Procedures for Dealing with Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism

Plagiarism occurs when the student does not footnote properly, quotes extensively without quotation marks, quotes without indicating sources, paraphrases incorrectly, hands in work that is not his or her own, or when there is a combination of these omissions or commissions in any assignment. In these cases the Faculty member is expected to check the source material and have documentary proof of the problem(s). It is best to photocopy the sources in question, indicating full bibliographical information, and then to number the places in the paper and place a corresponding number on the photocopied source in order to speed up the proceedings at a judiciary hearing.

In the case of a student who has handed in another student's work as his or her own, it is crucial to find out who copied from whom. This can be problematic and calls for some cautious investigation. In the process of that investigation the Faculty member may call on the Vice President and Dean of Student Life or the Associate Dean to help question the students.

When a student hands in a take-home exam, a paper, or to-be-graded homework, the assumption is that the work represents the student’s own effort unless other sources are acknowledged. Furthermore, it is expected that this work has been produced exclusively for the course in which it is submitted. Students should not use the same or substantially the same material in different courses without the prior approval of both instructors.

The College subscribes to the Turnitin.com service. Turnitin.com is an on-line resource that checks student papers against a database of the Internet publications and (for duplication) previously submitted student papers and other available source material. Faculty members have the option of using this service to guard against plagiarism or in the event they suspect a case of plagiarism by a student.

In-Class Academic Dishonesty

A student may call an incident to the attention of the instructor, or the instructor may take note of it. It is important to confront the student right away if there is reasonable certainty there is some cause for alarm. If a student has notes on his or her person or has access to information on the back of chairs, in or on books or notebooks, or has a cell phone during the course of a quiz or exam, these items should be confiscated as evidence. If a student sees something unusual he or she should report this to the instructor. Any other members of the class who may have been in a position to see anything amiss should be questioned.

In the past, a student who has had access to material, even if that material was not used by the student, has been considered to be at an unfair advantage.

In the case where a student seems to be copying from another student's paper, it is advisable to let that student know by standing close by, by asking him or her to move, or by watching him or her very closely. It is important not to cast suspicion on someone who may be innocently looking away from his or her own paper just to reflect on the questions at hand. If, however, there has been any questionable behavior, the papers handed in by the one suspected of cheating and the one copied from should be checked carefully. If there are sufficient similarities, these papers would need to be kept as evidence for any possible judicial proceedings.

Student Access to Tests and Testing Materials Outside of the Test Period

It is best all around not to give the same tests over again. As a rule it is unwise to have student assistants type, photocopy, collate, or otherwise have access to test material. Plagiarism is not difficult to pin down because it has concrete evidence to back it up. Other forms of academic dishonesty are much more difficult to prove and would require some evidence such as confiscated notes or reliable witnesses in order to be convincing. The problem of illicit access to test material is almost impossible to deal with except through precautionary measures.

How to Deal with the Problem

Members of the Faculty have a clear professional responsibility to minimize the opportunities for academic dishonesty. To meet this responsibility, the College Council has voted (November 11, 1981) to observe the following practices:

1. The instructor or a Faculty colleague should actively monitor all exams, including make-ups and exams given early. Secretaries, student assistants, and other staff members should not be asked to give or monitor exams.
2. Instructors should not leave the classroom during examinations.
3. Students should bring to the classroom only those materials necessary for taking the examination. All other books, notes and materials should be left outside the classroom, or in a common location within the room. (In 2013, it was noted that the same precautions should be taken with cell phones).
4. Students should be separated and dispersed throughout the classroom as much as possible. If the instructor anticipates that the scheduled room will be too small to assure adequate dispersal, the Registrar should be informed so that alternate arrangements can be suggested.
5. Students ordinarily should not be permitted to leave the classroom unless the exam is administered in sections. In other cases where it is clearly necessary for a student to leave the room, the student should leave individually and the instructor should take reasonable precautions to prevent access to test materials.
6. Instructors with multiple sections of the same course should make separate examinations.
7. Students taking earlier exams or make-up exams should be given exams different from those given to the regular class.
8. Instructors should check footnotes and references.
9. Instructors should vary topics of written assignments to minimize the use of previously written papers.
10. Instructors should repeatedly emphasize the proper referencing of sources, recognizing that the style of referencing varies among academic disciplines.

