Academic Honesty Policy
CHAPTER VIII: ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY
Preliminary Statement
Academic integrity is the foundation of an academic community. Academic integrity applies to research as well as undergraduate and graduate coursework.
800.00 Definitions
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, altering graded examinations for additional credit, having another person take an examination for you, or facilitating academic dishonesty or as further specified in this policy or other campus regulations.
Cheating is the unauthorized use of information in any academic exercise, or other attempt to obtain credit for work or a more positive academic evaluation of work through deception or dishonesty. Cheating includes, but is not limited to: copying from others during an examination; sharing answers for a take-home examination without permission; using notes without permission during an examination; using notes stored on an electronic device without permission during an examination; using an electronic device to obtain information during an exam without permission; taking an examination for another student; asking or allowing another person to take an examination for you; tampering with an examination after it has been corrected, then returning it for more credit than deserved; submitting substantial portions of the same academic work for credit in more than one course without consulting the second instructor; preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book before an examination; falsifying laboratory, or other research, data or using another person’s data without proper attribution; allowing others to do the research and writing of an assigned paper (for example, using a commercial term paper service or downloading a paper from the internet); and working with another person on a project that is specified as an individual project.
Plagiarism refers to the use of another’s ideas or words without proper attribution or credit. This includes, but is not limited to: copying from the writings or works of others into one's academic assignment without attribution, or submitting such work as if it were one's own; using the views, opinions, or insights of another without acknowledgment; or paraphrasing the ideas of another without proper attribution. Credit must be given: for every direct quotation; when a work is paraphrased or summarized, in whole or in part (even if only brief passages), in your own words; and for information which is not common knowledge. The requirement to give credit applies to published sources, information obtained from electronic searches, and unpublished sources.
Collusion is when any student knowingly or intentionally helps another student to perform any of the above acts of cheating or plagiarism. Students who collude are subject to discipline for academic dishonesty. No distinction is made between those who cheat or plagiarize and those who willingly facilitate cheating or plagiarism.
801.00 Notice to Students
Instructors (faculty, lecturers, TAs and so forth) should explain to students at the outset of a course and on the syllabus the behavior expected of them when taking examinations or preparing and submitting other course work.
In some courses, instructors will announce that it is allowed for students to work together. In such cases, all students should write up their work independently of one another, unless explicit approval has been given to a common write-up. Students should write on their paper the names of other students with whom they have collaborated.
Any member of the university community who suspects that a violation of the academic honesty policy may have occurred may report it to the instructor of record. If the instructor of record is unavailable, or the case is outside the scope of the course, it should be reported to the dean of the School/College/Graduate Division offering the course.
802.00 Approaches to Violations
Discipline for academically dishonest behavior is exercised on two levels:
1. Stage 1 (Instructor-Led Process)
The instructor of record for the course has the authority to handle an incident of student academic misconduct directly, by any of the following means:
a. assigning a failing grade for the course
b. assigning a failing grade for the course, with additional notation placed on the student’s transcript that the failing grade was the result of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy
c. assigning a failing or zero grade for the piece of work
d. lowering the grade on the piece of work
e. assignment of additional work or reexamination
If any violation of the UCM Academic Honesty Policy is suspected in a course, the instructor of record must fill out the Faculty Report for Academic Misconduct and then meet formally with the student(s) involved to explain the suspected misconduct and the academic sanctions the instructor is recommending. If the student(s) admits to the violation and accepts the sanctions, the instructor and student sign the Faculty Report Form and the instructor submits the form to Judicial Affairs. If the student refuses to admit that a violation has taken place or refuses to meet with the instructor, the instructor must provide written notification to the student and the dean of the School/College/Graduate Division offering the course outlining what remedies the instructor elects to impose. In addition, the instructor must submit a copy of the written notification and the Faculty Report Form to Judicial Affairs. The Form will be kept on file in Judicial Affairs for the duration of the student's enrollment at UCM.
A student may ask for a review of the action taken by the instructor by submitting a written request to the dean of the School/College/Graduate Division offering the course. The dean may either respond to the request or refer the matter to the Office of Judicial Affairs for an advisory opinion. If the dean is the instructor of the course, the request for review should be forwarded to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. Students have ten working days to submit a written request for review; the dean/EVC has ten days to review the request and respond to the student in writing. The dean/EVC may take action to revise or revoke the action of the instructor on the basis that the instructor failed to follow the procedures set forth herein, or that the instructor’s action was based on impermissible criteria (for example, discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, or sex).
2. Stage 2 (Formal Disciplinary Procedures)
If the instructor of record believes that the academic misconduct was especially serious, he/she can recommend in writing that action be taken by the dean of the School/College/Graduate Division offering the course. If dean agrees that the conduct is especially serious, he/she will refer the case to the Office of Judicial Affairs for investigation.
