12.4.1 Student Handbook Honor Code And Honor Code Procedures

Policy Statement

Integrity is a fundamental value of the College of Charleston. Academic integrity is the most essential form of this value with regard to a college education. Our Honor Code is the College’s statement on academic integrity written by students, faculty and staff. It articulates the College’s expectations of students and faculty in maintaining the highest standards in academic work. The Honor Code of the College specifically forbids lying, cheating, stealing and plagiarism.

The College of Charleston reserves the right to make changes in its policies, regulations, and procedures as printed herein through normal channels.

Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office

Division of Student Affairs, Office of the Dean of Students

Policy

1.0 Violations of the Honor Code

The Honor Code of the College of Charleston specifically forbids:

Lying: knowingly furnishing false information, orally or in writing, including but not limited to deceit or efforts to deceive relating to academic work, to information legitimately sought by an official or employee of the College, and to testimony before individuals authorized to inquire or investigate conduct; lying also includes the fraudulent use of identification cards and fabrication of data, endnotes, footnotes and other information related to academic work.

Cheating: the actual giving or receiving of unauthorized, dishonest assistance that might give one student an unfair advantage over another in the performance of any assigned, graded academic work, inside or outside of the classroom, and by any means whatsoever, including but not limited to fraud, duress, deception, theft, talking, making signs, gestures, copying, electronic messaging, photography, unauthorized reuse of previously graded work, unauthorized dual submission, unauthorized collaboration and unauthorized use or possession of study aids, memoranda, books, data, or other information, including the use of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools when not authorized by the instructor(s. The term cheating includes engaging in any behavior related to graded academic work specifically prohibited by an instructor in the course syllabus or class discussion.

Attempted cheating: a willful act designed to accomplish cheating but falling short of that goal.

Stealing: the unauthorized taking or appropriating of property from the College or from another member of the college community. Note also that stealing includes unauthorized copying of and unauthorized access to computer software.

Attempted stealing: a willful act designed to accomplish stealing but falling short of that goal.

Plagiarism:

  • The verbatim repetition, without acknowledgement, of the writings of another author. All significant phrases, clauses, or passages, taken directly from source material must be enclosed in quotation marks and acknowledged in the text itself and/or in footnotes/endnotes.
  • Borrowing without acknowledging the source.
  • Paraphrasing the thoughts of another writer without acknowledgement.
  • Allowing any other person or organization (including Generative AI) to prepare work which one then submits as their own, unless explicitly authorized by the instructor(s).

2.0 Sanctions for Violations of the Honor Code

XXF – Transcript Notation (See Section XXF below for full description.)

  • The grade of XXF means failure due to academic dishonesty. If a student is found responsible for an act of “serious” academic dishonesty, the Registrar’s Office will insert the XXF grade for that course after notice from the Dean of Students. The XXF remains on the student’s official transcript for a minimum of 2 years. After 2 years, the student can petition the Honor Board for removal of the XX. The F grade will remain on the transcript.
  • Instructors, with assistance from the Dean of Students if requested, will assess whether the behavior of the student falls into one of three classes:
    • Class 1 – act involves significant premeditation; conspiracy and/or intent to deceive, e.g., purchasing a research paper. Penalties: XXF and either suspension or expulsion assigned if student found responsible by Honor Board.
    • Class 2 – act involves deliberate failure to comply with assignment directions, some conspiracy and/or intent to deceive, e.g., use of the Internet when prohibited, some fabricated endnotes or data, copying several answers from another student’s test. Penalties: XXF and other sanctions assigned if student found responsible by Honor Board.
    • Class 3 – act mostly due to ignorance, confusion and/or poor communication between instructor and class, e.g., unintentional violation of the class rules on collaboration or the rules of citation. Penalties: The instructor sets the penalty and discusses it with the student. Both the instructor and student sign a form. The form is forwarded to the Dean of Students. See “Class 3 Report Form” on the Honor System website. https://charleston.edu/dean-of-students/index.php

Other penalties for violations of the Honor Code range up to and include expulsion from the College. Other penalties may be combined with the XXF. Attempted cheating, attempted stealing, and the knowing possession of stolen property shall be subject to the same punishment as the other offenses. Because the potential penalties for an Honor Code violation are extremely serious, all students should be thoroughly familiar with the above definitions and be guided by them.

