Appeals

Student Academic Appeal Process
The purpose of education is to advance one’s own intellectual skills and knowledge and to demonstrate the outcomes of these efforts. An essential and shared value in higher education is presenting one’s own work and properly acknowledging that of others. Any violation of this principle constitutes a violation of academic integrity and is liable to result in a charge(s) of academic dishonesty. Forms of academic dishonesty include:

Plagiarism – Submitting all or part of another’s work as one’s own in an academic exercise, such as an examination, computer program, or written assignment.
Cheating – Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials on an examination or assignment, such as using unauthorized texts or notes or improperly obtaining, or attempting to obtain, copies of an examination or answers to an examination.
Facilitating Academic Dishonesty – Helping another commit an act of academic dishonesty, such as substituting for an examination or completing an assignment for someone else or making assignments available for another student to copy.
Fabrication – Altering or transmitting, without authorization, academic information or records.

I. Reporting a Charge of Academic Dishonesty

If a faculty member determines that a student has violated the Academic Integrity policy the faculty member will provide the student with notification of the charge of academic dishonesty through Franklin University email and via certified mail delivery postmarked within seven (7) calendar days after discovery of the incident occurs. The written charge will include the particular allegation; names of other participants or witness(es) where appropriate; and the date, time, location and other relevant circumstances of the incident.

A disciplinary notation for academic dishonesty will be entered on the student’s academic record by the Registrar.

II. Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

A. First Incident
The Course Manager and the faculty member will determine the penalty for the first incident, with the penalty ranging from a score of zero on the particular item being submitted to a failing grade in the class depending on the severity of the incident and the intent of the student. The student may also be required to complete a workshop on appropriate citation and referencing conducted by the Student Learning Center.

A subsequent incident of academic dishonesty in the same class will result in a failing grade in the class and, in combination with the first charge, will be recorded as a single incident on the student’s academic record.

A violation of the academic integrity policy will result in the removal of the student’s option to withdraw from the class to avoid a failing grade. Administration may also place a hold on a student account during the investigation of a violation of academic integrity and/or retroactively change a grade due to the severity of the incident.

A violation of the academic integrity policy may eliminate the student from consideration for academic honors; specifically, Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude. A panel of University faculty will evaluate the incident of academic dishonesty and will make the final determination on the student’s eligibility for academic honors.

B. Second and Final Incident

Any subsequent violation of the academic integrity policy in any other class will result in a failing grade in the class as well as disciplinary dismissal from the University. The Chief Academic Officer will notify the Registrar to enter the notation “Dismissed for Academic Dishonesty” on the student’s academic record.

III. Appeal Processes

Franklin University’s appeal processes are designed to preserve academic integrity by providing a student the opportunity to have the charge(s) of academic dishonesty or a final grade(s) reviewed secondarily by an independent Academic Appeal Officer and, if necessary, by the Chief Academic Officer.

Each step of the respective process has been specifically designed to accomplish the goal of providing the student with a decision demonstrated by the exercise of honest, professional judgment. Failure to meet any timeline within the appeal processes will result in a waiver of the student’s right to invoke an appeal. The Academic Appeal Officer and/or Chief Academic Officer will provide the student with notification of the waiver through Franklin University email and via certified mail delivery.

The student’s academic standing will not be altered during the appeal process. The final result of the appeal will be updated to the student’s record accordingly and any necessary changes will be documented at that time by the Registrar.

The Academic Appeal Officer or Chief Academic Officer may request or approve a request for a hearing with relevant individuals, either individually or together, as deemed appropriate by the administrator.

All appeals, including questions regarding the process or any matters relating to an appeal, must be sent to caoappeal@franklin.edu. The subject line of the message must include the student’s full name and course number.

A. Appeal of Charge of Academic Dishonesty
An appeal may be invoked for a charge or penalty pertaining to the University’s Academic Integrity Policy.

Step One: The Faculty Member
A good faith appeal discussion with the faculty member must be initiated in writing by the student within 15 calendar days of the date of the Franklin University e-mail notification. If the student believes the good faith appeal discussion has not adequately resolved the matter, the student may move forward to Step Two, submission of the appeal to the Chief Academic Officer.

Step Two: The Chief Academic Officer
The student must submit a formal written appeal to the Chief Academic Officer within 15 calendar days from the date of the good faith discussion, including:
1. Background information

a. Date
b. Student’s name and identification number
c. Course name, number, and section
d. Course term (Fall, Winter, Summer) and year
e. Faculty member’s name
f. Reason for the academic dishonesty appeal
g. Date of good faith appeal discussion
h. Outcome of the good faith appeal discussion

2. Facts - state all relevant facts in dispute with supporting documentation (including all assignments in question). For all persons/witnesses, list full name(s), contact information, and facts specific to each individual. Facts and/or documents not included will not be considered.
3. Desired outcome of the appeal (be specific).
4. Rationale in support of the desired outcome.

