II. Policy
“Academic integrity is a
commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values:
honesty, trust, fairness,
respect, and responsibility. From these values flow principles of
behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into
action.”
From the Center for Academic Integrity
Policy Statement
Assessment of student knowledge is a necessary
part of academic life. The educational process must provide
opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding and knowledge in
each of their courses and to have their command of subject matters and
skills evaluated fairly by the faculty. Students must be guided,
therefore, by the most rigorous standards of academic honesty in
preparing all assignments and exercises and examinations. It is
essential that everyone believe it has been done fairly. Students at
the College are expected to be honest and forthright
in their academic endeavors. In cases of doubt about ethical conduct,
students should consult their instructors. To falsify the results of
one's research, to steal the words or ideas of another, to cheat on an
examination, or to allow another to commit an act of academic dishonesty
corrupts the essential process by which knowledge is advanced. It is the
official policy of the College that all acts or attempted acts that are
violations of academic integrity be reported to the Office of Student
Affairs. At the faculty member's discretion and with the concurrence of
the student or students involved, some cases, though reported to the
Office of Student Affairs, may be resolved within the confines of the
course and department. All others will be adjudicated within the process
described in the section marked Violations of Academic Integrity.
While the institution
must preserve the integrity of its academic programs and degrees, it
should also assist in the academic and character development of those
who enter it for study. For those who violate the Code of Academic
Integrity, an effort should be made to educate them as to what
constitutes a violation and why it is wrong, and a further effort should
be made to discourage repetition of such offenses. On the other hand,
the College cannot permit a student to earn a degree in a manner that
involves repeated violations of the code. Such misconduct undermines
the integrity of the academic program.
It is the policy of the
College to suspend or dismiss from the College any student who has
committed more than one violation of academic integrity. Such
actions will be taken according to the procedures established as part of
the academic integrity program.
It is the policy of the
College to deny a degree or certificate to any student who has committed
more than one violation of academic integrity. Such denials shall be
extended to revocations of previously awarded degree or certificate
should such violations be made known subsequent to those awards.
Distinguishing disciplinary cases from
academic integrity violations
Violations of
academic integrity will be afforded due process. When multiple
violations of the Code of Academic Integrity so warrant, the matter will
be investigated by the chief student affairs officer or designee, who
will follow the disciplinary procedures of Article XV of the Bylaws of
the Trustees of the University. The
University Regulations governing student conduct on campus and the
disposition of disciplinary cases are clearly stipulated in the College
catalogue. All considerations of due process are followed explicitly.
What is essential in cases of violations of
academic integrity is that the College provide notification to the
student, including informing the student of the departmental appeal
process.
Violations of academic
integrity include any incidents related to classroom work or preparation
for classroom work in which students use in whole or in part the work of
others without authorization or, in the case of written materials,
appropriate the work of others without proper acknowledgement. These
violations include, but are not limited to, those listed under
FORMS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
VIOLATIONS.
FORMS OF
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS
Plagiarism is the
inclusion of someone else's words, ideas or data as one's own work
without acknowledging the source. When a student submits work for credit
that includes the words, ideas or data of others, the source of that
information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and
specific references and, if verbatim statements are included, through
quotation marks as well. By placing his/her name on work submitted for
credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise
identified by appropriate acknowledgments. Plagiarism covers unpublished
as well as published sources, including internet-accessed materials.
Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
·
Quoting another person's
actual words, complete sentences or paragraphs, or entire piece of
written work without acknowledgment of the source;
Copying another person's actual words without the
use of quotation marks and footnotes.
·
Using another person's ideas,
opinions, or theory even if it is completely paraphrased in one's own
words, without acknowledgment of the source
·
Borrowing facts, statistics
or other illustrative materials that are not clearly common knowledge
without acknowledgment of the source
·
Copying another student's
essay test answers
·
Copying, or allowing another
student to copy a computer file that contains another student's
assignment, and submitting it, in part or in its entirety, as one's own
·
Working together on an
assignment, sharing the computer files and programs involved, and then
submitting individual copies of the assignment as one's own work
• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on
homework and laboratory assignments.
