At the University of North Florida, a professor’s grade and the university’s misconduct finding are handled separately. UNF’s Dean of Students Office runs the academic misconduct process, but it states that grades aren’t part of that process and that faculty grades won’t be disturbed by the office. A student can be cleared in the conduct process and still have to challenge a grade through UNF’s separate grade appeal process.
UNF’s Student Code of Conduct and its academic misconduct procedures can change, and the version in effect when a case arises applies. This summary follows UNF’s current published materials.
Three Ways a UNF Case Can Be Resolved
UNF resolves academic misconduct cases through an informal process, a mediation process, or a formal hearing.
Informal: Academic Expectations Meeting. A case manager or the reporting faculty member meets with the student to review academic integrity, course expectations, and ways to succeed.
Mediation: Academic Integrity Mediation. The faculty member, a Dean of Students facilitator, and the student meet to hear all perspectives and reach a collaborative resolution. Faculty participation is required.
Formal: hearing. UNF offers an Academic Administrative Hearing or a panel hearing, where a panel of six trained hearing officers, three students and three faculty or staff members, reviews the situation and makes a recommendation to the Provost or a designee on responsibility and any sanctions.
Before any of this, UNF’s Dean of Students Office meets with the reporting faculty member in an Academic Misconduct Inquiry Meeting to gather information and hear the faculty member’s preferences. A professor who confronts a student directly can make the early days especially stressful, as covered in what to do when a professor accuses you of cheating.
Advisors at UNF Hearings
In UNF’s formal hearings, participants ask questions through the Hearing Administrator or through their advisor. As a Florida public university, UNF is also subject to Florida law giving students a right to an advisor or advocate in conduct proceedings.
Program Removal Has to Wait
UNF adds a protection for students in selective programs: unless the Provost or a designee grants an exception, the university’s academic misconduct process must be completed before a department or program takes any non-grade disciplinary step for academic misconduct, such as removing a student from the program.
Appeals
UNF’s decision letter explains the appeal process, which must be started within a short window. Grounds include errors in the hearing proceedings that substantially affected the outcome and sanctions that are significantly disproportionate to the violation. To challenge an assignment or course grade, students use UNF’s University Academic Appeal Committee process instead. Many of these cases involve detection tools, and it helps to understand how AI detectors and plagiarism checkers work before preparing either kind of appeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UNF’s academic misconduct process change my grade?
No. UNF states grades aren’t part of the Dean of Students academic misconduct process. Faculty may use the outcome to inform the grade, and grade challenges go through UNF’s grade appeal process.
What is an Academic Integrity Mediation at UNF?
A meeting of the faculty member, a Dean of Students facilitator, and the student, aimed at a collaborative resolution.
Who sits on a UNF academic misconduct panel?
Six trained hearing officers: three students and three faculty or staff members, with a Hearing Administrator present.
Can my program remove me before my UNF case is finished?
Generally no. UNF requires the misconduct process to be completed before non-grade program discipline, unless the Provost or a designee grants an exception.
Representation in UNF Academic Misconduct Cases
Richard Asselta is a Florida student defense attorney who represents students in academic misconduct cases at Florida universities, including UNF. He helps students choose among UNF’s three tracks, prepare for mediation or a hearing, and handle both the conduct appeal and any separate grade appeal. Call 855-338-5299 or learn more about Richard Asselta.