Reporting Cases of Academic Dishonesty

If the instructor has a concern about a student's academic honesty, even if it is only a suspicion with no proof, the Associate Dean must be notified. Students may report an instance of alleged academic dishonesty by filing a written account of the details with the instructor. The instructor should then send a copy of the account to the Associate Dean. The instructor and the Associate Dean will consult and decide on a proper course of action, which may include questioning the individual(s) involved or other witnesses to the incident.

Reasons for alerting the Associate Dean to all suspicions of academic dishonesty include the following:

1. A centralized handling of all academic dishonesty cases has been deemed advisable for the sake of fairness and equitable treatment for all students.
2. Any repeat offender will be dealt with more severely. The Associate Dean keeps a file on all cases and will check to see if the student has been in difficulty before.
3. The Associate Dean can consult with the instructor about ways of handling the situation.
4. The Associate Dean can help evaluate the evidence.
5. The Associate Dean will call in the student to meet with him or her and discuss the case. The instructor may wish to call the student in first, but, although that is advisable, it is not mandatory.
6. The Associate Dean will decide, based on the case in relationship to other cases, whether it must go to the student judiciary or not. It must be pointed out, however, that the instructor and the student have the right to go to the student judiciary independently of the Associate Dean's decision.

Sample Ways of Handling Non-Student Judiciary, Relatively Minor Problems (after consultation with the Associate Dean)

1. The student may convince both the instructor and the Associate Dean that no questionable activity has occurred. The case is dropped.
2. The grade can be adjusted to reflect the presence of a problem on the paper, the test, or other assignment.
3. The student can be asked to do the assignment again.
4. The student can be asked to do a substitute assignment.
5. The student can be warned, but told that any subsequent question of academic honesty will be handled more severely.
6. Some combination of b, and the other options.

If a student objects to any of these decisions, he or she may choose to take the case to the student judiciary for arbitration.

Procedures at Student Judiciary Hearings

Serious cases where there is sufficient evidence are arbitrated by the Student Judiciary. The Associate Dean writes out the charges and requests a time for the hearing from the chair of the Student Judiciary. The instructor is asked to be present at the hearing to discuss the evidence and how conclusions were reached. Ordinarily, the Student Judiciary will ask about the assignment. All of this occurs in the presence of the accused who is asked how he or she pleads at the beginning and is then asked to comment, respond, explain, and make a closing statement. The Associate Dean is also asked to make a closing statement.

The final responsibility for determining the student's grade in the course rests with the instructor, except in cases in which the Student Judiciary recommends a lowering of the grade for punitive reasons. In cases where a student is suspended as a result of a student judiciary recommendation, the grade of "U" shall be recorded for that course.

In all cases brought before the Student Judiciary the following procedures are observed:

1. The student shall receive written notice of the charge of misconduct, commonly called a "citation," at least 48 hours before a student judicial hearing. A student can waive the 48 hours notice in order to hold the hearing at an even earlier time.
2. The accused party and the person bringing the charge shall have the right to obtain the assistance of a member of the College community, to hear all testimony, to call witnesses, to cross-examine witnesses, and to produce evidence.
3. Persons who testify at a hearing, except for the accused and the other presenters, cannot be present for testimony other than their own.
4. No person can be required to give testimony that would incriminate himself or herself.
5. Only the accused may decide to permit the presence of spectators at a hearing.
6. At a hearing before the Student Judiciary, proceedings prior to the private deliberations of the student judiciary members will be recorded, with the understanding that the tape will be erased if the accused does not appeal.
7. The accused may appeal the decision to the board of review, through the office of the Dean of the College, in writing with reasons specified, within 24 hours of the Student Judiciary's decision. If the student does not appeal, the recommendation of the Student Judiciary stands.

In cases involving academic integrity, the board of review consists of the Dean of the College, the Dean of Student Life, and one member of the Student Judiciary who did not participate in the original hearing.