In-course resolutions may be appropriate for minor academic integrity violations.
About In-Course Resolutions
If an undergraduate student is involved in a minor instance of possible academic dishonesty, the matter may be resolved within the course. If the faculty member thinks that the violation is minor and can be more appropriately addressed within the course, they will consult with the Secretary of the Honor Council. If the faculty member and the Secretary agree that an in-course resolution is appropriate, the faculty member will confirm with their Department Chair (or designee) whether a course-based resolution is appropriate for the matter in question.
If all three agree that the in-course resolution is an appropriate route to address the concern, the faculty member will meet with the student to address the concern. If either the faculty member or the student asks to have the meeting facilitated by a member of the Honor Council, the Secretary of the Honor Council (or designee) may facilitate the conversation. In addition, the student may be accompanied to the meeting by a Resident Dean or a Personal Advisor, who must be an officer of the University affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, such as a proctor, tutor, varsity head coach, teaching fellow, instructor, or faculty member.
During the meeting, the student will be provided with the details of the allegation and be given the opportunity to respond to the alleged violation and present relevant information or context, if any, related to the allegation.
If the faculty member and the student agree that a violation did not occur, the faculty member may withdraw the case against the student. If the faculty member concludes that the student violated the Honor Code, but the student does not agree with this conclusion, the faculty member may stop the course-based process and forward the case to the Honor Council for adjudication.
If the faculty member and the student agree that a violation took place, the faculty member may propose an appropriate response during or after the meeting. The faculty member may also consult with the Secretary of the Honor Council before proposing the response. In either case, the faculty member will complete the “In-Course Resolution Form.” The student will be notified of the proposed response. Upon being notified, the student will have three working days to either accept or decline responsibility and/or response. During these three days, the student may seek advice from a trusted advisor, provided, however, that the advisor agrees not to disclose the substance of the conversations to others. A trusted advisor may be a member of the student’s family, Resident Dean, Secretary of the Harvard College Honor Council, Student Academic Integrity Fellow, Personal Advisor (a Personal Advisor is an officer of the University affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences), licensed mental health professionals, clergy, or legal counsel.
At this point the student has two options:
- The student can accept responsibility and agree to the response. In this case the student will sign the “In-Course Resolution Form” within three working days, agreeing to its terms; or
- Alternatively, the student may choose to decline responsibility and/or disagree with the response. In this instance, the case is forwarded to the Honor Council for adjudication. If the student does not sign and return the “In-Course Resolution Form” within three business days, the case is automatically forwarded to the Honor Council. The Honor Council will view the alleged violation of the Honor Code as a new case; the fact that the incident was not successfully resolved locally within the course will have no impact on the Honor Council’s decision.