Graduate Honor System Review Process

Cases referred to the Graduate Honor System may be resolved through facilitated discussion or through full review, depending on case eligibility and/or by choice of the individuals involved:

• Facilitated discussion is quick-resolution option for cases that involve low-level first-time potential cheating or plagiarism violations by students, when both student(s) and faculty referrer agree to review the facts of the case together with the aid of a trained GHS facilitator and jointly decide on a penalty, if  applicable. A record of the facilitated discussion is submitted to the GHS by the facilitator after all participants have signed the form. 
  • Instead of an appeal, any party  (referred student or referrer) may withdraw within 48 hours from the decision reached in an FD. In case of such a withdrawal, the case moves to full review. 
• A full review offers a three-step process that consists of (1) evidence gathering by an associate chair including interviewing all involved parties,  (2) a preliminary review by 7 trained GHS panelists, and a subsequent (3) review panel hearing, if applicable, by a panel of seven different GHS panelists, with the participation of the referrer and the referred.  
  • Decisions reached by a Review Panel may be appealed by the student through the appeal process described in the GHS constitution. 

The flow chart below shows how cases progress through the system.