Violator may give the case investigators names of persons who may have clarifying information about the case.

STEP 7

The case investigators write a report summarizing all interviews conducted.  The official report will contain all information and documents collected.  The case investigators will send this report to the case manager.  The report becomes part of the case file.

STEP 8

The case investigators determine whether there is sufficient information to support a violation of the Honor Code.

A.  If there is not sufficient information to support a violation, the case investigators so inform the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office.  The Galveston Aggie Honor System Office will then create an event file to keep a record of the investigation on file.  The event file will not contain references to the Alleged Violator's name.  No further action occurs.

B.  If the case investigators determine there is sufficient evidence to hear the case, they recommend that the case continue to a hearing panel.  Both the Reporting Party and the Alleged Violator have the opportunity to review the case file before the hearing.

STEP 9

The case manager identifies four members of the Honor Council to serve as a hearing panel.  The hearing panel is comprised of two (2) student members and two (2) faculty members.  Three of these members are voting members.  The fourth member is selected as a non-voting Chair.  The Chair position may alternate between student and faculty Honor Council members as determined by the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office.

STEP 10

A hearing date and time is set by the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office.  The Chair and hearing panel members receive an advance copy of the case materials just prior to the case hearing to conduct a rudimentary preparation only.  The Galveston Aggie Honor System Office will perform due diligence to ensure that no conflicts of interest exist during the selection of the hearing panel.  However, at this point the hearing panel members inform the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office if there are any conflicts of interest.  The case materials will not be shared or discussed among the hearing panel members prior to the beginning of the panel.  The case hearing will be held at a specified time at a location disclosed only to the parties involved in the hearing.

STEP 11

The Galveston Aggie Honor System Office furnishes an agenda for the hearing procedure, which is based on the official reports.  Hearing panel members listen to all who provide information and then deliberate in private.

STEP 12

During deliberations, hearing panel members first identify whether the student is or is not responsible for a violation of the Aggie Code of Honor.  If the student is found to be responsible for a violation, the hearing panel deliberates and decides upon appropriate sanctions.

STEP 13

The Galveston Aggie Honor System Office notifies the Alleged Violator in writing of the hearing panel's decision.  If the Alleged Violator is found in violation and sanctioned an F*, or if the Alleged Violator is sanctioned to complete the Academic Integrity Remediation Program, he/she will contact the Galveston Aggie Honor System Office for further instructions.