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IV. General Procedure
A. Paths available to the student who has knowledge of a violation of the Academic Honor Code.
- 1. The student who has knowledge of a violation may follow
one of two courses of action in dealing with the situation:
a. The student may report the situation directly to the Council in a formal written letter.
b. The student may report the situation to the faculty member in whose class the violation is known to have occurred.
2. The student who has knowledge of a violation must have the personal honor and courage to come forward with that
knowledge, and must be willing to stand behind his/her claim.
a. Questions of an individual's academic integrity are a serious matter, and should be raised only where some substantial
proof or knowledge of a violation exists.
B. Paths available to the faculty member who has knowledge
of a violation of the Academic Honor Code.
- 1. The faculty member who has knowledge of a violation in
his/her class may follow one of three courses of action in dealing with the situation:
a. The faculty member may use his/her independent discretion in dealing with the situation.
b. The faculty member may enlist the Council as an objective advisory panel, hearing board, or mediator in dealing
with the situation.
c. The faculty member may transfer complete discretion and decision-making power regarding the situation to the
Council.
2. The faculty member who has knowledge of a violation in another faculty member's class may follow one of two
courses of action in dealing with the situation:
a. The faculty member may report the situation directly to the Council in a formal written letter.
b. The faculty member may report the situation to the faculty member in whose class the violation is known to have
occurred.
3. If a faculty member should choose to use his/her independent discretion in dealing with a situation, any findings
of individual guilt and the ensuing sanctions must still be reported to the Council for record-keeping purposes
and support for stronger sanctions in any future incidents involving that individual.
C. Council proceedings
- 1. A member of the Thiel community who has knowledge of
a violation must report that knowledge to the Council within one week of the violation in order for the Council
to begin proceedings.
a. The Council may consider extenuating circumstances in regard to this time limit, provided that the case is capable
of adjudication within the semester in which the violation occurred.
2. Once an alleged violation of the Academic Honor Code has been brought to the Council, it becomes the right and
sole responsibility of the Council to investigate, adjudicate, and decide upon that situation.
3. If any member of the Thiel Community brings a situation before the Council, complete decision-making power lies
within the Council in regard to that particular situation.
4. The Council will conduct fact-finding hearings as necessary to deal with conflicting accounts of a situation.
a. Any and all involved parties may be asked to attend a hearing of this sort.
b. The Council will moderate discussion at such a hearing and will only inquire into matters relevant to a situation.
c. The accused individual's right to confront his/her accuser will not be infringed upon.
5. The Council reserves the right to request and be furnished with all evidence and information relevant to a situation
in its review.
6. When any situation comes before the Council, the faculty member in whose class the violation may have occurred
will be consulted and kept apprised of the situation as it develops.
7. A Council member may excuse him/herself from a case where bias may be real or perceived by any involved parties
or by the Council member individually.
a. The Council member must excuse him/herself before any actual proceedings have begun.
b. When a Council member excuses him/herself, an appropriate alternate delegate will fill the individual's spot
on the Council only for that particular case.
c. A Council member who has excused him/herself from a case may not reenter that case in any capacity.
d. A Council member who has excused him/herself from a case will maintain his/her capacity in any and all other
pending or future cases.
8. During any Council proceeding, all rights and responsibilities outlined in Article III of this document will
be upheld.
9. The Council will consider three elements in deciding each case on an individual basis:
a. Act: Was the act in violation of the Academic Honor Code committed?
b. Intention: Was the act committed intentionally?
c. Severity: Would toleration of the act in question undermine the spirit of academic growth, integrity, and trust
that Thiel College seeks to foster?
10. Council decisions will be made following the presentation of all relevant evidence and information.
11. It must be proven beyond reasonable doubt that an individual violated the Academic Honor Code in order for
that individual to receive sanctions from the Council.
12. The Council will keep records only of those proceedings where it finds sufficient proof to justify the levying
of sanctions upon an individual.
13. Apart from defined periods of suspension and unconditional expulsion from the college, the Council will not
release its records to any outside sources.
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