General Questions
A student is being disruptive in class. What should I do?
Disruptive behavior may persistently interfere with the academic learning environment and can impede a faculty member's ability to teach and other students' ability to learn. If you believe you or someone else is in immediate danger, you should call 911.
When considering student behavior, we must strike a balance between their right to express opinions relevant to the subject matter in the course and your ability to guide classroom discussion and set reasonable expectations on the amount of time utilized for expression of those opinions. Faculty should set standards for classroom conduct and enforce those expectations in accordance with academic freedom. Some disruptive behavior can be dealt with by an instructor in an informal manner by speaking with the student to establish clear expectations. Instructors may also wish to consult with other colleagues/their Department Chair for help and advice on these matters.
Since there are a wide variety of behaviors that could be classified as disruptive, an instructor, faculty member, or staff member can also contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards for a consultation and to identify potential strategies for working with the student.
What is the best way to contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards?
You can call the office at (402) 472-2021 or email studentconduct@unl.edu. Our office is located in Canfield Administration Building room 232, and we are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
How do I file a report?
For cases involving academic integrity issues, faculty should submit an Academic Integrity Report form. In cases where the student may have violated the standards of responsible conduct, the faculty or staff member should complete an Incident Reporting form.
If you have any questions about reporting, contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at (402) 472-2021 or email the office at studentconduct@unl.edu.
What type of information should be included in a report?
The type of information you include depends on what occurred. In academic cases, faculty members are encouraged to submit a copy of the syllabus, assignment instructions, and any documentation that supports academic misconduct occurred. These documents can be attached to the Academic Integrity Report as attachments prior to submitting the report.
For other incidents, it is encouraged that the faculty or staff member included as much information in the report and attach any additional emails or information to the report prior to submitting the Incident Report.
How can I request a presentation?
If you are interested in having someone from our office present to either your department or a class you teach, you can email us at studentconduct@unl.edu to request the type of presentation you are interested in and the date and time you'd like for the presentation to occur. Due to scheduling, we ask that we receive at least a week's notice. We will follow up with you once we receive the request.
A student asked me to be their advisor for a meeting with Student Conduct & Community Standards. What does that involve?
As part of a student's right set forth in the University of Nebraska Student Code of Conduct, a student is allowed to have an advisor present with them or to have an advisor review or discuss their case with the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards. The student must complete a FERPA waiver in order for the staff to speak specifically about a case. Anyone may serve as an advisor for the student and is typically someone they feel comfortable speaking with or is familiar with what was reported.
As an advisor, you are able to be present to provide support to the student or to assist them in ways with which you are comfortable. In this role, you do not participate actively within the process, but you may discreetly advise or communicate with the student or pass written notes.
Academic Misconduct Questions
I suspect a student engaged in academic misconduct, what do I do?
Per Faculty Senate policy, you should arrange a meeting with the student to discuss the allegation allowing up to two business days/University days (days when the University is open) for the student to respond. After speaking with the student or after two University days have passed, you should complete an Academic Integrity Report.
Do I have to forward allegations of academic misconduct to the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards?
Yes, Faculty Senate policy requires all incidents of academic misconduct to be forwarded to the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards. If you determine academic misconduct occurred in your class, you should complete an Academic Integrity Report. Prior to submitting a report, the responsible faculty member should attempt to discuss the allegation with the student.
I do not feel comfortable confronting the student, can I forward the information without speaking to the student(s)?
Faculty Senate policy states that a faculty member must attempt to discuss the allegation with the student and to allow up to two business days/University days (days when the University is open) for the student to respond. The policy does not require you to meet with the student or to schedule an in-person meeting. You may choose to email the student about the allegation and allow the student up to two days to respond. You may also choose to meet with them via Zoom if that option is more accessible for either yourself or the student. At the end of a semester, timelines may be shortened for providing a response. If you have any questions about reporting, please contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at (402) 472-2021 or email the office at studentconduct@unl.edu.
What is Faculty Senate policy?
Faculty Senate has outlined a Policy on Sanctions Related to Academic Integrity at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, which should be followed by faculty in situations where they believe a student violated the Standards of Academic Integrity in the University of Nebraska Student Code of Conduct.
Isn't it burdensome and time-consuming to report incidents of academic misconduct?
A few cases may involve more investigation and documentation, but most do not. Reporting all incidents across the University allows for patterns of behavior to be addressed beyond a single instance in one course and ensures all students receive consistent education regarding academic integrity. Students will often admit responsibility for some form of academic misconduct and accept the Administrative Resolution regarding their case. If a case goes to a hearing, we typically ask the responsible faculty member to participate to ensure that the Board hears both the student perspective and the faculty perspective. If a student has an advisor, the advisor is not allowed to ask questions during the hearing.
I submitted an academic misconduct report for a student, but they have submitted additional work that I believe is a violation of University policy. What should I do?
If the new incident will result in another grade sanction/outcome, you will need to complete another Academic Integrity Report about the additional incident. This ensures that we have updated information about the status of the student's grade in the course and allows us to address both incidents individually with the student. If the previous incident would result in a failing grade in the course or there would not be a grade sanction/outcome, you can email the information about the additional incident to studentconduct@unl.edu. In most cases, both incidents will be treated as one case, and would not result in a more serious outcome from our office. If you have specific questions about the situation, please contact the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards at (402) 472-2021 or email the office at studentconduct@unl.edu.
May I meet with a student multiple times before making a decision about whether academic misconduct occurred?
Yes. It is possible that you may want to gather more information from other involved students or to gain insight from a department chair or other faculty member. As such, you may meet with a student multiple times before making a final determination of responsibility.
Once I submit the information to the Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards, is my involvement complete?
In most cases, yes. The Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards may ask you to provide additional information, if any is needed. Additionally, if the student chooses to go to a formal hearing, you will be asked to participate in the hearing and provide the University Conduct Board with the opportunity to ask questions about the academic misconduct referral. You may also request to receive a follow-up at the conclusion of the case. If you request a follow-up, you will be notified by the Conduct Officer responsible for the case about the outcome and any additional information related to the case.