3.0 Procedures

The procedures outlined in this section are intended to aid student affairs officials and the honor board in their effort to ascertain the facts of matter and to reach a just decision. Circumstances can differ greatly between cases, and the officials and/or the presiding officer of the honor board may need to modify the procedures in a particular case in order to reach a timely and just decision.

3.1 Reporting Alleged Violation(s) 3.1.1.

3.1.1. Any member of the college community with knowledge that a student, student group or student organization has violated the Honor Code, the Student Code of Conduct, and/or other policy should report the violation(s) as soon as reasonably possible to the Office of the Dean of Students. The report should be in writing and should contain:

  • The name of the student, student group, or student organization suspected of the violation(s).
  • All details of the suspected violation(s), including the date, which are known to the person reporting it.
  • The names of potential witnesses to the suspected violation.

3.1.2. Any person not a member of the College community may also report suspected violations of the codes and should follow these same procedures as set out above.

3.1.3. Student groups and student organizations may only be charged when the violation(s) arises out of or in connection with an organized group event.

3.1.4. The alleged violation(s) must have taken place or have been detected within one month previous to the report, unless there is evidence of concealment, the act or acts in question were later determined to be part of a pattern of harassment, or there is evidence of extenuating circumstances which have caused a delay in reporting, in which case(s) this period of limitation will not apply.

3.2 Role of Student Affairs Officials

3.2.1. An authorized official within the division of Student Affairs will discuss the suspected violation(s) with the person reporting it, with other persons having pertinent knowledge, with other College officials, and with the College’s Office of Legal Affairs when the authorized official deems it necessary in order to determine whether or not there is a reasonable basis for the allegation(s).

3.2.2. If, after proper consultation, the Student Affairs official determines that there is not a reasonable basis for the allegation(s), it will inform the person who reported the suspected violation of that fact and take no further action. If, after proper consultation, the Student Affairs official determines that there is a reasonable basis for the allegation, it will notify the respondent individual(s) of the allegation(s).

3.2.3. This notification shall contain the following:

  • The specific violation(s) of the Honor Code, the Student Code of Conduct, Alcohol Policy, Drug Policy, and/or other policy with which the individual(s) is being charged.
  • Notification that the respondent must make an appointment within fortyeight (48) hours and present themselves to the Student Affairs official to review the allegation(s) and case file.

3.2.4. Failure to comply with the procedures as set forth in “Reading of the Allegation(s)” will result in said procedures being carried forth in the absence of the respondent.

3.3 Role of Instructors

3.3.1. When the allegation is some form of academic dishonesty, the instructor of the course in which the violation is alleged to have occurred will be listed as the complainant and a witness in the notice, in that it is anticipated that the expertise and judgment of that instructor will be relevant and important to the consideration of the case. If the allegation is plagiarism and materials available to the Dean of Students make the allegation self-proving, the person reporting the violation, upon request, may remain anonymous and not be listed as a witness in the notice. This exception usually will not apply when the person reporting the violation is the faculty member for the course involved, for again, the expertise and judgment of the instructor may well be necessary to a consideration of the case.

3.3.2. In the case of alleged academic dishonesty, the student’s grade in the assignment and/or course will be carried as an “incomplete” until the charges are resolved. After the delivery of the decision (for Class 1, Class 2 or Class 3 Honor Code violations, see Section XXF below), the instructor will assign a grade based on the decision reached by the Board/panel/official. In cases of academic dishonesty, the instructor of the course will also receive a copy of the decision.

4.0 Reading of the Allegation(s)

The respondent shall be given notice to make appointment within forty-eight (48) hours to appear in the office of a Student Affairs official. The respondent will be presented with materials to fully instruct them on the preservation of their rights. Respondent students who fail to appear in the Student Affairs official’s office after proper notice will have their case processed in accordance with the procedures outlined below in their absence.

