At Stetson University, the panel that hears an academic dishonesty case is made up entirely of students. Stetson’s Honor System Council serves as a peer hearing board, its hearings are meant to be non-adversarial, and it describes its goal as restorative rather than punitive justice. One feature matters a great deal for a student’s grade: the Council’s recommendations on academic penalties are advisory, because faculty keep the final say over grading.
Stetson summarizes its process on its Honor System website and details it in the Honor System Handbook, which can change over time; the version in effect when a case arises is the one that applies. Because Stetson is a private university, it follows its own handbook rather than the statewide rules for Florida’s public universities. Stetson’s law school and MBA programs have their own separate honor codes.
The Investigator Isn’t a Prosecutor
When a case begins, a member of the Honor System Council is appointed as the investigator. According to Stetson, the investigator is neither a prosecutor nor a defender. Their role is to gather the relevant facts as understood by everyone involved and to serve as the point of contact between the Council and the parties.
That fact-gathering stage is where a student’s account first enters the record, which matters in cases built on technology, such as an AI detection result. Interestingly, Stetson’s Council has said it doesn’t recommend that faculty run every paper through online plagiarism detection tools.
What Happens at the Hearing
The accused student is asked to attend the hearing. Stetson describes it as non-adversarial: its purpose is to help the Council understand the facts and the intentions of the people involved. A faculty member from the Honor System Advisory Committee attends as an observer but doesn’t take part.
The Council first decides whether a violation of the Honor System occurred. If it did, the Council makes recommendations for academic, and possibly non-academic, sanctions. Students found in violation may, for example, be required to meet with their academic advisor or a counselor.
Who Actually Decides the Grade?
The professor does. According to Stetson, the Honor System doesn’t affect a faculty member’s ability to assign grades; the Council can only recommend academic sanctions. Stetson notes that many faculty follow the Council’s recommendations, but some have chosen different grade penalties. For students, that means the Council’s finding and the final grade are related but separate decisions, which is worth understanding alongside how academic misconduct can show up on a transcript.
Timing Around Finals
Stetson’s Council aims to act on reported violations promptly. According to Stetson’s faculty guidance, in recent practice, violations reported by the last day of class have been heard by the end of the final exam period, while cases reported during finals are deferred to the beginning of the next semester.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who hears academic dishonesty cases at Stetson University?
The Honor System Council, which is composed entirely of students and serves as a peer hearing board.
Does the Stetson Honor System Council decide my grade?
No. The Council’s academic penalty recommendations are advisory; the faculty member keeps final authority over grading.
Is a Stetson honor hearing adversarial?
Stetson describes it as non-adversarial, meant to help the Council understand the facts and the intentions of the parties.
What happens if a Stetson honor violation is reported during finals?
According to Stetson, in recent practice, cases reported during the final exam period have been deferred to the beginning of the next semester.
Representation in Stetson Honor System Cases
Richard Asselta is a Florida student defense attorney who represents students in academic integrity cases at Florida colleges and universities, including Stetson. He helps Stetson students prepare for their meeting with the Council’s investigator, get ready for the hearing, organize their evidence, and think through how to address the faculty member who will ultimately decide the grade. Call 855-338-5299 or learn more about Richard Asselta.