Academic Integrity Policy

Download as PDF

Jump to section

Academic Integrity Policy

“As an academic community, Carroll College affirms its commitment to the principle of freedom of inquiry in the process of investigating, understanding, critically reflecting upon, and finally judging reality and truth in all fields of human knowledge. As value-oriented, Carroll College is committed to and deeply involved in the further dimension of free deliberation and decision making regarding values and personal commitment. Each student at Carroll, through personal and institutional means, is exposed to value systems with which one can readily identify, including secular values such as the worth of work and the use of the intellect, humanistic values centering on the uniqueness and dignity of the person, and religious and moral values concerned with one’s relationship to God, self, and others.” Carroll College Mission Statement

As contributing members of the Carroll learning community, students at Carroll College are expected to have high standards of integrity. Any student who cheats or plagiarizes on examinations or assignments, falsifies college records, or fails to give requested academic information on official documents is subject to dismissal or other appropriate disciplinary action by the College. All students of the college are expected to understand and follow the standard outlined in Article V: Expectations for Student Conduct of the Carroll Code of Student Conduct which states:

“Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in Article VI:

  1. Acts of dishonesty, including but not limited to the following:
    1. Cheating, plagiarism, or other forms of academic dishonesty.
    2. Furnishing false information to any College official, faculty member, or office.
    3. Forgery, alteration, or misuse of any College document, record or instrument of identification.”

(Carroll College Student Handbook)

Ignorance of the code is not a valid reason for committing an act of academic dishonesty. Students should realize that their actions may affect other students. In general, students may not obstruct or interfere with other students’ academic work or otherwise undertake an activity with the purpose of creating or obtaining an unfair academic advantage over other students. Each of the following behaviors, including any attempt to engage in any of the behaviors, violates the high standards of academic integrity and is thus prohibited.

1. Plagiarism

The term “plagiarism” includes, but is not limited to, the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. Plagiarism may range from isolated formulas, sentences, or paragraphs to entire articles copied from books, periodicals, web sites, speeches, or the writings of other students. Honesty requires that any work or materials taken from another source for either written or oral use must be acknowledged. Any student who fails to give credit for ideas or materials obtained from another source is guilty of plagiarism. Plagiarism, in any of its forms, and whether intentional or unintentional, violates standards of academic integrity. Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:

  • Direct quotation of any source material whether published or unpublished without giving proper credit through the use of quotation marks, footnotes and other customary means of identifying sources.
  • Paraphrasing another person’s ideas, opinions, or theories from books, articles, web sites, etc., without identifying and crediting sources.
  • Borrowing facts, statistics, graphs, diagrams, photographs, or other illustrative or visual materials that are not clearly common knowledge without identifying and crediting sources.
  • Copying another student’s essay test answers or submitting papers written by another person or persons. This includes 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.
  • Buying or selling, or exchanging term papers, examinations, or other written assignments, or any part of them.
  • Offering false, fabricated, or fictitious sources for papers, reports, or other assignments.

2. Cheating

The term “cheating” includes, but is not limited to: (1) use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations; (2) use of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; (3) the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the College faculty or staff; (4) engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or additional written documentation, or, if using the Academic Resource Center testing service, prohibited by the rules of the testing service.

3. Duplicate Submission of the Same Work

Submitting the same work, or parts of the same work, on more than one occasion for academic credit without full citation and prior permission from the instructor(s).

4. False Information and Lying

This includes consciously furnishing false information to other students, faculty members, advisors, staff and administrators of the college offices with the intent to mislead. Instances would include but are not limited to misrepresenting activity outside of the classroom (reports on field work, internships, etc.) or improperly seeking special consideration or privilege (e.g., for postponement of an examination or assignment deadline, etc.).

5. Falsifying Academic Documentation and Forgery

This includes any attempt to forge or alter academic documentation (including transcripts, letters of recommendation, certificates of enrollment or good standing, registration forms, drop/add forms, withdrawal forms, and medical certification of absence) or to falsify other writing in academic matters (e.g., any documentation provided to instructors) concerning oneself or others.