4.1 The packet shall include:

  • Web address or copy of the Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct, Alcohol Policy, Drug Policy, and/or other policy, rule, regulation, etc.
  • A statement of the allegation(s) and identification of the complainant.
  • A procedural flow chart.
  • A listing of staff/faculty honor advisors.
  • A form for response to the allegation(s).
  • A waiver form

4.2 Following the reading of the allegation(s), the student has three (3) working days after receipt of the forms provided to advise the official of the following:

  • 4.2.1 If their response is an admission of violating the Code of Conduct and/or other policy, whether the respondent desires a sanction imposed by a single administrator, disciplinary panel or by an Honor Board.
  • 4.2.2 If their response is an admission of violating the Honor Code and/or other policy, whether the respondent desires a sanction imposed by a single administrator, disciplinary panel or by an Honor Board.
  • 4.2.3 If their response is not an admission of violating a Code and/or other policy:
    1. Who their counsel or advisor will be (See “response of no violation”).
    2. Who their witnesses will be.
    3. What documents or exhibits will be used.
  • 4.3 At no time may any member of the Office of the Dean of Students advise or counsel the complainant or respondent. The parties should direct all questions about their matter to their honor advisors or other counsels. The parties, advisors or counsel may confer directly with Office of the Dean of Students for clarification of procedural questions.

5.0 Statement Of Rights Of The Complainant And Respondent

5.1 Each case of an alleged Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct and/or other policy violation will be dealt with in a manner which scrupulously protects the rights of the complainant and respondent. Just as the College of Charleston Honor System demands that students maintain high standards of integrity, it also demands that students receive fair and impartial treatment in every situation. Any College of Charleston student bringing forth an allegation or accused of violating the Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct and/or other policy has the following rights:

  • 5.1.1 The right to have all proceedings and information relating to a pending or disposed of allegation kept private to the maximum extent possible, consistent with FERPA.
  • 5.1.2The right to full consultation. The complainant and respondent may seek advice concerning the case from whomever they wish, including attorneys and honor advisors.
  • 5.1.3 The right to choose their honor advisor.
  • 5.1.4 The right to have at least five (5) working days from the notice of the hearing before the Honor Board/panel/official to prepare their case, unless such notice is waived.
  • 5.1.5 The right to be present during the entire hearing before the Honor Board/panel/official, except for deliberations.
  • 5.1.6 The right to cross-examine all witnesses giving evidence about the allegation unless the evidence has been allowed in affidavit form for good cause shown as determined by the Dean of Students. EXCEPTION: IN CASES OF ALLEGED SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALL QUESTIONING IS DONE BY THE CONDUCT OFFICIAL OR PRESIDING OFFICER AND MEMBERS OF THE CONDUCT BODY.
  • 5.1.7 The right to challenge Honor Board/panel members/official on the ground of personal bias.
  • 5.1.8 The right to examine all physical or documentary evidence in the case file maintained in the Office of the Dean of Students and to present evidence on their own behalf.
  • 5.1.9 The right to request witnesses who are reasonably available to appear on their own behalf.
  • 5.1.10 The right to remain silent without adverse inference.
  • 5.1.11 The right to the presumption of not having violated a code and/or policy, to have the burden of proof borne by the College or the complainant, and to have violation(s) proven by a preponderance of the evidence.
  • 5.1.12 The right to make either a written or oral statement.
  • 5.1.13 The right to review the recording of the hearing in the Office of the Dean of Students if there is an appeal. The recording shall be the property of the College.
  • 5.1.14 The right to a written decision of the Honor Board/panel/official from the Office of the Dean of Students within two working days of the decision.
  • 5.1.15 The right to have the procedures for the reporting and disposition of Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct, and/or other policy violations followed by all parties.
  • 5.1.16 The right to waive all aforementioned rights.

6.0 The Disciplinary Panel / Honor Board / Conduct Official – Admission Of A Violation

6.1 No evidence as to the issue of a violation or non-violation shall be considered.

6.2 The respondent shall be permitted to present evidence or testimony solely on the issue of mitigation. Such evidence may, by way of illustration, consist of character witnesses or medical testimony.

6.3 A “victim’s impact statement” may be submitted by the complainant, orally or in writing, outlining the impact of the respondent’s behavior on the complainant’s personal life and/or educational goals.

6.4 Decisions of the conduct body or official shall be communicated to the Dean of Students or designee for review and action.

6.5 Should the respondent elect to appear before the conduct body or official, s/he may waive five (5) working days’ notice and be heard as soon as possible. Should the respondent not waive the requirement, the conduct body or official will convene the proceeding no sooner than five (5) working days after the respondent admits to having violated a code and/or other policy and elects to proceed.