The Office of Judicial Affairs may conduct interviews that may include the reporting party, all witnesses, and any person(s) alleged to have violated the University regulation. All persons accused will be informed in writing of the nature of the charge, his/her rights, and the procedures to be followed.
If the preliminary investigation does not result in the withdrawal of charges by the Office of Judicial Affairs, in consultation with the dean, the case will be heard by the Faculty/Student Academic Conduct Board. The dean or his/her designee will serve as the chair of the Academic Conduct Board. The Faculty/Student Academic Conduct Board will be comprised of: three faculty members nominated by the Committee on Committees, one undergraduate, one graduate student, and a staff member from the Office of Judicial Affairs or designee. At least five members of the Board must be present for a hearing to take place. The University’s case will be presented by the a staff member of the Office of Judicial Affairs or designee.
All hearings for alleged academic or behavioral conduct violations will respect students’ due process rights. Detailed instructions about how hearings will be conducted are included in Chapter VII of the Student Handbook.
In sum, persons involved in the Conduct Hearing process have the following rights and responsibilities:
The Student:
1. Shall be served with a written notice of the specific charges, the time and the place of the hearing, and a copy of the procedures which will govern the hearing at least five calendar days prior to the hearing.
2. May be accompanied by an advisor, however, students will be expected to speak for themselves.
3. Is entitled to be present during the hearing while evidence is being presented and may remain until the Board begins confidential deliberations.
4. Shall have the right to produce witnesses and confront and cross-examine all witnesses.
The Academic Conduct Board:
1. Shall base its findings upon the preponderance of evidence.
2. Shall keep summary minutes of the hearing which will be available to the student within seven working days following the hearing.
The student shall receive written notice, by registered mail, within five working days following the hearing informing him/her of any decision, including recommended sanctions, if applicable.
803.00 Sanctions for Stage 2 (Formal Disciplinary Procedures)
Individuals found responsible by the Faculty/Student Academic Conduct Board for violating University policies or regulations regarding academic honesty may receive the following sanctions:
803.01 Disciplinary Probation:
A status imposed for a specified period of time during which a student must demonstrate conduct that conforms to University standards. Conditions restricting the student's privileges or eligibility for activities may be imposed. Misconduct during the probationary period or violation of any conditions of the probation may result in further disciplinary action, normally in the form of Suspension or Dismissal. The sanction of probation is normally limited to a student’s first violation.
803.02 Loss of Privileges and Exclusion from Activities:
Specific exclusions or loss of privileges for a specified academic term or terms.
803.03 Suspension:
Termination of student status for a specified term or terms. This sanction will be noted on the student’s academic transcript during the term(s) of suspension.
803.04 Dismissal:
Termination of student status from the University for an indefinite period. Students who are dismissed may not return to UCM without the express permission of the Chancellor. This sanction will be noted on the student’s academic transcript.
Disciplinary sanctions may be imposed instead of or in addition to the sanctions listed above and may include, but are not limited to, the following.
1. In cases where a determination of academic misconduct has been made and where close supervision of a student's academic conduct seems appropriate, course instructors may be requested to specifically monitor or separately test that student for a specified period of time.
2. Work, research projects, or community service projects may be assigned.
3. Violations of any of the conditions imposed under this section can be cause for further disciplinary action, usually in the form of loss of privileges and exclusion from activities, suspension, or dismissal.
Sanctions are assigned with the intent of correlating the sanction with the extent and severity of the violation(s) as well as any past violations.
804.00 Appeals
Appeals by a student, following Stage 2 sanctions, must be directed to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. The EVC will only review written materials regarding the case including hearing documents provided by the chair, the appeal letter provided by the student outlining the rationale for the appeal, and any new evidence provided by the student which was previously unavailable at the time of the hearing. Appeals shall be limited to the following:
1. Whether there is substantial evidence to support the finding(s) of violation of university policies or campus regulations for which the discipline was imposed.
2. Whether there is evidence, which could not be adduced at the time of the original hearing and which is likely to change the result.
3. Whether there was procedural unfairness at the conduct of the hearing.
4. Whether the sanctions imposed were too harsh given the findings of fact and relevant circumstances.
Any appeal to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost must be made in writing and received by the EVC within 10 working days after the student receives the decision of the Academic Conduct Board. The decision of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost or his/her designee is final and shall be conveyed to the student and the student’s dean in writing within 15 working days of receipts of the appeal letter. The EVC or his/her designee will then formally notify all other parties involved in the case of the outcome of the appeal.
If an academic honesty case whose outcome would affect the student’s grade remains under investigation or appeal at the time final grades are due, the instructor of record shall assign a grade of “NR” until the case is resolved.
805.00 Maintenance of Disciplinary Records
Disciplinary records regarding academic misconduct will be maintained in the Office of Judicial Affairs as long as the student is enrolled and for a minimum of five years thereafter. Records will then be destroyed unless the Office of Judicial Affairs determines there is good reason to retain the records beyond that date.