Hearings

The following notes are intended to clarify the hearing process. Please review them in addition to the Academic Integrity Policy.

How does a hearing arise?

Appeals. You have the right to appeal your violation. For information on the appeals process, please click here. If you are subject to a mandatory hearing, you do not need to file an appeal as you will have an automatic right to be heard during that process.
Mandatory Hearings. If your violation is not your first offense, there will be a mandatory hearing in the current case.
Initiated Hearings. Hearings can be initiated by faculty or other parties in order to explore an appropriate sanction that is not available to the faculty member (i.e. where the faculty member believes that failing the course is insufficient as a sanction, or where a member of the DePaul community observes a violation but does not have the ability to grade a student in a course).

How is the hearing scheduled?

If you are enrolled in DePaul courses at the time, the hearing will be scheduled at a time that does not conflict with your DePaul class schedule. Please note that you are required to attend this hearing regardless of whether you contest the accusation against you and further sanctions may be imposed at this hearing whether or not you attend. (See IMPORTANT note at end of this page about notifications.)

Can I apply for graduation or walk at commencement?

If you are otherwise eligible to apply for degree conferral (i.e. you have completed all other requirements for graduation), you are not permitted to apply for degree conferral until after the hearing has been conducted and after the Provost has issued a final decision with regard to the recommendations of the Academic Integrity Hearing Panel in your case. Please note that any application for degree in violation of this paragraph will be considered a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Hearing process

The Hearing Panel: A hearing panel consists of three faculty members and two students. Until the panel is complete and ready, all other participants will be asked to remain outside of the hearing room.
Participants in the Hearing: The student is permitted to bring an advisor with him or her to the hearing, but only current members of the DePaul Community - current, enrolled students, staff members or faculty members - are eligible to serve in the advisory role in the hearing. Other than members of the Academic Integrity Board or others participating in the administration of the Academic Integrity Process (including witnesses), no other visitors are allowed to be present during the hearing process.
Hearing Process:
1. Opening Statements: Each party (student and faculty member) has the opportunity to make an opening statement. The student has the right to choose whether to go first or last. Each party will have no more than 10 minutes for this statement.
2. Panel Q&A: The question and answer period may go on as long as the panel deems necessary. Note that the sanctioned student and sanctioning faculty member may not engage in direct conversation at any time - any questions they have of each other must be directed to the AIB panel convener, who may then choose to ask the question, if appropriate. When the convener declares the question and answer period over, no additional questions may be asked. Incidents or circumstances that might or might not have occurred will not be considered.
3. Closing Statements: Each party (student and faculty member) has the opportunity to make a closing statement. The student has the right to choose whether to go first or last. Each party will have no more than 10 minutes, and that you will need to ask them to stop if they exceed this limit.
Reaching a Decision in an AIB Hearing: Deliberation and Voting Procedures. After opening statements, question and answer, and closing statements are complete, all parties except members of the Board will leave the room to allow the panel to deliberate.
1. The Decision. The hearing panel will reach a decision on the facts in the case: "What actually happened?" and "Did the student violate the policy?"
2. Sanctions for violations upheld or imposed mandatory hearing or initiated hearing cases. In cases where the violation marks the student's second or additional offense and/or where a member of the DePaul community other than the student has initiated the hearing, the panel's determination of a violation will be followed by consideration of the appropriateness of additional sanctions.
Final Decision and Notification. Once a decision has been reached, the panel convener will dismiss the hearing panel and will draft the panel's recommendations to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, who will consult with the Dean of the student's home college. Once that has been completed, usually within approximately two weeks of the hearing date, the Associate Vice President will contact the student to notify her or him of the decision and to implement the sanctions, if any.
Once notified of this decision, there is no opportunity for additional appeal. The decision of the Provost after a hearing of the Academic Integrity Board is Final.

Where do I get further information?

You should familiarize themselves with the policy and procedures for a hearing which are available off of the "Academic Integrity" tab at Campus Connect. If you would like, you may also choose to discuss your case with one of the university ombudspersons who are available to provide clarity to students about the policy and the process. Information about ombudspersons, appeals, the process of the hearing and other resources are all available online off of the "academic integrity" box on Campus Connect. Any questions you may have about the hearing procedures should be directed to an ombudsperson.

Critical note:

IMPORTANT: You will be contacted in connection with this case and will be notified of information surrounding the hearing at the email and regular address contained in Campus Connect. Therefore, please ensure that the information in Campus Connect is up to date by using the "demographics" tab on the left hand side of your Campus Connect home page.