6. Theft, Abuse and Destruction of Academic Property

This comprises unauthorized removal, retention, mutilation or destruction of common property of the college that deprives others of equal access to these materials. Such property includes but is not limited to library materials, laboratory materials, computers and computer software, etc. The theft, mutilation or destruction of another student’s academic work, including books, notes, computer programs, papers, reports, laboratory experiments, etc. also falls under this type of violation. This also Includes making copies of another student’s files without that student’s permission, even if the original files are not destroyed in the process.

7. Unauthorized Use of Technology

The unauthorized use of computers or the college’s computer network (e.g., the unauthorized use of software, access codes, computing accounts, electronic mail and files) or other electronic devices (cell phones, calculators, personal digital assistants, pagers, etc.) when completing course assignments or examinations is prohibited.

Unauthorized video or audio recording is not permitted during class unless the student obtains permission from the instructor. If permission is granted, any distribution of the recording is prohibited. Exceptions include students with recording accommodations approved by the Director of Accessibility & Testing Services. The instructor must be notified of accommodations prior to recording and any distribution of such recordings is prohibited.

Use of AI must be in accordance with guidance in the faculty syllabus. Any use of AI that contradicts any guidance in the course syllabus will be considered an academic integrity violation.

8. Aiding and Abetting Academic Dishonesty

This includes intentionally: (a) providing material, information, or other assistance to another person with knowledge that such aid would likely be used to commit any of the proscribed acts noted above; or (b) providing false information in connection with any inquiry regarding academic integrity.

Procedures for Adjudicating Violations of the Code of Academic Integrity

Initial Procedure

When possible, the course instructor shall meet with the student to discuss the suspected incident of academic dishonesty. The student will be informed of the instructor’s concerns and provided an opportunity to respond to the allegations.

If the instructor is unable to meet with the student, the instructor shall notify the student of the concerns via College email, and the student will be given an opportunity to respond electronically.

If the alleged incident occurs while the student is using academic support services and/or testing services, the College employee (including a student proctor or other employee) who witnesses or is involved in the incident must report the suspicion to the course instructor within 24 hours. The course instructor will then follow the procedure outlined above.

Determination and Sanction

The course instructor will determine whether the student has violated the Code of Academic Integrity and, if so, assign an appropriate sanction. The determination of responsibility shall be based on the facts of the incident and whether it is more likely than not that the student is responsible for the alleged violation(s).

If a sanction is imposed, the instructor shall file a Notification of Academic Dishonesty form with the Office of the Registrar. Forms are available through the Registrar’s Office and the Public Folders on MyCarroll. The form, imposed sanction, and all supporting documentation become part of the Academic Misconduct file.

Notification of Decision

The Registrar shall provide written notification of the instructor’s decision and sanction to the student, normally within seven business days after receipt of the Notification of Academic Dishonesty form.

Business days exclude days when the College is officially closed, defined as days when no classes are held and College offices are not open.

The student’s academic advisor(s) and, if applicable, athletic coaches, College-sponsored activity advisors, and the Athletic Director will be copied on the notification.

Possible Sanctions

Sanctions may include, but are not limited to:

  • Written Warning: Formal notice that the student has violated the Code of Academic Integrity
  • Grade Reduction or Course Failure: If a grade of “F” is assigned prior to the withdrawal deadline, the student will be notified that withdrawal with a “W” is not permitted
  • Other Sanctions: Additional academic work, community service, participation in educational programs, or other discretionary assignments

After consultation with the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs (AVPAA):

  • Academic disciplinary probation for one or more semesters, with transcript notation:
    “Probation: Academic Integrity Violation”
  • Suspension for one semester, with transcript notation:
    “Suspension: Academic Integrity Violation
  • Dismissal from the College, with transcript notation:
    “Dismissal: Academic Integrity Violation” 

Records and Prior Violations

The Academic Misconduct file is confidential and maintained separately from the student’s permanent academic record.