7.0 The Honor Board / Panel / Conduct Official – Response Of Not In Violation

7.1 The respondent and the complainant shall be given written notification of the date, time, and place of the hearing scheduled before the conduct body or official. Documentation of notification will be placed on file. The allegation(s) and/or name(s) of witness(es) may be different from those in the original notice as a result of additional information being made available to the Dean of Students Office through further investigation. Notice shall be given at least five (5) working days in advance of the hearing before the conduct body or official. Respondent students who fail to appear for the hearing after proper notice will have their case considered in their absence, based on evidence and testimony available.

7.2 The Dean of Students Office will provide a list of all witnesses to the allegation(s) to the presiding officer or official prior to the hearing. The Dean of Students Office may require the participation of witnesses when there is a reasonable basis to believe that a witness has knowledge pertinent to the issues. Mandatory participation orders will only be used when a witness has been asked to attend and states that s/he is unwilling to appear voluntarily.

7.3 The case file, containing statement(s) of the witness(es) and all other pertinent information, will be available for review in the Dean of Students Office prior to the hearing. All members of the conduct body or official shall read the case file prior to the hearing.

7.4 Both the respondent and the complainant may be accompanied at the hearing by an honor advisor, another non-attorney advisor, or an attorney. A respondent who wishes to be accompanied by an attorney must inform the Dean of Students Office in writing at least two (2) working days before the scheduled date of the hearing. If the respondent or complainant chooses to have an attorney present to advise them, the College’s legal counsel may be present to advise the conduct body or official. When honor advisors or attorneys appear, their participation is advisory only; they shall not ask questions or participate in the hearing itself. No honor advisors or attorneys shall be present during deliberation.

7.5 Hearings will be closed to the public, unless the respondent or complainant requests that others attend. The granting or denying of this request shall be subject to a majority vote of the conduct body or the official presiding over the case.

7.6 If the respondent or the complainant has any special needs with regard to the hearing set-up, the request for accommodation must be relayed to the Dean of Students Office at least two (2) working days prior to the actual hearing. The Dean of Students Office may, after reviewing a request, ask the conduct body or official to accommodate concerns for the personal safety, well-being, and/or fears of confrontation of the complainant, respondent, and/or other witnesses during the hearing by providing separate facilities, by using a visual screen, and/or by permitting participation by telephone, videophone, audio tape, written statement, or other means.

7.7 The Chair of the conduct body will be the presiding officer. In their absence, the Dean of Students Office will designate another member of the panel to serve in this capacity.

7.8 After reviewing their case file (available in the Dean of Students Office), which lists the members or official called to hear the case, the respondent and complainant may challenge the empaneling of a particular conduct body member or official on the basis of personal bias. The challenge must be made in writing to the Dean of Students Office at least two (2) working days prior to the actual hearing.

7.9 The presiding officer or official will begin the hearing by stating the allegation(s) and asking the respondent if they wish to change their response to the allegation. If the response is an admission of a violation, the presiding officer or official will follow the procedures set forth in “Admission of a Violation.” If the response is no violation, the presiding officer or official will proceed to call the investigator and/or witness(es) to the allegation(s) in an order which seems logical to them from the witness list and the witness statements and information in the case file.

7.10 Witness(es), complainant and the respondent shall testify under oath or affirmation administered by the presiding officer or official.

7.11 Prospective witnesses will testify one at a time and may be excluded from the hearing during the testimony of other witnesses. Witnesses to the allegation(s) shall testify first; then the respondent may call witnesses and/or testify themselves. Both the respondent and the complainant shall have the right to be present during the testimony of all witnesses, to question all witnesses, and to argue their case.

7.12 The burden of proof is upon the complainant or the College as complainant, and proof of a violation of the code by the respondent must be by a preponderance of the evidence. (This standard is not as stringent as proof beyond a reasonable doubt, which is required for criminal convictions.) Formal rules of evidence shall not be applicable during the hearing. The presiding officer or official shall admit all matters into evidence, including hearsay, if relevant, which reasonable persons would accept as having probative value in the conduct of their affairs. Unduly repetitious or irrelevant evidence may be excluded. 

7.13 Affidavits may be admitted into evidence at the discretion of the presiding officer or official if there is good cause why the witness cannot appear in person. Conduct body members or the official may take notice of matters which would be within the general experience of college students at the College of Charleston.

7.14 If, at any time, the presiding officer or official finds it proper and necessary to recess the hearing or to continue it to a new time, they may do so.

