University of New Haven
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West Haven
CT
06516
1-800 DIAL-UNH or 1-800-342-5864
I. Philosophy
The University of New Haven is an academic community based on the principles of honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Academic integrity is a core University value which insures respect for the academic reputation of the University, its students, faculty and staff, and the degrees it confers.
The University expects that students will learn in an environment where they work independently in the pursuit of knowledge, conduct themselves in an honest and ethical manner and respect the intellectual work of others. Each member of the University community has a responsibility to be familiar with the definitions contained in, and adhere to, the Academic Integrity Policy.
II. Policy
Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy include, but are not limited to, the following examples—
A. Cheating – “Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.”i Cheating includes, but is not limited to:2. Copying the work of another during a test or quiz.
3. Obtaining or providing unauthorized prior knowledge of exam or quiz content.
4. Using another student’s work for a homework or lab assignment or presenting the work of another as one’s own.
5. Using unauthorized materials or information from others for a take-home exam. It is expected that students do independent work for exams whether they are take-home or inclass. Students are expected to comply with the guidelines set by the instructor.
6. Seeking, receiving, or giving aid during examinations through electronic means (e.g., cell phone, email, text messaging).7. Purchasing papers, research, reports, etc. from commercial services or other individuals.
B. Collaboration/Collusion
1. Nonpermitted Collaboration. In some instances, instructors may indicate permitted forms of collaboration with other students. If the instructor does not indicate that collaboration is permitted, it should be understood that none is permitted. Students are encouraged to seek clarification from their instructors regarding the acceptable parameters for collaboration should they be in doubt regarding assignments that require group work. Acknowledgement of collaboration is required when presenting authorship of student work.
2. Study Groups and Tutoring. Academic integrity standards do not prohibit students from studying together or from tutoring each other if done in conformance with other provisions of this policy.
C. Plagiarism – “Intentionally and knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise or resubmitting one’s own work under false pretenses.”ii
1. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to:
a. Copying from another student’s paper(s) partially or entirely or from any source without proper citation such as a book, article, notebook, video, or other source material, whether published or unpublished.
b. Purchasing or securing a paper from any source, to include term-paper vendors and internet sources, and submitting that paper or specific portions of the paper as one's own work.
c. Inserting a passage from the internet or any computer source into one's paper without proper citation.
d. Copying data from another source without a proper citation.
e. Appropriating another person's computer programming work for submission as an assignment.
f. Failing to attribute material that comes from other media sources or failing to obtain proper permission for the use of such material when creating a web page, film, or musical composition as a course assignment.
g. Any other appropriation of another's intellectual property without proper attribution.
h. Submitting an assignment that was written during a prior semester or submitting the same assignment for more than one class simultaneously to include resubmitting substantial portions of previously written work for a current assignment, unless instructors in multiple courses are informed of and approve of the submission. Students should consult their instructors if unsure of what work of their own they may use in preparing an assignment.i. Citing sources improperly, which includes, but is not limited to, failure to use quotation marks or other appropriate notation for direct quotes or for an author's distinctive phrases, and following an author's structure of writing and ideas, but rephrasing the sentences partially to give the impression that the whole passage reflects the student's structure and ideas.
2. Guidance on proper citation may be found below or through other designated resources indicated by your academic department.
Resources on Proper Citation of Sources:
American Psychological Association. (2001) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, D.C.: Author.
Chicago Manual of Style (15th ed.).(2003) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Gibaldi, J. (2003) MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. (6th ed.), New York: Modern Language Association.Sources online (http://library.newhaven.edu/ResearchGuides.html)
Strunk, W. & White, E.B. (2000). The Elements of Style ( 4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.Turabian, K.L. (2007) A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (7th ed.), Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
D. Fabrication – “Intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.”iii This includes:1. Furnishing false information, distorting data or failing to provide all necessary required information to the University's advisor, registrar, admissions counselor, instructor, etc., for any academically related purpose.
2. Forging a signature to certify completion of a course assignment or a recommendation to graduate school or to employers, internship sponsors, or other sponsors of on- or off-campus engagements.
