Office of the Dean
Information for Instructors
Frequently Asked Questions
- Do I have to make a determination of "guilt"?
- What if two students are involved but I feel that one has more culpability?
- What constitutes cheating?
- Where can I get advice on creating assignments to deter cheating?
- What if I don't want to report the incident to Student Affairs?
- I've heard that students who appeal a faculty decision usually win, so why would I waste my time?
Do I have to make a determination of “guilt”?
Yes, as the instructor of the course it is your responsibility to determine whether a student has violated your course policy or not. You may consult with your department head or other faculty as appropriate while respecting individual student’s rights to privacy.
What if two students are involved but I feel that one has more culpability?
Instructors determine course level action for students. If the instructor feels that students are responsible in differing degrees then they may assign different outcomes.
What constitutes cheating?
University policy defines cheating in detail. Instructors also set standards for what is acceptable in their courses which may be more explicit than the general policy. Behavior outside of the stated standards for the course is considered “cheating”.
Where can I get advice on creating assignments to deter cheating?
We are fortunate to have experts in the Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence who will provide suggestions and support. Please consult their website or contact them by phone at (412) 268-2896.
What if I don’t want to report the incident to Student Affairs?
Reporting the incident in your course to Student Affairs allows for accurate tracking of the number of incidents that occur across campus. It also allows us to know if a student has been involved in an incident in more than one course. Please consult with folks in the Eberly Center, your department head, or directly with the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs in making your decision about how to resolve a situation in your course.
I’ve heard that students who appeal a faculty decision usually win, so why would I waste my time?
This is a frequently cited rumor however it is incorrect. In the past 10 years only 2 students have successfully appealed the course level action of a faculty member. Remember that students in an appeal situation have already been found responsible by the faculty member so in order to successfully appeal they must be able to illustrate that the faculty member made an error in judgment or that there is new information that came to light after the faculty members decision.