Welcome Back! A Few Friendly Academic Integrity Reminders
It is that time of year again! New year, same Academic Integrity Reminders. 😊
To our returning faculty: welcome back! The Academic Integrity Office hopes your summer gave you time to rest, research and dig into some passion projects. And to our new faculty: welcome to Syracuse University! We’re so glad you’re here and we hope that your SU journey is filled find joy, discovery, and meaningful connections.
A new semester brings new opportunities, but it also brings sometimes burdensome course expectation reminders and new academic integrity concerns. Here are three timely reminders from the Academic Integrity Office to help you stay ahead this fall.
Reminder 1: A Syllabus Policy is the Foundation for any AI Case
Syracuse University offers three artificial intelligence syllabus statements for faculty to choose from. If your syllabus does not include one of these statements, the Academic Integrity Office cannot process an AI-related case. This is because there is no policy to serve as the foundation for an investigation. Not sure which statement fits your course best? Schedule a consultation with our office anytime, and we’ll help you find the right fit.
Reminder 2: Cases Should be Submitted Promptly
Our academic integrity policy asks that cases be submitted promptly. This means no more than two weeks after the suspected violation took place or was discovered. We know this timeline feels tight, especially with longer assignments or large lecture courses. If you need more time, just call or email our office to request an extension. We can’t guarantee approval, but we’ll always do our best to work with you.
Reminder 3: A Responsible Finding is Required before a Grade Sanction
If you suspect a violation and plan to apply a grade sanction, the case must come through the Academic Integrity Office first. This requirement exists for many reasons:
- It protects students’ rights to due process, giving them the chance to accept responsibility or share their perspective with a trained faculty interviewer. Managing an impartial process is often difficult in the classroom, given the imbalance between instructors and students.
- It connects students with our academic integrity seminar when they’re found responsible, offering an opportunity to learn from the experience, reintegrate into the SU community, and, hopefully, avoid future policy violations.
- It ensures the university can accurately track cases, especially if a student violates policy across multiple courses our schools/colleges.
- It keeps grade sanctions fair and consistent by applying them only once responsibility has been determined.
- It takes the weight of a lengthy investigation off your plate, helping keep the process impartial and freeing you up to focus on classroom relationships and teaching.
- It protects you too, should a student pursue a grade appeal, having gone through our process gives you an added layer of support.
A new academic year gives us a lot to look forward to. But it also comes with a lot of deadlines, to-do lists, and competing priorities. We hope these reminders help to lighten the load a little as the fall semester gets under way. If you would like to further discuss academic integrity at Syracuse, please contact the AIO any time by emailing aio@syr.edu or calling 315-443-5412. Our office is at 550 Bird Library if you would like to stop by for a private consultation; we recommend scheduling your appointment in advance.
Kate Marzen
Director of Academic Integrity
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