3. Fabricating data in support of laboratory or field work.
4. Intentionally misrepresenting one's academic accomplishments.
5. Fabricating or falsifying a bibliography.
E. Facilitating Academic Dishonesty – Intentionally or knowingly helping orattempting to help another to violate any provision of this Policy.iv
1. Examples include but are not limited to:
a. Providing to other students one’s own work or that of others with the reasonable expectation that these will be used for the purpose of cheating or plagiarism.
b. Maintaining a file of exams or papers with the reasonable expectation that these will be used for the purpose of cheating or plagiarism.
c. Unfairly advancing one's academic position by hoarding, stealing, or damaging library materials.
d. Theft of other students' notes, papers, homework, or textbooks for academic gain.
e. Placing another person's work on the internet without his or her permission for academic gain.
2. The use of any electronic means to assist another without authorization is strictly prohibited.
3. Copyright infringements shall be considered violations of the academic integrity policy. More information on copyright issues and copyright law can be found at:
http://library.newhaven.edu/Course.html#Copyright.
III. Faculty and Student Responsibilities for Upholding the Academic Integrity Policy
A. Faculty
Faculty are responsible for creating an educational environment where academic integrity is defined and understood by:
1. Referencing the University's policy on academic integrity in their course syllabi and explaining, modeling and reinforcing expectations for academic integrity and the consequences for violations regularly during the semester.
2. Clearly explaining permitted collaborations in course syllabi and the behaviors and actions that constitute academic dishonesty, especially those that may be specific to the assignments of the course.
3. Departments and/or instructors may choose to implement standards more stringent than those contained in this policy, provided they are clearly communicated to students.
B. Students
1. Students are responsible for the completion of their own academic work and for encouraging their peers to act with integrity in all academic matters by:
a. Acting with honesty and integrity in all their courses.
b. Learning the principles of ethical conduct, and being familiar with and abiding by the definitions contained in the policy on academic integrity and any other policies established by their instructors, departments and Colleges.
c. Informing the instructor or the Dean of Students if they become aware that any form of academic dishonesty has occurred in a course.
2. Individual students may report a violation of academic integrity to the Dean of Students who will forward the report to the appropriate academic department for investigation.
IV. Procedures for Hearing Cases of Academic Dishonesty
A. An instructor suspects or receives an allegation that a student has engaged in an act of academic dishonesty.
(Note: The order an instructor follows pertaining to #s 1-4 is dependent on the circumstances of each case.)
1. The instructor will speak with the student and inform the student of the alleged violation.
2. The instructor is encouraged to consult with his or her program coordinator, director, or chair regarding the alleged violation.
3. The instructor will determine whether a violation has occurred and whether the violation is a minor or major violation of academic dishonesty and proceed as outlined below.
4. The instructor will document the alleged violation on the standard Academic Integrity Incident Report and Resolution Form (AIIRRF).
B. Minor Violations
1. Instructors may choose to handle minor violations of academic integrity with the student informally, and report the outcome to the Dean of Students on the Academic Integrity Incident Report and Resolution Form (AIIRRF), accompanied by supporting documentation, which will be placed in the student’s conduct file. The student will be notified of the placement of the form in file by the Dean of Students if and when this occurs.
2. Students found responsible for minor violations of academic integrity will be required to participate in a training session and satisfactorily complete an educational module on Academic Integrity. Students who fail to complete the training session and educational module will be referred to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
3. Should the student not take responsibility for an alleged violation of academic integrity or disputes the instructor’s sanction, the case will be referred to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
4. If, when the case is sent to the Dean of Students, it is determined that the student has a prior record of academic integrity policy violation, the Dean of Students will forward the case to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
C. Major Violations
The instructor has the option of:
A. Meeting with the student to determine an appropriate outcome,
or
B. Referring the case to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
1. Option A: Meeting with the student to determine an appropriate outcome
a. If, after following steps IV.A.1-4, the instructor believes that a major violation has occurred, the instructor will notify the student in writing of the violation within five working days. A copy of the notification will be sent to the Dean of Students.
b. The notification will include the nature of the violation and will request a meeting with the student within five working days. Verification of receipt of the notification by the student is required and must be included in the student’s file.
c. The instructor will meet with the student to discuss the violation, to determine the facts of the case and an appropriate sanction.
d. Withdrawal from the course does not protect a student from receiving an F in the course or other sanctions, or stop further academic dishonesty proceedings.
e. Under Option A, further progress of a case depends on whether the accused student accepts responsibility for the violation, as described below.