7.15 A finding of “in violation” requires a majority vote of the conduct body. The presiding officer of the conduct body votes only in the case of a tie.

7.16 After a finding of “in violation” has been rendered by the conduct body or official, the presiding officer or official can inform the complainant that an “impact statement” may be submitted by the complainant, orally or in writing, outlining the impact of the respondent’s behavior on the complainant’s personal life and/or educational goals.

7.17 Records of prior disciplinary action(s) shall not be relevant to the determination of a violation of the code but shall be provided to the conduct body or official only after a determination of a violation for the deliberations as to sanctions.

7.18 Decisions of the conduct body or official shall be communicated to the Dean of Students or designee for review and action.

8.0 Status Of A Student / Group Pending Final Resolution Of A Disciplinary Case

Until a final resolution is determined, the status of a student/group will not change unless interim restrictions have been imposed to protect the health and safety of the complainant/respondent/student group or the College community.

9.0 Violations Committed During Final Exam Periods, Maymester Or Summer Sessions

These procedures shall be in effect during final exam periods, Maymester and summer sessions. Efforts will be made to consolidate several hearings at one time so as not to inordinately interfere with the exam and summer schedules of the conduct body members and the parties involved. Therefore, the period of time between the violation(s) and the hearing may be slightly longer than during the regular school year. Further, during these periods, the student may choose for an official in Student Affairs to hear a response of no violation or to determine a sanction for an admission to a violation in order to expedite their case.

10.0 Sanction Determination And Record Keeping

10.1 Sanctions will be determined by a majority vote of the Honor Board or disciplinary panel except in the case of expulsion, which requires a unanimous vote of the Board or panel. All sanctions will be forwarded to the Dean of Students or designee for review and action.

10.2 An appropriate letter informing the student (and the Complainant in appropriate cases) of the sanctions imposed will be available to the student in the Office of the Dean of Students within two working days of the decision of the Honor Board/panel/official. It is the responsibility of the student to pick up this letter or read any electronic version delivered officially.

10.3 In cases of academic dishonesty, the instructor of the course will also receive a copy of the letter.

10.4 The sanction of disciplinary expulsion may become a matter of permanent record in the Office of the Registrar with approval of the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs and will accompany all official transcripts sent by the College.

10.5 The Office of the Dean of Students will place a hold flag on the record of a student suspended or expelled for disciplinary reasons and all pending cases. Such hold flag will prohibit the enrollment of the named student for the appropriate length of time or until such time the case is resolved. Holds will also be placed on the record of a student failing to complete assigned sanctions by their stated deadlines.

10.6 Files on pending cases and records of expulsions will be maintained indefinitely in the Office of the Dean of Students.

10.7 Records of all other disciplinary sanctions will be maintained for seven (7) years in the Office of the Dean of Students after all appeal rights have expired or have been exhausted, unless federal or state law requires that they be maintained for a longer period for auditing purposes only.

10.8 Disciplinary files and recordings of cases that resulted in “not in violation” findings will be destroyed after all appeal rights have expired or have been exhausted.

10.9 Recordings of all conduct hearings shall be kept until all appeal rights have expired or have been exhausted, and then destroyed.

10.10 No earlier than one year after the date of final sanctioning, a student may request that their disciplinary record be destroyed. This stipulation does not apply to the XXF sanction, pending cases or expulsions. This request must be made in writing and will be reviewed by the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs or their designee. The Executive Vice President will consider destruction of a disciplinary file after examining the incident, the sanctions, sanction completion, disciplinary history, evidence of personal development, demonstration of good cause shown, and any other criteria the Executive Vice President deems appropriate.

11 Appeals

11.1 A decision reached, or a sanction imposed by a conduct body or official may be appealed by the respondent and/or complainant to the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs within five (5) working days of the transmittal of the decision. Such appeals shall be in writing and shall cite the name of the case; the grounds for the appeal and the relief requested.

11.2 The Executive Vice President can elect to call an advisory Appellate Board. The Appellate Board will consist of three to five persons, none of whom participated in the original hearing in any capacity. The Appellate Board serves in an advisory capacity to the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs and is not a decisional authority. Its recommendations are non-binding. The Executive Vice President may use an Appellate Board in any capacity they deem necessary to best benefit the honor system and the parties involved.

