Informal Resolution

If the student has no prior academic misconduct, the instructor responsible for assigning the final grade for the course can offer an Informal Resolution. If the allegation is a (1) severe first offense, (2) second or subsequent offense, (3) the student declines an Informal Resolution, or (4) a more severe penalty is deemed appropriate, a Facilitated Resolution or a Hearing may be necessary. If you would like to discuss resolution options, please contact our office.

End of Semester Notice: In cases where the Academic Misconduct adjudication process is not complete by the time course grades are due, the Faculty Member must assign the student an Incomplete in the course. The course grade will be updated once the case has been resolved.

Please submit all Informal Resolutions using the DocuSign form by the corresponding deadlines. If you need to submit an Academic Integrity Charge Form for a student who is not eligible for an Informal Resolution or you have been unable to get into contact with the student, please also submit those by the corresponding deadlines. If you have questions or concerns regarding these deadlines, please email accountability@charlotte.edu.

Submission Deadlines

Fall 2025 Term	January 12, 2026
Spring 2026 Term	May 26, 2026

If an Informal Resolution is deemed appropriate, please follow the steps below:

Step 1: Contact Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution

• Email accountability@charlotte.edu in order to determine what resolution options are available. Please be sure to use your UNC Charlotte email account and include the student’s first and last name, and University ID number.

Step 2: Meet with the Student

We believe a conversation between the instructor and student regarding the concerning behavior is an essential part of the Informal Resolution process. Informal Resolution meetings can occur in person, via phone, or through video conferencing.

During the meeting, please:

• Explain your concerns, what you think they may have done wrong, and how they may have worked outside of your expectations.
• Present any relevant information/documentation.
• Provide the student an opportunity to share their perspective, share their information, and a chance to refute the evidence.

If through the conversation you believe there is sufficient evidence to suggest that an academic integrity violation occurred and that the student is responsible for misconduct, you can then offer the Informal Resolution.

• Inform the student of the alleged prohibited behavior(s), and share what you believe the appropriate sanction(s)/outcome(s) are for the alleged violation. 
• Let the student know they will be receiving the proposed resolution via DocuSign via their university email address. 
• Provide the student with a deadline of three (3) business days from the receipt of the Informal Resolution to either accept or decline the proposed resolution. 
• Encourage the student to consider the matter carefully and to seek any assistance or advice so they can make an informed, deliberate decision. A student may wish to consult their academic advisor to determine the impact of the proposed resolution on their plan of study, review their scholarship information, speak with their support person(s), and/or consult Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution.
• Remind the student that once they have received notice of an alleged violation, if the student withdraws from the course or program, the Academic Misconduct adjudication process may continue. If this occurs, please contact Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution to discuss this with our staff.

Step 3: Complete the Informal Resolution Form

• The Informal Resolution form is available via DocuSign.
• The instructor or designee will complete steps 2 – 5 on the form prior to sending it to the student. 
• When sending the form, please use the student’s university email address. Using a non-university email may impact the student’s ability to access the form.

Step 4: Send the Informal Resolution to the Student

• Once the instructor or designee completes steps 2-5 and hits “finish,” the form is routed to the student to review and sign. 
• The student will have three (3) business days from receipt of the form to consider the proposed resolution.
  • If the student has not signed the form and/or the student declines the resolution, please complete the Academic Integrity Charge Form.
  • Please note that any outstanding forms will automatically delete after 14 days.

Step 5: Finalize the resolution or refer the case

• Once the student accepts or declines the form, the form will route to the instructor or designee so that they can acknowledge the student’s choice and take the appropriate next steps. 
• If the student accepts the resolution, the instructor will be able to attach information to the form, such as a copy of the course syllabus or evidence.
  • Please note: Attachments are able to be viewed by all parties.
    • Evidence should be provided in a redacted form to protect the information of other(s) involved. 
    • If the file is too large, contains sensitive information, or includes a video, please email accountability@charlotte.edu the information directly instead of attaching it to the form.
  • Once the instructor or designee hits “finish,” the form will automatically be forwarded to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution for processing.
• If the student declines the resolution, does not respond by the deadline and/or within 14 days, completed please complete the Academic Integrity Charge Form.

Email Guidance:

Consider including the following information in your email to the student:

• Provide a brief summary of your conversation and let them know the proposed resolution is being sent via DocuSign. 
• Let the student know they have the right to either accept or decline the resolution, and provide the student with the deadline to make their decision.
• For example:
  • Thank you for meeting with me regarding the concerns I had with ___________(academic exercise/assignment/exam). Per our conversation, I believe there is enough information to support that you violated the __________(cheating/plagiarism/etc.) policy, as outlined in the Code of Student Academic Integrity. I have sent a proposed Informal Resolution to you via DocuSign. 
    
    Please review the proposed resolution and either accept or decline it by ___________(date). If you do not complete the form, I will assume you have declined the resolution and may refer your case on to Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution for resolution. If you have further questions, please let me know. Student Accountability & Conflict Resolution staff is also available to answer your questions, and they can be reached at 704-687-0336 or by emailing accountability@charlotte.edu.