How to Report a Case: Gervase Programs: Learning to Lead

Anyone with suspicions that a member of the Georgetown University undergraduate community has participated in some incident that violated the Academic Honor Code should report their suspicions to the Executive Director of the Honor Council, Sonia Jacobson, 202-687-4891 or to the Graduate Assistant to the Honor Council, Perry Guevara, 202-687-0667. Professors and Teaching Assistants are required to report any suspicion of a violation. Students and other members of the community are strongly encouraged, but not required, to report any suspicion of a violation. If you would like to talk to someone about a possible Honor System Violation, contact Ms. Jacobson, Mr.Guevara, or Professor Thomas Cooke, 202-784-3210, Faculty Chair of the Honor Council.

Faculty members bringing a case forward should be prepared to provide:

• A brief statement describing what you suspect, how you discovered this information, etc.
  

• The student's (or students') essay, exam, quiz, etc.
  

• A copy of any sources student may have inappropriately used and/or cheated from (with corresponding passages marked in ink or highlighted, if possible)
  

• A copy of the course syllabus as well as a written copy of the assignment (if applicable)
  

• Any relevant (e-mail or paper) correspondence with the student
  

To arrange a time and place for us to get these materials (please do not use campus mail), please contact us.

After these items are received, we will assign one of the Honor Council's faculty (an investigating officer or IO) to investigate the situation. That person will contact you to get your account, and then meet with the student get the student's statement. The IO then will write up a report and decide whether sufficient evidence exists to forward the case to the hearing level. If the student has been immediately upfront and accepted responsibility, the IO may recommend the case for an expedited sanction process (no hearing). If there is a hearing, you would be asked to attend if at all possible.

Please be reminded that the faculty involved may fail or reduce the grade of a student for the assignment or for the course at his or her discretion, if and after the student is found in violation of the Honor System. If, however, the student is found not in violation, the faculty member may not penalize the student on grounds of academic dishonesty. While cases are pending, and grades are due, faculty typically submit an "NR" on the gradesheet with a note to the Registrar. Cases pending before the Honor Council usually are not to be considered uncompleted courses.