Facilitated discussion

Function of the Facilitated Discussion

Purpose

The Facilitated Discussion offers an alternative and faster way of resolving cases where the referred student is not on GHS probation and the referring faculty and the student are interested in resolving the case with the assistance of a GHS facilitator. Facilitated Discussions are intended to empower participants and encourage dialogue about academic integrity in the hope that a consensus may be found without convening a Preliminary Review Panel or Review Panel. (See Article III of the Constitution.)

Composition

Referrer(s), referred student(s), and GHS Facilitator.

Eligibility

A suspected Honor Code violation is eligible for a Facilitated Discussion if ALL of the following criteria are met:

• The referrer of the case is a Faculty member;
• The suspected violation involves an allegation of either 1) cheating or 2) plagiarism as outlined in Article I, Section 3 of the GHS Constitution;
• The referred student(s) is(are) not on Graduate Honor System Probation at the time the report of the suspected violation is received by the Graduate Honor System;
• And the violation is one for which a reasonable person who is familiar with the form and functions of the Graduate Honor System would not assign a penalty of more than the sanctions outlined in Article VII, Section 1, Item 1, Part a-f of this Constitution.

Procedures

The Chair, after determining a case eligible for a Facilitated Discussion, will notify the referrer and the referred of this determination.

The referrer and referred must notify the Chair of their desire to participate in a Facilitated Discussion within ten (10) University business days; otherwise the case will be sent for evidence gathering and panel review. Exceptions to the ten-day period will only be made under extenuating circumstances, as determined by the Chair or Graduate Honor System Advisor.

If either the referrer or the referred student(s) does not agree to participate in the Facilitated Discussion, the case will be sent for evidence gathering and panel review.

During the Facilitated Discussion, the referrer of the alleged violation and the referred student will attempt to reach a resolution to the case, with the assistance of the Graduate Honor System Facilitator. The question that the involved parties must answer is whether  “the student guilty of the alleged violation.” A determination of guilt requires both the referrer and the referred student to agree that the student is guilty of the alleged violation. A determination of not guilty requires that both parties to agree that the student is not guilty of the alleged violation. In the absence of such an agreement, the case is sent to evidence gathering and panel review.

If the referrer and student agree that the student is guilty of the alleged violation, the referrer and student may then decide upon an appropriate penalty. Sanctions for the Facilitated Discussion are limited to those  outlined in Article VII, Section 1, Item 1, Parts a-f of this Constitution. The referrer and referred must both come to an agreement on the appropriate penalty. In the absence of such an agreement, the case is sent for evidence gathering and panel review.

The GHS Facilitator creates a record of the outcome of the Facilitated Discussion. This record, the original report of the alleged violation, and any relevant evidence will be held in the Chair’s confidential file. The Chair informs the Dean of the Graduate School (or designee), in writing, of the outcome of all Facilitated Discussions.

For cases in which the referrer or the referred withdraws from the Facilitated Discussion, no record is be kept that either the referrer or referred participated in a Facilitated Discussion and the fact that they did participate in such a proceeding shall not be deemed relevant in any future Honor System proceedings.

Withdrawal from the Decision of the Facilitated Discussion

The referred or referrer may withdraw from a decision reached during a Facilitated Discussion for any reason.

If the referred or referrer wishes to withdraw from the Facilitated Discussion decision, they must notify the Chair within two (2) calendar days of the conclusion of the Facilitated Discussion.

If the referred or referrer withdraws from the Facilitated Discussion decision, the case will be immediately sent for evidence gathering and panel review.

In these instances no record shall be kept that the Facilitated Discussion occurred and the fact that they did participate in such a proceeding shall not be deemed relevant in any future Honor System proceedings.