11.3 Appeals shall be filed to, Executive Vice President for Student Affairs, 66 George Street, Stern Student Center, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424 or sent electronically, with a copy to the Dean of Students, 66 George Street, Stern Student Center, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424 or their email address. The Dean of Students will then notify and provide a copy of the appeal to the other party or parties to the proceeding. The non-appealing party or parties shall have three days from receipt of the appeal to state their position on the appeal with the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs with a copy to the Dean of Students.

Deviations from designated procedures will not be a basis for sustaining an appeal unless they affect the finding of a material fact or they could have otherwise affected the outcome. Except as required to explain the basis of new evidence, an appeal shall be limited to review of the verbatim record of the initial hearing and supporting documents. The only grounds that will justify changing or overruling a previous decision by the official, panel or Honor Board are the following:

  • 11.3.1 There was no reasonable basis in the record for the decision rendered or the sanction imposed;
  • 11.3.2 There was a substantive mistake of procedure that likely influenced the outcome of the proceeding; or
  • 11.3.3 New evidence, sufficient to alter a decision was not brought out in the original hearing, because such evidence was either unavailable or unknown at that time after diligent inquiry by the person appealing.

11.4 The Executive Vice President for Student Affairs will make every attempt to reach a determination within ten (10) working days from the date of the appeal. The Executive Vice President for Student Affairs, as deemed necessary, may elect to interview the parties. At this stage in the appeals process, the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs’ response time may be modified if circumstances dictate. The decision of the Executive Vice President is final, and the Executive Vice President is not required to give any deference to previous determinations. 

11.5 In cases involving appeals by student respondents of violating the Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct, and/or other policy, review of the sanction by the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs cannot result in more severe sanction(s) for the respondent student.

11.6 In cases involving appeals by persons other than student respondents of violating the Honor Code, Student Code of Conduct, and/or other policy the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs may, upon review of the case, reduce or increase the sanction(s) imposed by the Honor Board/panel/official.

11.7 *For drug-related, marijuana and alcohol violations: If the student admits to the violation or is found in violation through a conduct process the minimum sanction is NOT subject to appeal on the grounds of the sanction being excessive or inappropriate. All sanctions above the minimum sanctions as proposed in the Student Handbook may be reviewed for their appropriateness.

11.8 The final authority over all decisions made under the Honor System rests with the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs.

Departments/Offices Affected by the Policy

All College of Charleston Departments and Offices

Related Policies, Documents or Forms

The complete College of Charleston Student Handbook is available only online at https://charleston.edu/dean-of-students/honor-board.php. It contains the following:

  • Honor Code Report Form Class 1 and 2 Violations
  • Honor Code Report Form Class 3 Violations
  • Reporting Suspected Honor Code Violations and the XX sanction and grade of F 

Section XXF

XXF Policy as passed by the Faculty Senate

(Appendix A in the Student Handbook).

1.0 Faculty input

When a faculty member determines a student has committed academic dishonesty, they will fill out the appropriate Honor Code Report form. The faculty member has the option of designating whether they believe that the offense warrants the XX sanction and grade of F.

2.0 Schedule of Sanctions for Violations of Academic Dishonesty

Class 1. The most serious breaches of academic honesty fall into this Class, as well as all second Class 2 offenses. Class 1 violations must be found to involve significant premeditation; conspiracy and/or intent to deceive. See a listing of examples at the end of this policy.

Sanction options:

  • XX sanction and grade of F and suspension
  • XX sanction and grade of F and expulsion

Class 2. This Class includes serious acts that are found to involve deliberate failure to comply with assignment directions; some conspiracy and/or intent to deceive, as well as all second Class 3 offenses. Additionally, factors such as the weight of the assignment, the nature of the deception, and/or student admission of responsibility may be considered during sanctioning.

See a listing of examples at the end of this policy.

Sanction options shall be negotiated between of the Office of the Dean of Students and the faculty member:

  • Online Integrity Seminar
  • XX sanction and grade of F
  • XX sanction and grade of F and disciplinary probation and/or other educational sanctions
  • XX sanction and grade of F and some form of suspension

Class 3. This Class includes violations due to student confusion; ignorance and/or miscommunication or incomplete communication between the faculty member or their designee and the class. See a listing of examples at the end of this policy. The faculty member sets the sanction. Faculty can initiate a Class 3 Report without a prior assessment by an Honor Board or the Office of the Dean of Students.

