Why Report Academic Misconduct?

National studies have examined why college instructors sometimes take no action when faced with academic dishonesty. Perhaps some of these thoughts have occurred to you or some of your colleagues: “the administration won’t support me”; “it’s too much of a hassle”; “I heard that X tried that and the student wasn’t even convicted though he had her dead to rights.” Sometimes faculty members think that dealing with academic misconduct is really their responsibility and would prefer to take action on their own to penalize a student without going through the Honor System at all.

Here are ten reasons why it’s important for instructors to report academic misconduct, despite any initial reticence on that front:

1. Faculty policy requires reporting. Neither avoiding the problem by inaction or unilateral action is consistent with faculty policy at UNC. In 2003, the Faculty Council reiterated long-standing policy on this point, stating that:

   In the event of student misconduct that appears to violate the requirements of the Honor Code, faculty members, teaching assistants, and other instructional personnel should:

   Report to the appropriate student attorney general any instance in which the instructor has reasonable basis to conclude that a student under the faculty member’s supervision has engaged in academic dishonesty or substantially assisted another to do so in connection with academically related work.

   Refrain from taking unilateral punitive action as to a student rather than reporting conduct in suspected violation of the Honor Code.

   Cooperate with representatives of the student judicial system (including the appropriate student attorney general, defense counsel, honor court personnel, and the judicial program officer) in conducting necessary investigation, providing testimony or other evidence, recommending appropriate sanctions, or otherwise bringing the matter to prompt conclusion

   The full statement on UNC Faculty Responsibilities is available provide in Appendix B of the Instrument of Judicial Governance.

2. Failing to report condones the conduct and may encourage (or give excuses) for other students to cheat as well.

3. Inaction means that other students who comply with requirements are unfairly disadvantaged. Faculty who fail to address this unfairness are parties to perpetuating it.

4. Integrity is important as a philosophical matter, particularly for university faculty whose work involves the search for truth. If we fail to carry out our own obligations, we can hardly expect students to carry out theirs. Failure to report is really a breach of our own ethical obligations as teachers and scholars.

5. Reporting misconduct provides a “teachable moment” in which students who may not yet have learned about the requirements of academic integrity can do so.

6. Faculty members owe it to each other to maintain high standards in a consistent way in order so that students will recognize that cheating is never allowed and will get with the program immediately. A new, simplified, on-line system for reporting suspected misconduct will assist the Honor System in tracking patterns of student misconduct so that pertinent policies can be clarified as needed. This tracking will also the Honor System to provide faculty members with suggestions about conduct to watch for and steps for preventing or deterring misconduct in the future. Such improvements in the System can only be developed if faculty members provide needed information about the problems they observe.

7. The very nature of the University involves the building of new knowledge upon that which previously existed. Students need to recognize the relationship between existing knowledge and new ideas if they are to become truly educated. These are the lessons that the Honor Code and faculty oversight are designed to impart.

8. The university’s reputation (and the reputations of faculty members, students and alumni with ties to UNC) depends on integrity. Faculty members around the country remember major incidents of misconduct that have clouded the reputations of highly regarded institutions. For the people of North Carolina and the state legislature to continue to believe in and support the University, high standards must be maintained.

9. Society suffers if integrity is compromised, putting government, the economy, our health and welfare at risk. Recent events involving leading corporations, government leaders, doctors, lawyers, journalists, the clergy, scientists, scholars, the military, and others have brought home the profoundly adverse effects suffered by everyone when integrity is compromised. University faculties are charged with educating future citizen-leaders. If we fail to take that duty seriously, we will reap what we sow.

10. It’s not very hard. Recent data indicates that 75% of cases in which students are charged with misconduct at UNC result in the students being found guilty or accepting responsibility, with sanctions then being imposed. A number of important reforms incorporated into University policies have clarified pertinent standards, increased the effectiveness of sanctions, and expedited procedures for handling incidents of misconduct. Enhanced outreach activities, the new Honor System Faculty Advisory Committee, and the expanded information on this website will provide faculty members with the information they need to understand and use the Honor System with as little hassle as possible. A simple online reporting form will be available soon on the Honor System web site.

Put most simply, reporting academic misconduct by students is what’s expected at UNC and it’s the right thing to do. It’s less difficult than it might appear, and it provides an effective remedy. Please do your part.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill