Academic Integrity Policy
At the University of Jamestown, we operate in an atmosphere of mutual trust between and among instructors and students. Sometimes this trust is violated through the intentional or accidental misrepresentation of facts, ideas, or data by members of the academic community. Such misrepresentations are violations of the Academic Integrity Policy. There are three main types of violations: cheating, inappropriate collaboration, and plagiarism.
Cheating involves the misrepresentation of knowledge or experience. For example, if students use unauthorized materials during an examination (for instance, by looking at other students’ exams, obtaining the questions in advance, and so on) they are falsely representing themselves as having recalled material or reasoned correctly, when, in fact, they did not. If students fake the data in a laboratory experiment, they are falsely suggesting that they acquired information in accordance with prescribed procedures.
Inappropriate collaboration involves presenting academic work as one’s independent effort when it includes significant elements of the work of others. When important ideas or actual phrasings in an academic work belong to an unnamed colleague, misrepresentation has occurred. It is dishonest for one student to write some or all of another student’s paper or presentation. It is equally wrong for one student to develop key ideas for a project that is represented as the work of another. Inappropriate collaboration is a violation for which both or all parties will be held accountable.
Plagiarism involves both theft and cheating. When someone appropriates, for use in formal course work, the wording, phrasing, or ideas of another, and either accidentally or intentionally fails to acknowledge the debt, it is considered theft. Plagiarism is also cheating in that one is creating a false impression about one’s own intelligence, ability, and achievement. If students are unsure about what constitutes plagiarism, they should seek help from their instructors, the Writing Center, and refer to appropriate handbooks.
Disciplinary Process
It is the responsibility of every member of the University of Jamestown community to maintain the integrity of the grading system; anyone with knowledge of violations of the Academic Integrity Policy must report this information to a faculty member, a member of the university staff or administration, or the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. All cases of academic dishonesty must be reported to the Dean, who will maintain records on each student who has committed a violation of the policy. Students who violate the Academic Integrity Policy of the University of Jamestown will be subject to disciplinary action that includes a variety of sanctions up to and including expulsion from the university.
A course instructor who suspects a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy should inform the student of his/her suspicion and present the student with the evidence, allowing the student an opportunity for rebuttal. Upon determination of a violation, the course instructor will decide the penalty to be imposed. Depending on the severity of the infraction, this may involve a requirement to complete the assignment again, failing the student for the assignment, or failing the student for the course.
If a dispute arises between a course instructor and a student about whether a violation has been committed, it is to be referred to the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for resolution no later than three weeks from the end of the semester in which the dispute occurred. If the Dean determines that no question exists, the appeal process is terminated. If any question remains, in the opinion of the Dean, s/he may refer it to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies Council for a hearing. The decision of the Council about the commission of an offense will be final in all such cases.
If a student involved in a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy is not enrolled in a particular instructor’s course, as in a case of inappropriate collaboration, the instructor should inform the Dean of the case for appropriate disciplinary action. In the case of multiple violations of the Academic Integrity Policy by a student, the Dean may impose additional sanctions including academic warning, academic probation, academic suspension, or expulsion.