If the student takes responsibility:
f. If the student takes responsibility for the violation, the instructor will determine a sanction which may range from lowering the grade for the assignment or exam to failing the assignment, exam, or the course. If a grade of “F” is given for the course, the instructor will immediately notify the Registrar.
g. If the student accepts the instructor’s sanction, the student will sign the Academic Integrity Incident Report and Resolution Form. A copy of the AIIRRF and supporting documentation will be sent to the Dean of Students and the case will be considered closed.
If the student does not take responsibility or does not agree with the sanction imposed by the instructor:
h. The case will be sent to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
2. Option B: Referral of the case to the Academic Integrity Board for a hearing.
The instructor may refer the case directly to the AIB, consistent with the procedures detailed in Section IV.E below.
D. Academic Integrity Board (AIB)
The Academic Integrity Board will consist of seven (7) individuals from the University community: three (3) tenured or tenure track faculty members appointed by the Chair of the Faculty Senate; one (1) administrative staff member appointed by the Dean of Students; and three (3) students in good academic standing (one (1) of graduate status appointed by the Graduate Student Council and two (2) of junior or senior status appointed by the Undergraduate Student Government). The Student Conduct Administratorvshall serve as the non-voting Chair of the Board.
E. Academic Integrity Board (AIB) Hearing Process
1. Submitting Complaints
a. Format. A complaint against a student for a violation of academic integrity may be brought to the AIB as indicated above. Complaints must be prepared in writing on the standard Academic Integrity Incident Report and Resolution Form or in a letter or memorandum. (Forms may be obtained from College Deans’ Offices or the Offices of the Dean of Students, Provost, or Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.) Complaints must contain (a) the name(s) of the individual(s) involved; (b) the circumstances of the complaint; and (c) supporting documentation if available, including specific dates, times, and locations, and name(s) and address(es) of the person(s) filing the report.
b. Timing. Complaints should be submitted by the faculty member as soon as possible after the alleged academic integrity violation takes place, preferably within 5 days after discovery of the alleged violation, and must be filed with the Office of the Dean of Students. Discoveries of violations a year or more after the date of the alleged violation will not be addressed. In extraordinary circumstances, complaints may be accepted beyond this period, but reasons for doing so must be explained in the complaint.c. Scope of hearing. If the student admits to the violation but agreement is not reached as to what the sanction should be, subsequent proceedings, including a hearing if necessary, shall be limited to determining the appropriate sanction(s). If the student does not admit to the violation, the hearing will determine whether a violation has occurred.
d. Notification. The student will be notified in writing that a complaint has been filed against him/her. All charges shall be presented to the Accused Student in written form. A time shall be set for an Academic Integrity Board Hearing, not less than five nor more than thirty working days after the student has been notified. Maximum time limits for scheduling of Academic Integrity Board Hearings may be extended at the discretion of the Student Conduct Administrator.e. Notice of hearing. The student and instructor shall be notified of the date, time, and location of the hearing by personal delivery, certified mail, or by encrypted electronic mail (with receipt confirmation) at least 5 working days prior to the scheduled hearing.
f. Access to records. The Accused Student shall have access to the complaint that may be used against him/her. Access shall be defined as the ability to review records to be used in the hearing in the presence of a Student Conduct Administrator. This information will be available in the Dean of Students’ Office.g. Hearing procedure. Academic Integrity Board Hearings shall be conducted according to the following guidelines:
1. Confidentiality. Academic Integrity Board Hearings normally shall be conducted in private.
2. Pleas. The Accused Student shall have the right (a) to admit responsibility, (b) not to admit responsibility, or (c) to remain silent at the hearing. If the Accused Student chooses to remain silent, it will be assumed that the student is not admitting responsibility and the hearing will proceed.3. Attendance. The Complainant (normally the instructor), Accused Student, and their advisors, if any (see “e” below), shall be allowed to attend the entire portion of the AIB hearing at which information is received (excluding deliberations). Admission of any other person to the AIB hearing shall be at the discretion of the Board and/or its Student Conduct Administrator.
