Academic Integrity - Sanctions

1. Disciplinary Status Levels

   When a student is found responsible for violating the Academic Integrity Policies of the Code of Conduct, one of the following disciplinary status levels will be assigned:

   Academic Censure: Censure is the lowest disciplinary status level for academic policy violations. A disciplinary record will be created and maintained in the Office of Student Conduct. The file will contain all documents pertaining to the incident and conduct process.

   Disciplinary Probation: A probationary status, imposed for a specific time period, during which a student can remain on campus, attend classes, and participate in certain programs and activities but is not in good standing and may not participate in study abroad/away programs and student leadership positions. The student is expected to show a positive change in behavior. Disciplinary Probation serves as the official notice that future violations of the Code of Conduct may result in more severe sanctions, including the possibility of suspension or permanent separation. 

   Disciplinary Suspension: The removal of a student from the university for a specific period of time. The student may apply for readmission but will not be approved unless all other requirements and deadlines have been met.

   An infraction of the honor code that is deemed to be sufficiently egregious or a repeat infraction may result in a disciplinary suspension. While a student is suspended for academic policy violations, they may not enroll in Elon University classes/credit bearing experiences either on or off campus; nor may students transfer credits back to Elon for any course they may choose to take at another institution while on suspension.

   While a student is suspended, they may not return to the campus or participate in any programs or activities of the university without written permission from the associate vice president for Student Life / dean of students (or designee), or the assistant provost academic operations and communications. If the student returns to the campus without written permission during the suspension period, their eligibility to return to Elon in the future may be jeopardized and the student may be issued a legal trespass order.

   In rare situations, when warranted by mitigating or extenuating circumstances as determined by the associate vice president for Student Life / dean of students or associate provost for academic excellence and operations, a hearing officer/board or appeal officer/board may hold a suspension in abeyance to take effect only upon further violations of the Code of Conduct or failure to fulfill assigned sanctions. A suspension held in abeyance may be activated pending the outcome of a conduct process for subsequent violations.

   Suspended students will only be refunded board and tuition using the refund schedule outlined in the academic catalog. All other fees and charges are forfeited.

   Upon reenrollment following a period of disciplinary suspension, a student will be placed on disciplinary probation for one term from date of return. During this probationary period, students are not permitted to participate in study abroad/away programs or hold leadership positions within recognized student organizations. This probationary period is designed to assist with a smooth transition back into the university community. Students on post-suspension disciplinary probation are required to abide and compete all terms and conditions of their return. Any misconduct or non-compliance will be reviewed and may result in disciplinary suspension or permanent separation from the university.

   Permanent Separation: Permanent removal from the university. Students separated from the university will be refunded board and tuition only, using the refund schedule outlined in the Academic Catalog. All other fees and charges are forfeited.

   If a student is permanently separated from the university, a notation will be made on the official transcript.

   Students who are permanently separated from the university for violations of the Code of Conduct may not return to the campus or participate in any programs or activities of the university without written permission from the associate vice president for Student Life / dean of students (or designee), or the associate provost for academic excellence and operations. If the student returns to the campus without written permission, they may face criminal charges for trespassing.

2. Course Grade Implications

For academic policy violations in which a student accepts responsibility or is found responsible, the instructor has full authority to assign any grade sanction deemed appropriate. For example, he or she may elect to fail the student for the assignment, for a related unit in the course, or for the entire course.

Lowered grade for the assignment/unit:  An instructor may lower the grade or give the student an “F” for an assignment or a related unit of the course for a violation of the academic integrity policy (not intending for the student to fail the entire course based on the violation). The violation is recorded in the Office of Student Conduct and documentation is kept in the student’s conduct file.

Transcript implications: The final grade submitted for the course will not contain any notation indicating that a violation has occurred.

Course Repeat Policy: The student may repeat the course consistent with the University’s course repeat policy.

Grade Appeal policy: While students may appeal a course grade through the University’s grade appeal policy, they may not base their appeal on the instructor’s assignment of an “F” for the assignment or unit resulting from the academic policy violation.

Lowered grade for the course: An instructor may lower a grade or fail a student in a course for a violation of the academic integrity policy. The violation is recorded in the Office of Student Conduct and documentation is kept in the student’s conduct file.

Transcript implications: the grade recorded by the Office of the Registrar on the student’s permanent record will be as assigned with no notation that the grade originated from a violation.

Course Repeat Policy: The student may repeat the course consistent with the University’s course repeat policy.

Grade Appeal policy: Students may not appeal a failing grade in a course with an academic integrity violation through the University’s grade appeal policy.

A grade of “academic integrity F” for the course: An instructor may assign the grade of “academic integrity F” for a violation of the academic integrity policy. The violation is recorded in the Office of Student Conduct and documentation is kept in the student’s conduct file.

Transcript implications: the “academic integrity F” will be recorded by the Office of the Registrar on the student’s permanent record; however, it will not be noted as an academic integrity violation on the student’s grade report or permanent academic transcript.

Course Repeat Policy: The student may repeat the course at a later time; however, the credit hours and quality points for the original class will be retained, thus lowering the student’s overall grade point average. The standard course-repeat-rule in the Elon University Academic Catalog is not applicable for courses in which an instructor has elected to assign a student an “academic integrity F” based on an academic integrity violation.

Grade Appeal policy:  Students who receive an “academic integrity F” for a course given by the instructor based on the student’s being found responsible for an academic integrity violation may not appeal that failing grade through the university’s grade appeal policy.