What happened to the Office of Judiciary Programs?
We renamed our office the Department of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity as of July 1, 2008. This was done to reduce confusion as to our department’s purpose and scope as well as to emphasize academic integrity as a top priority for the department and university.

What does your department do?
SCAI is an administrative department responsible for student disciplinary issue. When a student is alleged to have broken the rules laid out in the KSU Student Code of Conduct, our department investigates and determines whether the student is responsible. Our staff works closely with the Department of Residence Life to coordinate disciplinary matters that take place in any of our on-campus housing areas. We also assess and enforce sanctions on students found responsible for such violations. Finally, we actively promote integrity on campus through outreach efforts to students and faculty.

Do you oversee the conduct of faculty and staff?
No. Our department is part of the Student Success and Enrollment Services division and we are solely charged with handling student conduct issues. Anyone who believes a university employee has done something inappropriate, unethical, or illegal should contact that employee’s direct supervisor.

Do you offer a pre-law, legal studies, or paralegal program?
Our department is not an academic department. KSU offers a minor in legal studies through the Department of Political Science and International Affairs. KSU Continuing Education offers certificate programs for legal assistants and paralegals.

Are you part of the police?
No. Although we work closely the Department of Public Safety, we do so because of the natural overlap of our duties. The police are responsible for upholding the law. Our job is to uphold the KSU Student Code of Conduct. Some actions may break law and policy both, such as underage drinking or drug use. In such cases, the police and our department coordinate their efforts, but the two processes remain completely independent and may go on simultaneously.

Is that double jeopardy?
No. Because we are not a court of law, there is no “double jeopardy” rule barring us from dealing with infractions of our own policy just because the police may also be involved. In fact, our process is usually much faster than the criminal courts.

Where are you located and how do I get in touch with you?
Our office suite is on the second floor of the student center in room 253, directly across the hall from the Lifelong Learning Center (LLC). We are generally open during business hours Monday through Friday unless the entire university is closed. We can also be reached by phone at 770-499-3403 or email at SCAI@kennesaw.edu.

Parking Citations

Where do I ask questions or complain about KSU parking?
The Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity is chiefly responsible for student conduct issues on campus. We do not write parking citations or collect money for citations. Any enforcement or policy-related concerns should be directed to KSU Parking Operations: 770.423.6506 or parking@kennesaw.edu. Our office will be happy to answer any questions specific to student parking citation appeals.

How do I appeal a parking citation?
Non-students should go to https://financialservices.kennesaw.edu/parking/faculty_staff_citation for information on how to appeal through Parking Operations. Students must complete and submit the student appeal form. Appeal forms may also be found beside the drop box on the wall outside our office (Student Center 253).

Do I have to pay my citation even if I’m appealing?
Yes. Our office will accept any timely and complete appeal regardless of whether a student pays the citation. However, any citation not paid within 14 days accrues a one-time late fee that doubles the cost of most citations. Any late fees remain even if your appeal is approved, so you should pay your citation on time.

What is the point of appealing if I still have to pay?
Students whose appeals are approved receive a reimbursement check from the university following the appeal meeting where their appeals were decided. This normally takes about 3-4 weeks following the committee’s decision.

What happens if I don’t pay?
As stated above, citations unpaid after 14 days accrue a late fee. In addition, Parking Operations may put a hold on any student with unpaid citations, blocking registration and access to transcripts.

Do I have to come in person to turn in my appeal?
No. Appeals may be sent by mail or submitted in person to our office. Students may place appeals in the drop-box outside the SCAI office at any time.

What happens after I turn in my appeal?
SCAI collects appeals to have them heard before the Student Parking Appeals Committee (SPAC). Appeal meetings are held monthly in our office with an interval based on the volume of appeals at any given time.

How will I be notified when the committee hears my appeal?
A courtesy email reminder may be sent several days prior to the appeal meeting, but the primary notification is a sign posted on the appeal drop box outside the SCAI office.

What happens if I appeal in person?
Students who appeal in person speak to the committee on a first-come, first-serve basis, however, students with class conflicts receive priority to maximize classroom attendance. The committee is a three member body of faculty, staff and students who listen to and question each appellant. After the panel has no further questions, the student leaves so they can discuss the case. The committee decides appeals by majority vote (often within five minutes), after which the SCAI Student Parking Appeals Manager steps out to inform the student of the result. The decision of the committee is FINAL and cannot be re-appealed.

What happens if I don’t appeal in person?
Once the committee considers the appeals of every student who showed up, they review the remaining written appeals and discuss each one. It is more common for students to rely on written appeals than show up in person, so lack of attendance is never held against students in deciding their appeals. Students who aren’t present to find out the results at the meeting receive an official notification email to their KSU email account within a week of the hearing.

Is there any benefit to attending the student parking appeals meeting?
Some students feel they can make a better argument in person than on paper, so the option affords such individuals a chance to use their preferred communication methods.

Who is present at the student parking appeals meeting?
In addition to the three member panel who decides the cases, the SCAI Student Parking Appeals Manager oversees the process in a non-voting advisory and supervisory capacity. A guest representative from KSU Parking Operations also attends solely to observe and answer questions the panel may have concerning enforcement policy or implementation.

Academic Misconduct

What is academic misconduct?
The university’s official definitions of academic misconduct are part of the KSU Student Code of Conduct, found [here]. Because of the educational mission of the university, academic integrity violations receive harsher penalties than most other disciplinary issues.

What are the most common forms of academic misconduct?
SCAI receives far more cases of cheating and plagiarism than all other academic violations combined.

What is cheating?
Simply put, cheating is helping someone else with graded work without permission or doing anything to get an unfair advantage on your own graded work.

Does the university still charge students with cheating even if no one ended up with any actual advantage?
Yes. If a professor catches a student with a cheat sheet before he has a chance to use it, the attempt to cheat is still an offense under KSU policy.

What if I didn’t mean to cheat?
Unintentional academic misconduct is still misconduct. While some professors may accept mitigating explanations and treat the matter as an error if they have reason to trust the accused student, many go ahead with charges against accidental cheaters on the basis that students should understand academic integrity rules regardless of whether they actually do.

How do you expect me to know these rules?
The KSU Student Code of Conduct is published on the SCAI website and in each year’s student handbook. In addition, faculty must include the plagiarism and cheating regulations in the syllabus of every class taught at this university. In practice, many of these rules are common sense. Don’t take credit for something that you didn’t do and don’t give yourself (or anyone else) an unfair advantage.