When in doubt about rules concerning
plagiarism, students are urged to consult with individual faculty
members, academic departments, or recognized handbooks in their field.
Fabrication
Fabrication is the use
of invented information or the falsification of research or other
findings. Examples of fabrication include but are not limited to:
·
Citation of information not
taken from the source indicated. This may include the incorrect
documentation of secondary source materials
·
Listing sources in a
bibliography that are not directly used in the academic exercise
·
Submission in a paper,
thesis, lab report or other academic exercise of falsified, invented, or
fictitious data or evidence, or deliberate and knowing concealment or
distortion of the true nature, origin or function of such data or
evidence
·
Submitting as your own any
academic exercises (e.g., written work, printing, musical composition,
painting, sculpture, etc.) prepared totally or in part by another
Cheating
Cheating is an act or
an attempted act of deception by which students seek to misrepresent
that they have mastered information on an academic exercise that they
have not mastered. Examples of cheating include but are not limited to:
·
Copying from another
student's test paper
·
Allowing another student to
copy from a test paper
·
Unauthorized use of course
textbook or other material such as a notebook or notes in any form to complete a test or
other assignment
·
Collaborating on a test, quiz
or other project with any other person(s) without authorization
·
Using or possessing
specifically prepared but unauthorized materials during a test, e.g.,
notes, formula lists, notes written on the student's clothing,
study aids, devices or communication during an
academic exercise. Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue
book (exam booklet) before an examination.
·
Using electronic instruments,
such as cell phones, pagers, etc., to obtain or transmit or to share
information, when prohibited
·
Participating in any academic
exercise such as a test using the name of another person or permitting
someone else to participate in such an exercise for oneself.
Academic misconduct
Academic misconduct
includes any act to gain an undue academic benefit for oneself or to
cause academic harm to another. Such misconduct includes dishonest acts
such as tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or
distributing any part of an unadministered test.
Examples of academic misconduct include but are
not limited to:
·
Stealing, buying or otherwise
obtaining and possessing all or part of an unadministered test or
academic device not authorized for such person to possess
·
Unauthorized presence in a
building or office or any location for the purpose of obtaining all or
part of an unadministered test or academic device not authorized for
such person to possess
·
Selling or giving away all or
part of an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministered
test or academic device not authorized for such person to possess
·
Bribing any other person to
obtain an unadministered test, including answers to an unadministered or
academic device not authorized for such person to possess
·
Unauthorized
presence in an office or any location for the purpose of changing a
grade in a grade book, on a test, or on other work for which a grade is
given
·
Changing, altering or being
an accessory to the changing and/or altering of a grade in a grade book,
on a test, a change-of-grade form or other official academic records of
the college
which relate to grades
·
Continuing to work on an examination or project after the
allotted time has elapsed
·
Taking an examination for another
student. Asking or allowing another student to take an examination for
you.
• Changing a graded exam and returning it for
more credit.
• Submitting substantial portions of the same
paper to two classes without consulting with instructors.
• Giving assistance or failing to report
witnessed acts of academic misconduct/dishonesty.
• Depriving other students of access to
library materials by stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing them
• Retaining, using or circulating examination
materials which clearly indicate that they should be returned at the end
of the exam.
• Intentionally obstructing or interfering
with another student's work.
·
Promoting violations of academic integrity in any form,
including but not limited to publicizing the availability of sources for
obtaining papers and exercises
Falsification of Records and Official
DocumentsThe following are
some examples of falsification:
• Forging signatures of authorization.
·
Falsifying information on an official academic record.
· Falsifying
information on an official document such as a grade report, letter of
permission, drop/add form, ID card or other college document.
http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic/academic_integrity.htm#falsification_records