• Professor detects alleged academic misconduct.
• Professor contacts Department of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity (SCAI) for advice and information about student’s prior record. Phone: 770-499-3403 or email:
  Diane H. Walker, Director of SCAI dwalker@kennesaw.edu or Michael A. Goodwin, Coordinator of SCAI mgoodwin@kennesaw.edu
• Professor may conduct disciplinary conference with student by him/herself or with the help of a facilitator from SCAI Department.
• Professor sets disciplinary conference with student (this may take place at SCAI conference room, suite 253 student center, if coordinated with SCAI Department.
• Professor or facilitator explains the structure of the meeting.
• Professor reviews the section of the Student Code of Conduct the student has allegedly violated and explains the nature of the accusation, providing all available evidence.
• Accused student receives opportunity to explain the situation and provide any evidence relevant to the explanation.
• Professor should wait until the student is finished to ask clarifying questions, providing reciprocal courtesy for the student’s silence during the initial charge explanation.
• If student denies misconduct, professor determines if the explanation is satisfactory, in which case charges may be dropped. Educational dialogue should still usually take place prior to adjourning meeting.
• If student accepts responsibility, professor moves to educational dialogue on academic misconduct prior to discussion of sanctions.
• Educational dialogue should address the specific allegations as well as broader issues of academic misconduct.
• Following the dialogue, the professor states the academic sanctions deemed appropriate to the offense and explains the decision, taking the student’s cooperation in the conference into consideration as a factor in determining severity.
• If student accepts responsibility, both sign the incident form and professor sends it to the SCAI Department (Mail drop #0506). Professor explains purpose of centralized records.
• If student denies misconduct and professor remains unconvinced, the meeting is immediately concluded and the matter referred to the Department of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity for a formal hearing.

Running a Successful Disciplinary Conference

• Don’t take the issue any more personally than necessary. Stay professional.
• Have a neutral third party present to witness the meeting as a safeguard against litigious students or challenge to decision, probably either a department chair or a SCAI Department staff member.
• Don’t allow the meeting to be derailed by irrelevant information; keep the dialogue focused.
• Expect emotional displays. Have a box of tissues handy.
• Be open to the possibility of a misunderstanding. Do not prejudge.
• Be consistent in sanctioning violations from student to student, but do not apply “cookie-cutter” mentality to response.
• Point out resources to help students avoid future such problems (tutoring labs, office hours, etc.).