Academic Misconduct FAQs

Academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarism, forgery, falsification, facilitation or aiding academic dishonesty; multiple submission, theft of instructional materials or tests; unauthorized access to, manipulation of or tampering with laboratory equipment, experiments, computer programs, or animals without proper authorization; alteration of grades or files; misuse of research data in reporting results; use of personal relationships to gain grades or favors, or otherwise attempting to obtain grades or credit through fraudulent means. To learn more, please visit the Code of Student Conduct. 

 First, you will have a meeting that informs you of their suspicions. You are allowed to bring a support person with you to this meeting. The instructor will bring all of the evidence that supports their suspisions of Academic Misconduct. You should consider bringing all of your drafts and course work that pertain to theacademic submission in question.  

Based on this meeting and all of the evidence they have collected, they will find you responsible or not responsible. If they find you responsible, they will fill out the Academic Misconduct Reporting Form and give different sanctions. 

For the first time, the instructor will decide how they will hold this student responsible. Code of Student Conduct, 430.00 states that any of the following sanctions will be applied: 

1. Oral reprimand;
2. Written reprimand; 
3. An assignment to repeat the work or an alternate assignment; 
4. A lower or failing grade on the particular assignment or test; 
5. A lower grade or failing grade in the course; 
6.  Removal of the student from the course in progress; 

If this is not the first time, the student will be referred to the student conduct process. If it is the determination of that process that there was Academic Misconduct,one of the following sanctions will be applied:  

1. Removal of the student from the course in progress;
2. Removal of the student from a major, college or program; 
3. Withdrawal of degree or academic credit previously bestowed; and 
4. Any sanction that may be imposed for violation of the Student Conduct Code (reference Section 660.00), including disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion from the University. 

You have the right to appeal.You may present a formal appeal in writing to the instructor's Dean (or designee) no later than five (5) business days after the Instructor’s determination of Academic Misconduct or Disruptive Classroom Behavior. 

It is important to note that the instructor will be able to give their opinion during this appeal as well. The instructor shall have five (5) business days to respond in writing to the Dean after receipt of the appeal. The instructor shall present their evidence that the charged student committed academic misconduct or disruptive classroom behavior. The instructor shall send a copy of the response to the student. 

If you appeal the sanctions, the board or hearing officer will hear the case and recommends sanctions. The Dean shall render a written decision within five (5) business days of receipt of the instructor's response. 

The student then either accepts the sanctions assigned by the Dean of Students or appeals the sanctions, resulting in referral to the Vice President for Student Success. The Vice President for Student Success then makes the final decision on the student’s case. There is no appeal for this decision. 

Montana State University has a process to help faculty members navigate Academic Misconduct when it happens in the class room. Feel free to click through the step-by-step list or walk through the Academic Misconduct Flowchart.

For the first time, the instructor will decide how they will hold this student responsible. Code of Student Conduct, 430.00 states that any of the following sanctions will be applied: 

1. Oral reprimand;
2. Written reprimand; 
3. An assignment to repeat the work or an alternate assignment; 
4. A lower or failing grade on the particular assignment or test; 
5. A lower grade or failing grade in the course; 
6.  Removal of the student from the course in progress;

If this is not the first time, the student will be referred to the student conduct process. If it is the determination of that process that there was Academic Misconduct, any ofthe following sanctions will be applied:  

1. Removal of the student from the course in progress;
2. Removal of the student from a major, college or program; 
3. Withdrawal of degree or academic credit previously bestowed; and 
4. Any sanction that may be imposed for violation of the Student Conduct Code (reference Section 660.00), including disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion from the University.

Not at all. Montana State University has identified Integrity as one of the core institutional values. By holding our students accountable for their actions, we are allowing them to grow from that experience to better align themselves with the values of our university and the values of their future career. 

If the Academic Misconduct Report shows that the present violation is the student’s second or greater incident of academic misconduct, or if you believe a sanction stronger than those listed in items A-F of section 435.00 is indicated, the student is referred to the Dean of Students. 

The Office of the Dean of Students determines charges in consultation with the instructor’s department. The student may either accept responsibility for the academic misconduct and agree to the proposed sanctions by signing an administrative agreement, or appeal the sanctions, resulting in a University Student Conduct Board hearing. 

If the student appeals the sanctions, the board or hearing officer hears the case and recommends sanctions. The Dean of Students then assigns sanctions after receiving the recommendation. 

The student then either accepts the sanctions assigned by the Dean of Students or appeals the sanctions, resulting in referral to the Vice President for Student Success. The Vice President for Student Success then makes the final decision on the student’s case.