3.0 Class 1 and 2 Violations

a. If the Honor Board or the Office of the Dean of Students or their designee sanctions a student with a XX sanction and grade of F, and this sanction is not appealed by the student, the Office of the Dean of Students will notify the Office of the Registrar to place the XX sanction and grade of F for the applicable course on the student’s academic record. The XX sanction and grade of F shall be recorded on the student’s transcript with the notation “failure due to academic dishonesty.”

b. Student appeals of the XX sanction and grade of F grade follow the procedure for all other appeals of academic dishonesty sanctions, as outlined in the Student Handbook. If the Appellate Authority (Executive Vice President for Student Affairs) denies the right to another hearing, or another hearing is granted, and the decision is to uphold the XX sanction and grade of F, the Office of the Dean of Students will notify the Office of the Registrar to assign the XX sanction and grade of F to the student’s academic record.

c. If grades are due but an academic dishonesty hearing is still in progress, a status indicator of ‘I’ shall be applied to the course until the hearing process is complete.

d. An XX sanction and grade of F shall maintain a quality point value of 0.0. The XX sanction and grade of F shall be treated in the same way as an “F” for the purposes of Grade Point Average and determination of academic standing.

e. The XX sanction and grade of F must stay on the transcript for at least two years from the date the student is found in violation of a Class 1 Violation or Class 2 Violations where the assignment is of significant weight.

f. In cases of a Class 2 Violation where the infraction of academic integrity occurred on an assignment of limited scope or grade weight, such as a homework assignment, low-stakes writing assignment, other formative-type assessments, and/or there is record of an admission of responsibility, the Honor Board or the Office of the Dean of Students or their designee will have the authority to assign a required Online Integrity Seminar. The time required to complete this seminar is between 5 to 10 hours.

Students will be afforded the opportunity to complete an Online Integrity Seminar within 30 days from notification by a deadline designated by the Honor Board with the acknowledgement of the faculty member. Faculty will have sole authority over the assessment and grading of the assignment(s) under review. Should a case be reported close to the end of term, the faculty member will assign an Incomplete.

Students are responsible for the fee affiliated with the Online Integrity Seminar. See https://integrityseminar.org/faqs/ for the current rate. The fee does not cover the cost of all required materials. The Office of the Dean of Students will make available an application for need-based assistance and provide alternative payment options for qualifying students.

After receiving notice from the Office of the Dean of Students that the Online Integrity Seminar has been completed satisfactorily, faculty will calculate and assign the final course grade according to their usual practices. If the online seminar is not completed by the designated deadline; the Office of the Dean of Students will direct the Office of the Registrar to attach the XX sanction to the F grade. The XX status indicator and the notation of “academic dishonesty” will remain on the student transcript for a minimum of one year in such cases.

After a period of one year from notification, the student (or alumnus/alumna) may petition the Honor Board for removal of the XX; the grade of F remains. (Information on responsibility for violations of the Honor Code will be maintained in the student’s conduct record per the normal practices of the Office of the Dean of Students.) Procedures for this petition will be the same as those outlined for the petition of removal of the XX status indicator on an F grade.

g. In cases of Class 2 Violations that are high stakes, or the student does not complete the Online Integrity Seminar, after two years, a student may petition the Honor Board for removal of the XX sanction; the grade of F remains. The petition must be in written form and provide the reason for removal of the XX sanction. Additionally, the petitioner must appear before the Honor Board to explain the request (appearance may be through electronic means if necessary). If the student petitions and a majority of the Honor Board agree to remove the XX, the Honor Board outlines conditions under which the XX sanction is removed. The conditions may include giving testimony of dishonesty during freshman orientation or other organized Honor Board events, and/or performing specific tasks aimed at increasing the education of the violator and/ or campus on the value of academic integrity. When these conditions are met, the XX sanction is removed leaving no past evidence of the XXF. The grade of F remains.

h. If a petition to change an XX sanction and an F grade to an F has been made and denied, another petition may not be made for another year from the date of denial. This stipulation applies after graduation as well.

i. If the student is/has been found responsible for an additional Class 1 violation of academic honesty, either in the past or future, the XX sanction and an F grade remains. For cases where the XX sanction and grade of F was changed to an F and the student is later found responsible for an additional act of academic dishonesty, the XX sanction and an F grade are restored for the course. In these cases, the XX sanction and an F grade remains permanent. The student may not petition for removal of the F in exchange for the XX sanction. (See 2 A for sanctions.)

j. A student who has received an XX sanction and an F grade in a course and needs to pass the course for a requirement may retake the course. If the student passes the course, the requirement is met, but the original course grade will remain as an XX sanction and an F grade. The student can petition for removal of the XX sanction.

