University of Minnesota Duluth

Student Academic Integrity Policy

 

Introduction

 

Academic dishonesty tarnishes UMD’s reputation and discredits the accomplishments of students.  UMD is committed to providing students every possible opportunity to grow in mind and spirit. This pledge can only be redeemed in an environment of trust, honesty, and fairness. As a result, academic dishonesty is regarded as a serious offense by all members of the academic community.  All faculty, staff, and students are expected to participate in maintaining the highest levels of academic integrity.  

 

Scope and Purpose

  1. This policy addresses violations of academic integrity by one or more members of the UMD student academic community. It provides for handling of violations of the UMD Academic Integrity Policy and also determines multiple offenders.
  2. This policy does not apply to complaints brought by students regarding the University’s provision of education and academic services affecting their role as students.  The UMD Student Academic Grievance Policy covers such claims.
  3. This policy is consistent with the Board of Regents policy adopted June 13, 2003, dealing with Student Conduct Code. “(1) Scholastic Dishonesty:  Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards or professional endorsement; altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying of data, research procedures, or data analysis.”

 

Prohibited Conduct

 

All forms of academic dishonesty are prohibited, including (but not limited to):

 

•      submission of false records of academic achievement

•      cheating on assignments or examinations

•      submitting sentences or ideas as your own without proper acknowledgment or citation (plagiarizing)

•      altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record or forging the signature of any member of the University community

•      taking, acquiring, using, or circulating test materials without faculty permission

•      acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement

•      facilitating academic dishonesty by knowingly assisting another student to violate the Student Academic Integrity Policy, such as providing course work for another student to turn in as his or her own effort or taking an exam for another student

•      presenting as one’s own a plot, succession of ideas, or list/outline of another without proper acknowledgment

•      attending a class, completing an assignment, or taking a quiz/test in the name of another student

•      altering or viewing computer records, dispensing or releasing information gained via unauthorized access, modifying computer programs or systems, or interfering with the use or availability of computer systems or information (refer to UMD policy)

•      purchasing or otherwise presenting work as your own when it was done by another person

•      submitting the same paper or work (or generally similar papers or work) to meet the requirements of more than one course without the approval and consent of faculty

•      depriving another student of necessary study or research materials or in any way impeding another student’s work and pursuit of education

•      submitting falsified data, such as bibliographic resources and experimental data or altering graded academic work/quizzes/tests and resubmitting them in order to get a higher grade

•       use of electronic devices for the unauthorized assistance in academic work, quizzes, or tests

 

Procedure for Handling Violations

 

1.  Upon a suspected violation of this policy, the faculty member will meet with the student about the violation.  If the faculty member decides to take action and impose a sanction, the violation must be directly reported to the UMD academic integrity officer in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Support and Student Life using the Report of Academic Dishonesty form.  When a faculty member determines a student has violated the Student Academic Integrity Policy, the faculty member is responsible for imposing the sanction.

 

2.   If the student refuses to meet or disagrees with the faculty member, the faculty member completes the Report of Academic Dishonesty form and forwards it to the academic integrity officer, who mails a copy to the student.  A student who disagrees with the allegations may appeal the case through UMD’s Academic Grievance Policy.  To begin the appeal process, the student has ten working days from the date on the Report of Academic Dishonesty to schedule a meeting with the department head.  If the faculty member is the department head, the student needs to schedule the meeting with the assistant/associate dean of the college.

 

3.   If the student disagrees with the academic integrity officer’s sanction, the case will go before the Student Behavior Judiciary Committee for a formal hearing.  The student has ten working days from the date of the sanction letter to make a written request to the academic integrity officer for a formal hearing.  This applies to multiple-offense cases in the conduct-code process.

 

4.   Following are possible sanctions from faculty members and the academic integrity officer.

 

       Faculty-member sanctions

·        additional work

·        grade reduction on an assignment/quiz/test, including an F

·        grade reduction in the class, including an F

·        re-examination

·        other sanctions deemed appropriate by faculty member

Faculty members are not required to notify the department head. 

 

      First-offense sanctions by UMD academic integrity officer

·        Except in severe cases, the academic integrity officer does not impose additional sanctions for first offenses.

 

       Second-offense sanctions by UMD academic integrity officer

       (in addition to the sanctions imposed by the faculty members)

·        permanent expulsion from UMD may occur

·        warning/reprimand

·        withdrawal of University funding

·        suspension from UMD for a given period of time

·        other sanctions deemed appropriate by academic integrity officer

 

       Third-offense sanction

·         in most cases, permanent expulsion from UMD by the academic integrity officer

 

Timelines

 

1.      The faculty member must request a meeting with the student within ten working days of becoming aware of the offense.

2.      All reports of academic dishonesty should be filed by the faculty member within ten working days of imposing the sanction.

3.      A student who disagrees with the faculty member’s sanction has ten working days from the date on the Report of Academic Dishonesty to begin the grievance process.

4.      For multiple-offense cases, the academic integrity officer will request a meeting with a student within five working days from the date on the officer’s initial letter.

5.      A student who disagrees with the academic integrity officer’s sanctions has ten working days from the date on the sanction letter to request a formal hearing.  This request must be made in writing to the academic integrity officer.

 

Any of these timelines may be adjusted by mutual consent.

 

Role of the Academic Integrity Officer

 

All reports of academic dishonesty, along with copies of the evidence to support the sanction, must be filed with the academic integrity officer in 297 Darland Administration Building.  The academic integrity officer sends a letter to the student restating the faculty member’s sanction and to acknowledge receipt of the Report of Academic Dishonesty.  The academic integrity officer may make further sanctions based on multiple offenses of misconduct, harm done to the University, and/or harm done to other students.  In cases of multiple offenses of misconduct, the academic integrity officer will request a meeting via letter and will include a statement of student rights.  Failure to meet with the academic integrity officer results in a hold placed on the student’s record that prohibits the student from registering for classes and receiving official transcripts. Records of academic dishonesty will be maintained in this office for seven years in accordance to UMD policy.

 

Confidentiality

 

Materials, circumstances, and names relating to the alleged incident are confidential. All other University policies apply.

 

 

This policy was approved by the UMD Campus Assembly on April 12, 2005.

 

The University of Minnesota Duluth is an equal opportunity educator and employer.