Remediation Program

Students who successfully complete the Remediation Program will

• learn that integrity is essential for all academic work as well as in the professional world;
• understand that cheating in academic work harms themselves, their professor(s), their fellow students, as well as the university as a whole;
• reflect on the academic misconduct they have committed and learn why their actions have jeopardized their personal integrity as well as the integrity of UGA;
• understand that acknowledging mistakes and seeking ways to make amends to the academic community serves the purpose of maintaining academic integrity and strengthens their personal integrity; and
• develop skills needed to identify and avoid future academic misconduct.

1. Email the Office of Academic Honesty to initiate enrollment within 30 days of receiving your case closure letter.
2. Fill out the pre-program questionnaire.
3. Complete the Academic Honesty eLC Course Module (unless completed before).
4. Write 2-3 page Pause & Reflect essay.
5. Schedule and attend a Facilitator Meeting or a Restorative Justice Conference.
6. Complete the Personal Learning Objectives.
7. Fill out the post-program questionnaire.

Each step must be completed in a timely and thoughtful manner to successfully complete the program. Failure to complete any of the steps in a satisfactory way could result in the removal of the student from the program.

Students who wish to participate in the Remediation Program should email the Office of Academic Honesty within 30 days after the date of the closing letter. The program has to be completed within one year from the date of the Facilitated Discussion.

We recommend that students begin their program within one month after the date of the closing letter and complete it within one to two months of enrollment. Otherwise, their chance of completing the program successfully is significantly lower.

Students should estimate a total of around 5-7 hours to complete the program – not including the time for completing their Personal Learning Objectives.

• Pre-program questionnaire: ~30 minutes
• Academic Honesty eLC Course Module: ~1 hour
• Pause & Reflect essay: ~2-3 hours
• Facilitator Meeting or Restorative Justice Conference: up to 2 hours
• Post-program questionnaire: ~30 minutes

The Remediation Program cannot be completed on one day and in one sitting. Depending on how fast a student works through the program steps, they will complete the program in more or less time. However, the program is designed to support students in their learning process over a longer period of time. Students should give themselves time to think and reflect so that they can arrive at deeper insights and find better ways of maintaining their integrity. This will greatly benefit their experience and the outcome in the program.

The Remediation Program is based on the concept of Restorative Justice. The core principles of Restorative Justice are (Karp, 2019, p. 8):

1. Inclusive decision-making
2. Active accountability
3. Repairing harm
4. Rebuilding trust

The purpose of the program is not to subject students to an additional sanction for the academic misconduct they acknowledged, but to give them an opportunity to think critically about their actions, take responsibility, and look for ways to repair the harm done. The assigned representative of the Office of Academic Honesty will work together with the student in this process.

It is up to the student to show that they

• acknowledge that they violated the honor code and take full responsibility for their academic integrity violation;
• understand how their actions were harmful to themselves and, most importantly, others;
• propose steps to engage in professional development and rebuild their damaged integrity and trustworthiness; and
• propose steps to promote academic integrity across campus and/or among their peers.

If a student cannot or does not demonstrate these expectations, they will be unable to successfully complete the program.

Reference:
Karp, D. R. (2019). The little book of restorative justice for colleges and universities: Repairing harm and rebuilding trust in response to student misconduct (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Good Books.

This essay is intended to make students pause and reflect on what happened and to give them a space to write about their insights about the misconduct they committed. The assignment should be a testament to a learning process in which the student obtains a deeper understanding on how to take responsibility for academic misconduct.

It should also show that a student can identify resources and strategies that would help them not commit academic misconduct in the future. The Pause & Reflect essay should be crafted carefully as it will prepare students for the One-on-One meeting or the Restorative Justice Conference.

In this in-person meeting, students will come together in a group with other students who currently complete the Remediation Program. This meeting will also be attended by a Remediation Peer Educator, a Remediation Faculty Representative, and a representative of the Office of Academic Honesty who will facilitate the meeting.

The goals of the Restorative Justice Conference are to bring together students that violated the honor code and representatives of the two parties that are harmed through cheating on campus — students and instructors;
talk about the impact of academic misconduct together with other members of the university community;
agree on steps to repair the harm cheating caused to the campus community;
open avenues for students to engage in professional development.
At the end, students will determine at least two Personal Learning Objectives that reflect the professional development aspect of the Remediation Program.

We strongly recommend to attend a Restorative Justice Conference instead of a Facilitator Meeting because it more closely reflects the core principles of Restorative Justice and the goals of the Remediation Program.

Please notice that your Pause & Reflect essay will be shared with the Remediation Peer Educator and the Remediation Faculty Representative before the Restorative Justice Conference.

