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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Policy Name: Academic Offenses
Policy Number: LR 501.13
Original Effective Date: 03/21/1979
Most Recent Revised Date: 04/10/2026

Allegation of Academic Offense Report Form

Purpose

This policy explains the criteria and procedures for adjudicating academic offenses. Academic offenses are not permitted under any circumstances and are a violation of student conduct standards. Students must not pursue an unfair advantage over classmates through deception or dishonesty. Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized reproduction of instructional materials and related behaviors undermine learning and intellectual development.

Any student found responsible for an academic offense, whether on campus, in a course, during a University-sponsored activity, or while representing the University or an academic department, will be disciplined by the University.

Instructors are responsible for:

  • Taking reasonable steps to prevent academic dishonesty
  • Taking appropriate action when dishonesty is suspected
  • Reporting all suspected academic offenses to the Office of the Dean of Students

Students are responsible for:

  • Avoiding all forms of cheating and dishonesty
  • Avoiding situations that create the appearance of cheating
  • Fully acknowledging all borrowed ideas and materials
  • Reporting suspected violations to the instructor

Students may not publish, or distribute any portion of classroom lectures or instructional materials without prior explicit written permission from the professor.

A finding that work resulted from dishonest action may affect the grading of the specific assignment and/or the overall final grade in the course. In addition, disciplinary action may be imposed by the Office of the Dean of Students or the Academic Offenses and Grade Appeals Committee (AOGAC).

Definitions

  • Instructor: The instructor of record is the initiator of an allegation of academic offense.
  • Class days:  are defined as Monday through Friday of any academic term, excluding university breaks and holidays for which the University is closed.
  • Appeal: A denial of the alleged academic misconduct. After an AOGAC hearing, the appeal refers to a challenge of the panel’s decision.
  • Academic Offenses: The categories below describe academic offenses that may result in grade penalties and disciplinary action.  This list is not intended to be exhaustive.
  • Cheating: Giving, receiving, offering, or soliciting unauthorized information. Examples include,
    • Copying from another student
    • Using unauthorized notes or materials (including any form of generative AI)
    • Collaborating during an exam without permission
    • Buying, selling, stealing, or distributing exam content
    • Using leaked or unreleased exam materials
    • Having another person take an exam on one’s behalf
    • Taking an exam for another person
    • Bribing anyone for exam information
  • Plagiarism: Is using ideas, words, or products that are not one’s own original work without proper acknowledgment. This includes using ideas, words, or products produced by any form of Generative AI without proper acknowledgement; it also includes submitting previously submitted or published work as new without disclosure (self-plagiarism).
  • Collusion: Is receiving unauthorized assistance in producing work submitted for credit, where the work reflects another person’s or entity’s ideas or skills rather than the student’s own.
  • Duplicity: Is submitting the same work for credit in more than one course without prior written approval from all instructors involved.

Scope and Eligibility

Two procedural tracks exist for a student:

  1. enrolled in a course
  2. not enrolled in a course

The student may consult the Student Government Association or the Graduate Student Association president or designee at any time for guidance and support. This individual may advise the student, assist with documentation, and attend hearings as a non-participating supporter.

Process of Redress for Academic Offenses

A. Student Enrolled in a Course

These procedures apply when a student is enrolled in a course, and an instructor has substantial evidence of academic dishonesty.

Step 1: Instructor Written Notice (Within 5 Class Days)

Within five class days of identifying the suspected offense, the instructor must:

  1. Complete the Allegation of Academic Offense Form
  2. Send the form to the student via the University email; an additional form of delivery is encouraged
  3. Retain a copy
  4. Send copies to:
    • Department chair
    • Office of the Dean of Students

The notice must:

  1. Specify the allegation
  2. Include supporting evidence

Step 2: Student–Instructor Conference (Within 5 Class Days)

After receiving the notice, the student must contact the instructor to schedule a conference. Both parties must make good-faith efforts to meet within 5 class days.

Conference purpose:

  • Ensure the student understands the allegation and evidence
  • Allow the student to present an explanation or response

Irrespective of the outcome of the upcoming meeting with the faculty member, the student must meet with the Dean of Students.

If the student is unwilling to meet with the faculty member, the Dean of Students will advise the student that this is in contradiction to the policy. At that point the student may proceed to meet with the Dean of Students or arrange a meeting with the faculty member.

