August 25, 2006

TO: All Faculty

FROM: Bonnie Zimmerman

Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs

SUBJ: Academic Dishonesty Policy

Executive Order 969, issued by the Office of the Chancellor and effective January 30, 2006, specifies how cases of academic dishonesty (cheating or plagiarism) are to be handled by the campuses:

“Academic dishonesty cases that occur in the classroom shall be handled by faculty members. However, after action has been taken by the faculty member, the faculty member shall complete a form that identifies the student who was found responsible, the general nature of the offense, the action taken, and a recommendation as to whether or not additional action should be considered by the campus judicial affairs office.”

In other words, faculty members shall continue to be responsible for determining the academic consequences of academic dishonesty. However, reporting the student for judicial consequences, which was once at the discretion of the professor, is now mandatory.

There are good reasons for this policy. The primary purpose is to hold students accountable for multiple academic dishonesty situations that may occur in several departments, or even with different faculty members in the same unit who do not make incidents known to each other. This Executive Order requires a central location that is responsible for tracking academic dishonesty and dealing with situations in a coordinated fashion. This will enhance our efforts to preserve the integrity of the educational experience, protect faculty members who must deal with these cases, and provide more effective interventions with students who engage in cheating and plagiarism.

Faculty members should be aware that the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities, which handles and will now track cases of academic dishonesty, is most concerned with educating, not punishing, students. When notified by you that an incident has taken place, CSRR will first warn the student and direct them to educational resources. If you indicate that further action is warranted, or in the case of repeat or serious offenses, the CSRR will review the record for further disciplinary action. The CSRR also will protect the student’s right to privacy and strictly limit the number of individuals who have access to this information.

The Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities has developed a web form for you to use in reporting cases of academic dishonesty. You will find it at:

http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/AcademicDishonestyIncidentForm.pdf.

Please understand that Executive Order 969 is now in effect, and all faculty members must report cases through this web form. For questions or further information, please contact the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities at 4-3069.