Faculty - Frequently Asked Questions

How can I be sure that the incident discovered is a violation of the Student Honor or Conduct code?

If you are unsure whether a violation has occurred, please document the incident, including the names and UFIDs of the student’s involved, along with any other information that could be relevant to both the identification of the individuals involved and the case itself, and submit an incident report via http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/faculty. If we believe that a violation may have occurred, you will be notified at a later time to provide further information regarding the incident.

What do I do if more than one student is involved in an incident?

If you believe that more than one student is involved in an incident, please report all names of those involved including those who you believe may have witnessed the incident. You will be notified at a later time to give more information once we have determined what students (if any) may have committed a violation.

What information should I include in a violation report?

Any information that you believe could be relevant to the case should be included in your initial report. If we believe a violation may have occurred, you will be notified and will be able to express more information regarding the incident at a later time.

When does a violation go to a formal hearing?

If a conduct violation may have occurred, then a hearing will be scheduled with either an administrator or with the Student Conduct Committee. If an honor code violation may have occurred, the matter can be settled privately between the faculty and the student. However, if the student does not accept responsibility, disagrees with the sanctions, or has already committed a prior honor code violation, then a hearing will be scheduled in front of the Student Conduct Committee.

Why do I have to participate in the SCC hearing?

At the University of Florida, students have the right to question their accuser(s) so it is vital that the accusing party is part of the hearing. Also, as the accuser, it is the faculty member’s job to represent the University of Florida by explaining how they believe a violation of the Student Honor or Conduct Code may have occurred.

How long does a formal hearing last?

It is very difficult to estimate how long a formal hearing will last, as every case is unique. As a faculty member, you will only need to be available for the hearing itself and will not have to be present during the deliberations and the recommendations. If you have concerns or questions regarding the length of the hearing, please contact our office prior to the hearing date.

Will going through the conduct process take a large amount of time out of my day?

It is very difficult to estimate how many hours collecting evidence, talking with the student, and giving information both informally and formally to our office will take. However, the more information a faculty can provide during the initial stages of our process, the faster we can have a hearing and resolve a situation. It is often the case that faculty are frustrated by how time consuming our process is because they fail to both address the situation in a timely manner, and provide us with the evidence we need to charge a student.

Will I be notified of the outcome of the hearing?

Yes. After the hearing, the accusing faculty members will be notified by a member of the SCCR office regarding the outcome of the hearing.

What type of educational sanctions does the SCCR offer for responsible students?

We offer many educational sanctions for responsible students, including seminars, workshops, reflection papers, and community service. All these sanctions are documented in our Sanctions document at http://regulations.ufl.edu/chapter4/4047.pdf.

Why should I report incidents to the SCCR?

As a faculty of the University of Florida, it is important that you report possible Conduct and Honor code violations to the SCCR, as students must be held accountable for violating the University of Florida’s expectations. Without faculty reporting violations, the value of a degree from the University of Florida and the integrity of the all past and present University faculty, staff, and students are diminished.

Furthermore, we as a University are legally liable for the actions of our students and need to cultivate an environment of fairness and equality. By having potentially committed a violation of the Student Honor or Conduct Code, the student is undermining that fairness and it is the faculty’s responsibility to notify us of the potential violation, so that we can ensure the protection of everyone affiliated with the University of Florida.

How will a responsible student be affected by any sanctions they receive?

Depending on the severity of the situation, students may be affected by possible status sanctions such as conduct probation, suspension, and expulsion from the University. For conduct code violations, students may also have to pay for any damages they have caused, perform community service or spend time on other educational sanctions. For honor code violations, students may receive educational sanctions as well as assignment or grade reductions, including but not limited to, a failing grade in the course. What sanctions can I recommend as a faculty at the University of Florida?

As a professor or teaching assistant at the University of Florida, you may recommend any sanctions that you deem appropriate for the incident at hand. However, in cases where you would recommend suspension or expulsion, or in cases where the student does not accept responsibility or agree with the recommended sanctions, the case will have to come through the SCCR process.

Can I come to an agreement with the student(s) outside of the SCCR process?

No. In honor code cases where the student accepts responsibility, agrees with the recommended sanctions, and does not have any prior honor code violations, the case may be settled via a Faculty and Student Resolution form. However, the incident must still be reported to SCCR so that a formal charge can be sent. The faculty and student resolution form is located at http://www.dso.ufl.edu/sccr/faculty.

What sanctions can I issue a student if we come to an agreement outside of the SCCR process?

Except for status sanctions such as suspension and expulsion, a faculty member can recommend any sanctions they believe are appropriate for the incident at hand. However, the student must agree to the proposed sanctions for the sanctions to be implemented. Sanctions recommended by faculty can and will be taken into consideration by either the Administrator or Student Conduct Committee during a formal conduct hearing if the student does not agree that the sanctions are warranted.