The Chief Academic Officer or designee will appoint an independent Academic Appeal Officer to review and investigate the case. The Academic Appeal Officer will issue a written decision to the student through Franklin University e-mail and via certified mail delivery within 15 calendar days of the date the appeal is received by the Chief Academic Officer. The Academic Appeal Officer may prescribe alternate penalties, such as suspension, to those listed under “Penalties for Charges of Academic Dishonesty” as deemed appropriate.

If the student or the faculty member believes the Academic Appeal Officer’s decision has not adequately resolved the matter, either the student or the faculty member may move forward to the Final Step of the appeal process, submission of the second appeal to the Chief Academic Officer.

Final Step: The Second Appeal to the Chief Academic Officer
The student or faculty member must submit a written appeal within 15 calendar days from the date of the Academic Appeal Officer’s written decision, including:

1. Date
2. Student name and identification number
3. Summary of all facts pertaining to the appeal to date (facts and/or documents not included will not be considered)
4. A letter explaining why the hearing officer’s decision is being appealed
5. Desired outcome of the appeal
6. Rationale in support of the desired outcome
7. Attached copies of:

a. Appeal submitted to the Chief Academic Officer in Step Two
b. Academic Appeal Officer’s written decision

The Chief Academic Officer or designee will issue a written decision to the student through Franklin University email and via certified mail delivery within 15 calendar days of date of the receipt of the appeal.

B. Academic Grade Appeal

An academic grade appeal may be invoked for a final course grade.

Step One: The Faculty Member

A good faith appeal discussion with the faculty member must be initiated by the student in writing within 15 calendar days of the last day of the class. If the student believes the good faith appeal discussion has not adequately resolved the matter, the student may move forward to Step Two, submission of the appeal to the Chief Academic Officer.

Step Two: The Chief Academic Officer

The student must submit a formal written appeal to the Chief Academic Officer within 15 calendar days from the date of the good faith discussion, including:
1. Background information

a. Date
b. Student’s name and identification number
c. Course name, number, and section
d. Course term (Fall, Winter, Summer) and year
e. Faculty member’s name
f. Reason for the academic dishonesty appeal
g. Date of good faith appeal discussion
h. Outcome of the good faith appeal discussion

2. Facts - state all relevant facts in dispute with supporting documentation (including all assignments in question). For all persons/witnesses, list full name(s), contact information, and facts specific to each individual. Facts and/or documents not included will not be considered.
3. Desired outcome of the appeal (be specific).
4. Rationale in support of the desired outcome.

The Chief Academic Officer will appoint an independent Academic Appeal Officer to review, investigate and make a decision in the case. The Academic Appeal Officer will issue a written notice of the decision to the student through Franklin University e-mail and via certified mail delivery within 15 calendar days of the date the appeal is received by the Chief Academic Officer.

Final Step: The Second Appeal to the Chief Academic Officer
The student or faculty member must submit a written appeal of the Academic Appeal Officer’s decision within 15 calendar days from the date of the written decision, including:

1. Date
2. Student name and identification number
3. Summary of all facts pertaining to the appeal to date (facts and/or documents not included will not be considered)
4. A letter explaining why the hearing officer’s decision is being appealed
5. Desired outcome of the appeal
6. Rationale in support of the desired outcome; and
7. Attached copies of the:

a. Appeal submitted to the Chief Academic Officer in Step Two; and
b. Academic Appeal Officer’s written decision

The Chief Academic Officer will issue a written decision to the student through Franklin University e-mail and via certified mail delivery within 15 calendar days of the date of the receipt of the second appeal.

IV. Definitions and Examples

Faculty member – The faculty member with first-hand knowledge of the violation. If the faculty member is the Chief Academic Officer, the President will appoint a hearing officer to process the appeal.
Good faith appeal discussion – Communication between the student and the specific faculty member that takes place after the formal charge of academic dishonesty. Communications that take place before the formal charge of academic dishonesty do not constitute a good faith appeal discussion required in Step One.
The time of the discovery of the incident – The time at which a potential violation of academic dishonesty is discovered and communicated to the Course Manager.
Written appeal – The document submitted under the respective step of the appeal process which includes all information required for the appeal. If required information is missing or incomplete the appeal will not be considered to be invoked; all original time lines will constitute the actual time lines for purposes of the appeal until the requirements of the written appeal are met.
Examples of plagiarism – Include but are not limited to:

1. Failure to use APA standards to properly cite the work of others.
2. Cutting and pasting from other sources without citation.
3. Recycling one’s own work in a different class without citation.
4. Submitting a purchased term paper, in whole or in part.