4.0 Class 3 Violations

a. When a faculty member suspects an Honor Code violation is more a result of student confusion, ignorance or miscommunication, they should arrange a conference with the student as soon as possible to discuss the matter.

b. Together, the faculty member and student review all materials.

c. The faculty member designs a response that is discussed with the student, e.g., zero on the assignment, written warning, resubmission of the work, research on relevant topic, etc.

d. The faculty member and student commit the outcome to a form provided by the Office of the Dean of Students.

e. A written record of the educational response with the signatures of both the faculty member and the student is forwarded to the Office of the Dean of Students. The record will remain in the Office of the Dean of Students office.

f.The record of the educational response for this violation will be introduced in subsequent hearings during the sanctioning phase should the same student be found in violation of the Honor Code at a later point in time.

g. The student has the right to contest the allegation and request that the matter be forwarded immediately to the Office of the Dean of Students for adjudication under the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook.

5.0 Changes to the operation

Of the XX sanction and an F grade as a sanction option within the Honor System must go through a review process with Academic Affairs and receive approval from the Faculty Committee on Academic Standards and Faculty Senate.

6.0 Examples of violations for Classes 1-3.

The lists below are not meant to be comprehensive but illustrative of the types of acts that generally will be before the Honor Board, the Office of the Dean of Students or their designee, and faculty members.

Examples of Class 1 violations:

All second offences of Class 2 Violations,

  • cheating on a test which involves significant premeditation and conspiracy of effort,
  • taking a test for someone else, or permitting someone else to take a test or course in one’s place, intentional plagiarizing, where the majority of the submitted work was written or created by another,
  • obtaining, stealing, or buying all or a significant part of an unadministered exam,
  • selling, or giving away all or a significant part of an unadministered test,
  • bribing, or attempting to bribe any other person to obtain an unadministered test or any information about the test,
  • buying, or otherwise acquiring, another’s course paper and resubmitting it as one’s own work, whether altered or not,
  • entering a building, office, or computer for the purpose of changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, or on other work for which a grade is given,
  • changing, altering, or being an accessory to changing and/or altering a grade in a grade book, on a test, or other official academic college record which relates to grades, or
  • entering a building, office, or computer for the purpose of obtaining an unadministered test.

Examples of Class 2 violations:

All second offenses of Class 3 Violations,

  • cheating on an exam which involves some premeditation, copying from another’s test or allowing another student to copy from your test, where some plans were made for such collaboration,
  • intentional plagiarizing, where a moderate portion of the submitted work was written or created by another,
  • unauthorized reuse of previously graded work,
  • intentionally failing to cite information from the correct source,
  • intentionally listing sources in a bibliography/work cited page that were not used in the paper,
  • copying, or allowing one to copy, homework assignments that are to be submitted for credit, when unauthorized,
  • intentionally opening an officially sealed envelope containing an exam, test or other class-related material,
  • unauthorized and intentional collaboration on an assignment, or
  • unauthorized and intentional use or possession of a study aid.

Examples of Class 2 Violations involving low-stakes assignments

  • unauthorized collaboration on homework,
  • unauthorized use on an online tool to complete a low-stakes quiz or assignment,
  • plagiarism in a reading response paper,
  • plagiarism in a discussion thread or blog, or
  • unauthorized collaboration on a pre-lab quiz

Examples of Class 3 violations:

  • record of same offense made on other similar assignments and no feedback provided by the instructor prior to allegation,
  • reusing and/or building upon coursework already submitted for another class without permission of the professor,
  • unintentionally failing to cite information from the correct source,
  • unintentional violation of the class rules on collaboration, or unintentional possession of a study aid.

The forms for the violations are available on the Honor System Webpage. https://charleston.edu/dean-of-students/honor-board.php  contains the following: 

  • Honor Code Report Form Class 1 and 2 Violations
  • Honor Code Report Form Class 3 Violations

12.4.1 Honor Code PDF

Revision Log

Issue Date: 08/24/21

Last Review Date: 

Next Review Date: 

Web Publication Date: 2/5/2026