Academic Misconduct (continued)
Friday, September 12, 2025
1:48 PM
As defined in a specific CVEEN course syllabus, or due to instructor discretion, an academic misconduct sanction may be relaxed from a failing course grade. In such cases, the individual will receive a zero for the particular assignment (homework, exam, paper, etc.). The instructor will, however, turn in a record of the relaxed sanction that will be kept in the student’s departmental file. This will count as a half violation (0.5 points) towards permanent program dismissal.
Regardless of the type of sanction, two (or more) violation points will result in immediate dismissal from the CVEEN program. Note that a failing grade sanction still applies even for students who subsequently withdraw from a course after a sanction has been imposed. Furthermore, those dismissed from the CVEEN program will not be allowed to transfer to any other engineering department within the College of Engineering as per COE policy.
Appeal of Sanction
Students are entitled to appeal academic misconduct sanctions if they disagree with an instructor’s determination of the violation. Students are entitled within twenty (20) business days of notification of the academic action if they believe the sanction is arbitrary or capricious. Note that simply not understanding the policy is not grounds for appeal. Furthermore, disagreement over the severity of the infraction will not generally be grounds for appeal. Should a student need advice or guidance about their appeal, the CVEEN Chair of the Undergraduate Committee or the Chair of the Graduate Committee (as appropriate) can serve as an informal advisor. Students are encourage to seek such assistance. If a student’s appeal is successful, the sanction will be removed from the students’ departmental file.
The Academic Misconduct process including appeals involves a complex number of steps and procedures. Figure 1 illustrates this process. For more information on the appeals process, see the University of Utah Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities[1] and the College of Engineering policy as defined in the Academic Appeals and misconduct Policy[2].  
[1] [link]   Section IV. Student Academic Performance, Part B
[2] [link] 
© Steven F. Bartlett 2025