  • First violations are maintained in the confidential Academic Misconduct file
  • Second or subsequent violations are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may become part of the permanent academic record if sufficiently serious.

A course instructor may consult the Registrar regarding a student’s prior academic integrity record. Sanctions for subsequent violations shall increase in severity.

If multiple violations are discovered simultaneously (e.g., plagiarism in multiple assignments), the instructor may treat them as separate offenses and impose sanctions accordingly.

Ignorance of the Code does not affect the sanctions imposed.

If the alleged incident occurs within academic support or testing services, the witnessing employee must immediately file a formal report with the department director, course instructor, and Registrar.

Appeal Procedure

Advisor Assistance

During the appeal process, the student and the faculty or staff member may be assisted by an advisor of their choosing, at their own expense. Advisors may not participate directly in meetings, hearings, or deliberations.

Appeal Timelines

The following timelines apply to all academic integrity appeals and responses:

  • Initial appeal: Must be submitted within 15 business days of official notification.
  • Faculty or administrative response: Issued within 7 business days of receipt.
  • Student response: Due within 7 business days of receiving a response.
  • Each subsequent response must be submitted within 7 business days.

Business days exclude days when the College is closed, defined as days when no classes are held and offices are not open.

Appeal Review Steps

Step 1: Department Chair or AVPAA Designee Review

The student may request written review by the Department Chair, or by a designee of the AVPAA if the faculty member is the Department Chair. The Chair or designee will confer with the student and faculty member and issue a written decision within 7 business days of completing the review.

The decision may uphold, modify, or replace the original sanction and must be filed with the Registrar in the Academic Misconduct file.

Step 2: Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Review

If unresolved, either party may submit a written appeal to the AVPAA within 7 business days of receipt of the Step 1 decision.

The AVPAA will meet or confer with the parties and issue a written decision within 7 business days of the final meeting or review. The decision will be delivered electronically, by mail, or in person and filed with the Registrar.

Step 3: Academic Integrity Grievance Committee

If either party is dissatisfied with the AVPAA decision, a written appeal may be submitted to the AVPAA within 7 business days.

The AVPAA will initiate formation of an Academic Integrity Grievance Committee within 7 business days, including inviting written responses from non-appealing parties.

Committee Composition

The committee consists of five members:

  • Three tenured faculty members (selected as outlined in the original policy)
  • Two full-time students (selected as outlined in the original policy)

The AVPAA appoints a faculty chair, who is responsible for scheduling hearings, distributing materials, maintaining records, and reporting the committee’s decision.

The committee will meet within 7 business days of appointment, review all materials, and may request additional information or appearances.

The committee shall issue a written decision by simple majority vote within 7 business days of completing its review. The decision is final and does not preclude outside legal action.

Waivers

Any step of this grievance policy, and the time frames in the procedure, may be waived upon written agreements of all parties. The written agreement shall become a permanent part of the Academic Misconduct file.

Burden of Proof

The determination of responsibility shall be based upon the facts of the incident and whether it is more likely than not that the student is responsible for the alleged violation(s).

Confidentiality

All information and discussion of the case is confidential and must remain within the committee and the parties to the grievance.

Formal Appeal Resolution

An appeal is resolved when:

  1. The complainant requests in writing that the appeal be withdrawn, or
  2. When both parties sign a statement that a resolution has been achieved, or
  3. The student or other party with a right of appeal fails to advance the appeal in the required time frames, or
  4. The final step of the formal grievance procedure is completed.

Records

Upon final resolution, all records relating to the appeal shall be forwarded to the Associate Academic Dean, who shall instruct the Registrar to maintain these records in the Academic Misconduct file. All Notification of Academic Dishonesty forms and proceedings records shall be maintained confidentially in the Academic Misconduct file until seven years after the responsible student graduates or permanently separates from Carroll College. In cases where notation on the official transcript, suspension, or expulsion is imposed, the file shall be retained as part of the student’s permanent academic record.

Portions of this policy were adapted with permission from Canisius College.