Step 3: Post-Conference Instructor Action

If:

  • the student admits misconduct, or
  • the student does not admit misconduct but the instructor still believes a violation occurred,

The instructor must immediately report the conference outcome to the Office of the Dean of Students.

Grade Penalty Timing Rules

A grade penalty may be imposed only by the instructor, and only after required procedural steps are completed.

If the student admits misconduct, a grade penalty cannot be imposed until:

  1. The student meets with the Office of the Dean of Students representative,
  2. The appeal filing deadline passes with no appeal submitted

If the student does not respond to either the instructor or the Office of Dean of Students with in 10 class days, the student has waived the right to an appeal.

Grade Penalties May Include

  • F in the course
  • F on the assignment or exam
  • Grade adjustment
  • No credit for material presented

Instructors should consider:

  • Severity
  • Context
  • Comparable cases
  • Student circumstances

Step 4: Meeting with Office of the Dean of Students (Within 5 Class Days of Meeting with the Instructor)

Conference purpose will depend on whether the student admits misconduct.

If the student admits misconduct

  1. If the case warrants suspension or expulsion, it will be referred to AOGAC within three class days.
  2. If the case does not warrant suspension or expulsion,  the Dean of Students representative may either:
    • With student agreement and due process safeguards:
      • notify the instructor to impose the proposed grade penalty,
      • impose a disciplinary sanction
    • Refer the case to the AOGAC

If the student denies misconduct

The representative will review with the student:

  1. Allegations and evidence
  2. The student’s rights
  3. Appeal procedures

If the student then changes their claim and admits misconduct the instructor and department chair are notified immediately.

If the student continues to deny misconduct, the student:

  • May receive help drafting an appeal
    • If the help is from the Office of Dean of Student’s, the helper cannot serve as the University’s Hearing Representative
  • Must submit the written appeal within 10 class days of:
    • Receipt of the allegation of misconduct, or
    • Instructor meeting

All outcomes are reported immediately to instructor and chair (or equivalent). Submission of the written appeal formally initiates the appeal process.

Instructor and Dean of Students conferences are mandatory before filing an appeal. The intent of this guideline is to ensure that all reasonable efforts have been made to resolve the outcome of the academic offense allegation before the matter is brought to the Academic Offenses and Grade Appeals Committee.

Step 5: Student Appeal is Referred and Adjudicated by the AOGAC (see below)

Student Enrollment Status During an Appeal

  • Student may continue attending class during appeal
  • Student may not withdraw while the case is pending
    • If withdrawal occurs after a notice of an allegation of an academic offense, the student will be reinstated

Outcomes After All Appeal Options Have Been Exhausted

  1. If the allegation of misconduct is sustained and course grade is F:
    • F remains permanently on transcript
    • This F remains in GPA calculation even if the course is retaken and a higher grade is earned. Both will be included in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.
  2. If penalty is less than course F:
    • Student may continue or withdraw before withdrawal deadline
  3. If allegation of misconduct is not sustained:
    • Student may continue or withdraw
    • If withdrawal deadline passed during the process, withdrawal rights and refunds are restored
  4. If the process extends past semester end:
    • Temporary non-GPA grade is recorded until final decision

B. Student Not Enrolled in a Course

If misconduct is suspected outside a course:

  1. Instructor must immediately notify the Office of the Dean of Students
  2. Within five class days the representative of the Office of Dean of Students will:
    • Investigate the allegation
    • Consult instructors
    • Meet with the student
  3. No action will occur until the student:
    • Is informed
    • Can respond
    • Is told appeal rights
  4. Administrative resolution is allowed when:
    • Misconduct has been admitted, and
    • Student requested this administrative route, and
    • Sanction is explained, and
    • Representative of Dean of Students can act objectively

When severe sanction is warranted or misconduct is denied, cases are referred to AOGAC within 5 class days of the Dean of Students receiving notice of the allegation.

Formal Hearing: AOGAC Hearing Procedures

Academic Offenses and Grade Appeals Committee (AOGAC)

AOGAC is a Faculty Senate committee governed by Faculty Senate Bylaws. It appoints hearing panels for academic offense cases.

The procedures described below guide all hearings. Reasonable deviations in timing or procedure will not invalidate decisions unless the deviation causes significant prejudice to the student.