4. Multiple respondents. In AIB hearings involving more than one Accused Student, the Student Conduct Administrator, in his or her discretion, may permit the Academic Integrity Board hearings concerning each student to be conducted either separately or jointly.5. Right to an advisor. The Complainant and the Accused Student have the right to be assisted by an advisor they choose who is a member of the University community and is not an attorney. The Complainant and/or the Accused Student is responsible for presenting his or her own information, and therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any AIB Hearing. A student should select as an advisor a person whose schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time for the hearing because delays will not normally be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor.
6. Role of witnesses. The Complainant, the Accused Student, and the Academic Integrity Board may arrange for witnesses to present pertinent information to the Board. Witnesses will provide information to and answer questions from the AIB. Questions may be asked by the Accused Student and/or Complainant to be answered by each other or by other witnesses. Deviations from this procedure will be at the discretion of the Student Conduct Administrator. Questions of whether potential information will be received shall be resolved by the Student Conduct Administrator.7. Evidence. Pertinent records, exhibits, and written statements (including student impact statements) may be accepted as information for consideration by the Academic Integrity Board at the discretion of the Student Conduct Administrator.
8. Rulings on hearing procedure. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Student Conduct Administrator.9. Majority decision. After that portion of the AIB Hearing concludes during which all available pertinent information has been received, the Board shall determine by majority vote whether the Accused Student has violated the Academic Integrity Policy.
10. Standard of proof. The Academic Integrity Board’s determination shall be made on the basis of clear and convincing evidence that the Accused Student violated the Academic Integrity Policy.11. Rules of evidence. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Academic Integrity proceedings.
12. Absence of accused. If an Accused Student, having been duly notified of a hearing, does not appear before the AIB for a scheduled hearing, the information in support of the charges may be presented and considered even if the Accused Student is not present.13. Participation in absentia. In exceptional circumstances, the Student Conduct Administrator shall consider allowing the use of technological means to allow the student to participate in the hearing. The Academic Integrity Board may accommodate concerns for the personal safety, well-being, and/or fears of confrontation of the Complainant, Accused Student, and/or other witness during the hearing by providing separate facilities, by using a visual screen, and/or by permitting participation by telephone, videophone, closed circuit television, video conferencing, videotape, audiotape, written statement, or other means, where and as determined in the sole judgment of the Student Conduct Administrator to be appropriate.
2. Record of hearing
There shall be a single verbatim record, such as a tape recording, of all Academic Integrity Board Hearings before an Academic Integrity Board (not including deliberations). Deliberations shall not be recorded. The record shall be the property of the University.
3. Determining sanctions
All determinations of responsibility will be based only on the information presented before the hearing body, but previous action taken against students for violations of academic integrity will be used in the consideration of the sanction.
4. Notice of decision
Written notification of the hearing body’s decision and a short decision rationale will be mailed within five (5) working days after the conclusion of the hearing.
5. Justifying sanctions
The hearing body will prepare a written justification for the sanction imposed in each case. This justification shall be included as part of the student’s disciplinary file.
6. Appeal of decision or sanction
Except where they have waived the right to a formal hearing, students have the right to appeal the written decision of the hearing body within five (5) working days of receipt. Reason(s) for appeal shall be stated on the appeal form available from the Office of the Dean of Students. (See Section IV.G below)7. Student status during proceedings
Students generally have the right to continue in their student status until the conclusion of academic integrity proceedings.
F. Sanctions for Major Violations
1. Sanctions for academic integrity violations may include:
a. receipt of an F for the assignment;
b. assignment of an F for the course;
c. University disciplinary warning,
d. probation,
e. suspension from the University, or
f. expulsion from the University,dependent on the seriousness of the violation and the student’s record. The minimum sanctions for academic integrity violations will include participation in a training session and satisfactory completion of an educational module on Academic Integrity.
2. Sanctions for subsequent violations. Students found responsible for a second or subsequent violation will receive a minimum sanction of an F in the course with the maximum sanction being expulsion from the University.3. Course grade sanctions. Students will receive a grade of I while an academic integrity case is in process. If the AIB’s sanction includes a grade of F for the course, the Board will notify the instructor and the Registrar of the sanction imposed. If, at the conclusion of the case, a grade of F is not recommended by the AIB, the instructor will be notified, and will determine the student’s grade based on the work completed for the semester. The instructor will send a grade to the Registrar.