Instead of meeting in a group with other remediation students and representatives of the university community, students can also choose to meet one-on-one only with a representative of the Office of Academic Honesty.

In this in-person meeting, a student will meet with their assigned representative to talk about their Pause & Reflect essay, their understanding of academic integrity and where it comes from, the impact of cheating on personal relationships, and their personal goals for the future. In addition, the student will also determine at least two Personal Learning Objectives.

This meeting is meant to be a space for collaborative thinking, receiving guidance and support, coming to a deeper understanding about the impact of misconduct, and finding empowerment by committing to personal development goals.

Each student must commit to at least two Personal Learning Objectives (PLOs) at the end of their remediation meeting, whether they attend a Restorative Justice Conference or a Facilitator Meeting. Before deciding the PLOs, a student will self-identify in which area(s) they believe they should further develop their understanding, knowledge, and/or skills. PLOs are then identified based upon this self-assessment.

At least one PLO must satisfy the professional development aspect of the Remediation Program. The idea is that a student learns new strategies, discovers new perspectives, and/or acquires new skills that will help them be successful in their studies and in the pursuit of their professional goals. This can be achieved through, for instance, attending a workshop, seeking out mentoring opportunities, completing a tutorial, or working through online learning modules.

One PLO should involve promoting academic integrity at UGA and beyond. Students who have violated the academic honesty policy and who are serious about repairing harm caused by cheating should have an inherent interest in helping others maintain their (academic) integrity. Through promoting academic integrity, students can not only make significant steps toward rebuilding their damaged integrity and trustworthiness, but they can also help others avoid cheating and become more knowledgeable in the academic and professional world.

Remediation Peer Educators are undergraduate or graduate students who represent the student body as a party that was harmed by academic misconduct during Restorative Justice Conferences.

Their role in these meetings is to listen carefully to remediation students’ stories, help them think about the harm that was done to all UGA students by the academic misconduct committed, offer guidance and insights for their peers, and suggest and/or agree on Personal Learning Objectives.

As preparation for their role, candidates will undergo a three-part training series in which they will learn about academic integrity, what it means to be a Remediation Peer Educator, and how to participate in a Restorative Justice Conference.

Remediation Peer Educators should expect a time commitment of 2 to 4 hours per month (1-2 Restorative Justice Conferences).

You can find more information about the role and required training here. If you are interested in becoming a Remediation Peer Educator, please contact the Office of Academic Honesty ([email protected]). We are looking forward to working with you! (Students that successfully complete the Remediation Program are eligible to serve as a Remediation Peer Educators.)

Remediation Faculty Representatives are UGA faculty members, lecturers, or academic professionals who represent UGA’s body of instructors as a party that was harmed by academic misconduct during Restorative Justice Conferences.

Their role in these meetings is to listen carefully to remediation students’ stories, help them think about the harm that was done to all UGA instrutors and UGA as an institution by the academic misconduct committed, offer guidance and insights for remediation students, and suggest and/or agree on Personal Learning Objectives.

As preparation for their role, candidates will undergo a two-hour training in which they will learn what it means to be a Remediation Faculty Representative and how to participate in a Restorative Justice Conference.

Remediation Faculty Representatives should expect a time commitment of 2 to 4 hours per month (1-2 Restorative Justice Conferences).

You can find more information about the role and required training here. If you are interested in becoming a Remediation Faculty Representative, please contact the Office of Academic Honesty ([email protected]). We are looking forward to work with you!

Why should I complete the Remediation Program?

Aside from learning about academic integrity and being a champion of academic integrity on campus, students that complete the program will not have their record disclosed (e.g., on a Dean’s Certification).

How much time do students have to complete the remediation program?

Per the academic honesty policy, students “have one year from the date of the Facilitated Discussion to complete the program.”

Can I become a Peer Remediation Educator if I complete the program?

Yes! We strongly encourage students who complete the program to return as Peer Remediation Educators. Our Peer Remediation Educators are academic integrity champions at UGA and beyond!

Will anyone know that I participated in a Restorative Justice Conference?

The Group meetings are FERPA protected. By participating, students agree to be bound by the confidentiality required by FERPA guidelines.

I do not believe that I did anything wrong, but I agreed to having violated the academic honesty policy in my Facilitated Discussion because I don’t want to go to a Continued Discussion. Can I still participate in the Remediation Program?

You can attempt the program, but you shouldn’t. The Remediation Program is based on the concept of Restorative Justice, and taking responsibility for one’s actions is key for practicing RJ and engaging in personal development. Only if you believe that you committed academic misconduct and if you take responsibility for that offense, you can complete the requirements of the Remediation Program.