Step 1: Scheduling

  1. The Dean of Students will forward the appeal for scheduling.
    • If there are multiple students associated with the misconduct, hearings will be held separately for each individual.
  2. The Office of Dean of Students will schedule the hearing within 15 class days of receipt of the student written appeal
  3. Instructor and student schedules will be considered.
    • If the instructor cannot attend within 30 class days of the first attempt at scheduling, a chair or designee may represent them
    • If the student cannot attend within 30 class days of the first attempt at scheduling, the appeal may be dismissed and the proposed penalty applied.
  4. Once the date and time are set, a formal communication is sent to the two parties and panel members detailing:
    • the date
    • start time
    • estimated length of the hearing
    • location (or modality) of the hearing. If the hearing is virtual, the link to the virtual location will be included.
  5. After a hearing has been scheduled, it will go forward even if one of the parties does not appear at the hearing.

Step 2: Panel Selection

  1. The AOGAC Coordinator will poll the members of the committee to identify the general pool that can serve on the dates and times identified by the instructor and the student
  2. Only after the pool is identified will the AOGAC Coordinator reveal the names of the parties in the appeal.
  3. If panel members have a conflict of interest with either of the parties, they must recuse themselves at this time.

Step 3: Pre-Hearing Submissions

At least 5 class days before the hearing, each party must submit to the Dean of Students:

  • Written arguments
  • Supporting documentation
  • Syllabus (if relevant)
  • Witness names
  • Names of non-participating supporters
  • Name of legal counsel

Late materials are excluded from review before or during the panel hearing.

Attendance of witnesses, non-participating supporters, and legal counsel must be disclosed at this time.

Step 4: Dissemination of Materials

No less than 5 class days before the scheduled hearing, all materials must be disseminated to:

  1. Panel members
  2. Student
  3. Instructor

Rights and Limits of Instructor and Student

Each party may:

  • bring witnesses
  • question opposing witnesses
  • attend all phases except deliberations
  • bring up to two non-participating supporters
  • bring legal counsel (in an advisor role only)

Panel Composition

  • Panel must include:
    • 3 voting faculty (one serves as chair) and
    • 2 voting students
    • Dean of Students representative who attends on behalf of the university, and does not have voting  privilege
  • Graduate cases require at least one graduate faculty member and one graduate student
  • Members may recuse themselves and be replaced

Step 5: Hearing Procedures

  • Attendance is limited to the two parties, supporters, witnesses, legal counsel, designated observers and panel members
  • If the panel meets in person, remote participation may be permitted with notice
  • Proceedings are recorded except deliberations
  • Witnesses generally appear live; written statements are rarely accepted and are at the chair’s discretion

Decision Rules

The AOGAC panel:

  1. Will deliberate on whether arbitrary grading occurred
    • The decision is based solely on university policy, documents submitted prior to the hearing and the testimonies
  2. May request information about prior student conduct from the Dean of Students
  3. May also impose sanctions as determined by University Policy LR 516.3
  4. Will render its decision by a majority vote

Decision Documentation

  1. The findings will be formalized by the signatures of all panel members
  2. Within 3 days of the hearing, the chair of the panel will forward to the Dean of Students:
    • its findings,
    • the recording of the hearing

Step 6 : Notice of Decision

The Dean of Students will:

  1. notify the parties of the decision within 5 class days, and
  2. provide instruction regarding appealing  the panel’s decision.

Provost Appeal (Final Stage)

Step 1: Appeal to Provost or designee

  1. Within 5 class days of receiving the decision, either party or the Dean of Students may appeal the panel decision
  2. Appeals are submitted in writing
  3. At the same time as submitting the appeal to the Provost, the appealing party must send copies of their appeal to the chairperson and the non-appealing party.

Post-Decision Appeal Window

  1. Records will be maintained during appeal window by Dean of Students
  2. If no appeal is filed:
    • If the allegation is sustained, Dean of Student will notify the instructor that they are authorized to apply grade penalty
    • This grade penalty cannot be further appealed and is final

Suspension or expulsion decisions are reported to Provost and Chancellor.

Conduct records are handled under University Policy LR 514.11.

Revised Dates: 04/2026; 09/2025; 11/2024; 11/2022; 08/2018; 11/1993; 04/1989; 04/1985; 02/1981
Source: UA Little Rock Faculty Senate
Status: Active
Originator: UA Little Rock Faculty Senate
Custodian: UA Little Rock Faculty Senate