4. Additional penalties. Other penalties may be imposed by the University to include loss of membership in student organizations and honor societies; ineligibility to participate in study abroad, athletics, or other such programs; or ineligibility to hold office in a student organization that receives University funds or uses University facilities.
5. Allegations following withdrawal. Violations reported after a student withdraws from the University or after a grade has been given for a course will result in the grade reverting to an Incomplete (INC). A notation will be placed on the student’s academic record that an academic dishonesty case is pending. The student will have the right to a hearing before the Academic Integrity Board as outlined in this policy.6. Revocation of degree. Violations reported within a year of graduation may result in revocation of the student’s diploma. The grade given for the course in which the allegation has been made will revert to an incomplete (INC) and a notation will be placed on the student’s academic record that an academic dishonesty case is pending. The student will have the right to a hearing before the Academic Integrity Board as outlined in this policy.
G. Appeals
1. Right to Appeal. A decision reached by the Academic Integrity Board may be appealed by the Accused Student. Appeals shall be in writing on the Appeal Form obtained from the Dean of Students’ Office and shall be delivered to the Dean of Students’ Office within five (5) working days of the date of receipt of the original written decision. If no appeal is made within the prescribed time period, the original decision of the Academic Integrity Board shall be final, conclusive, and effective immediately.
2. Criteria for appeal. Appeals of decisions reached by the Academic Integrity Board will be forwarded to the Office of the Provost and shall be limited to a review of the verbatim record of the Academic Integrity Board Hearing and supporting documents for one or more of the following purposes:a. Fair process. To determine whether the AIB Hearing was conducted fairly in light of the charges and information presented, and in conformity with prescribed procedures giving the complaining party a reasonable opportunity to prepare and to present information that the Academic Integrity Policy was violated, and giving the Accused Student a reasonable opportunity to prepare and to present a response to those allegations. Deviations from designated procedures will not be a basis per se for sustaining an appeal unless the Provost or his/her designee determines that significant prejudice resulted from such deviation.
b. Factual basis. To determine whether the decision reached regarding the Accused Student was based on substantial information, that is, whether there were facts in the case that, if believed by the fact finder, were sufficient to establish that a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy occurred.
c. Appropriateness of sanction. To determine whether the sanction(s) imposed were appropriate for the violation of the Academic Integrity Policy which the student was found to have committed.d. New evidence. To consider new information, sufficient to alter a decision or other relevant facts not brought out in the original hearing, because such information and/or facts were not known or available to the person appealing at the time of the original AIB hearing.
3. Acting on the appeal. If an appeal is upheld by the Provost or his/her designee,
a) (Remand) the matter may be returned to the Academic Integrity Board and Student Conduct Administrator for re-opening of AIB Hearing to allow reconsideration of the original determination and/or sanction(s), orb) (Revise) the Provost or his/her designee may overturn or revise the original decision. If an appeal is not upheld, the matter shall be considered final and binding upon all involved. The Provost or designee will communicate this decision in writing to the Dean of Students, the Student Conduct Administrator, and the parties to the case.
H. Maintenance of Records
Records of academic dishonesty cases will be considered disciplinary records and will be maintained in the Office of the Dean of Students. Academic dishonesty records containing only one minor academic dishonesty violation, will be expunged from the student’s record upon graduation. Academic dishonesty records containing more than one minor violation and all major violations will be kept on file for a minimum period of seven (7) years from the date the student leaves the University. Records of suspension or expulsion shall be retained indefinitely.
Acknowledgments
This policy has been adapted from the Code of Academic Integrity and Acknowledging the Work of Others, prepared by the Office of the Dean of Faculty, Cornell University and used with permission; Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures at Sacred Heart University, WPI, William Paterson College and A Model Code of Academic Integrity by Gary Pavela.
i Pavela, G. (1997) Applying the power of association on campus: A model code of academic integrity. Journal of College and University Law, 24(1), pp 9 et seq. [journal online] available from http://www.jpo.umd.edu/docs/toomuch2_wrk.pdf; Internet; accessed 30 January 2007.]
ii Pavela, page 11
iii Pavela, page 10
iv Pavela, page 10
v As defined in the Code of Conduct found in the Student Handbook.