Academic Integrity

Student Academic Integrity

University of Minnesota , Morris

Policies and Procedures of the UMM Committee on Academic Integrity
(a sub-committee of the UMM Scholastic Committee)

Adopted by the UMM Campus Assembly, October 15, 1979. Procedures updated by the Scholastic Committee and reviewed by Campus Assembly, March 30, 2004; Nov 28, 2007; Apr 22, 2008.

Scholastic honesty is of fundamental importance to the functioning of any community of scholars. Although the pursuit of knowledge is always a communal project, individual academic achievement must be the result of a person's own efforts and abilities. Members of an academic community are responsible for their own personal and academic development and for fostering an academic climate in which all members draw from and give back to the community. The University is charged with implementing those policies which will help bring about such an academic climate. However, the ultimate responsibility for creating a community of scholars, in which mutual self-respect flourishes, lies with the individual members of the community. Each member must, therefore, act according to the highest standards of academic honesty.

Academic honesty entails producing original work, accurately attributing authorship, and acknowledging the work of others, including the work of collaborators, when appropriate. Academic honesty extends to behavior that supports the academic honesty of others. The integrity of an academic community demands that students and faculty alike display honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility.

Recognizing its responsibility to assist in the attainment of such a climate, the Board of Regents adopted a Student Conduct Code. Section V of the Statement lists offenses which are punishable by the University. Two of them speak directly about academic integrity:

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; or altering, forging, or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying of data, research procedures, or data analysis.

18. PERSISTENT VIOLATIONS Persistent violations means engaging in repeated conduct or action in violation of this Code.

This same Statement charges each college of the University with responsibility for establishing specific policies and procedures to ensure academic integrity.

PROCEDURES

The maintenance of academic integrity is a joint student and faculty responsibility. The policies in this statement apply to all academic work pursued at the University, including work submitted to fulfill course requirements (both in- and out-of-class work), as well as independent academic endeavors. These include but are not limited to in-class examinations, quizzes, tests, laboratory tests, reports, laboratory reports, "take-home" examinations, research projects, papers, art work, internships, and assistantships.

It is incumbent upon course instructors assigning work to be submitted in fulfillment of course requirements to explain, either verbally or in the course syllabus, what constitutes academic dishonesty and plagiarism. Any special conventions regarding quotation, paraphrasing, footnoting, use of outside materials, collaboration, and related matters shall be carefully explained by the instructor.

The following sections specify procedures for addressing academic integrity violations, including securing evidence of violations, reporting violations, and adjudicating disputes about academic integrity. These procedures are designed to secure both the rights of students to due process, as well as the authority of faculty members and university administrators to enforce standards of academic integrity.

1.0. Violations

1.1. Should academic dishonesty be evident to the proctor during the course of an in-class examination, quiz, test, or laboratory tests, it shall be the prerogative of the instructor or proctor to remove the papers of those students giving or receiving aid and also to confiscate as evidence any device designed to supply relevant information which are in the possession of students. Actions taken by proctors who are not the instructor shall be limited to the confiscation of papers and/ or the confiscation of the above described devices. Only the course instructor may take any substantive action.

1.2. A student may become aware that another student is violating academic integrity. Any such incidents shall be reported immediately to the instructor as soon as possible.

1.3. Student proctors should maintain the highest possible level of integrity. Students who believe that student proctors are not fulfilling their responsibilities should discuss the matter with the course instructor. Should the course instructor or student(s) feel that the situation warrants, he or she may refer the matter to the Committee on Academic Integrity for review and possible action.

1.4. The decision whether to proctor or not shall be left to the discretion of the individual instructor, although a student may request proctoring. The proctor may be (1) the instructor with or without the assistance of others, or (2) a person or persons chosen by the instructor. As a general rule, proctoring shall not be wholly delegated except in the case of the unavoidable absence of the instructor from the campus.

1.5. Where there is evidence of academic dishonesty and, in particular, plagiarism on work done out of class, the instructor shall confiscate, as evidence, any appropriate materials.

1.6. Where there is evidence of academic dishonesty on work completed outside of a course setting, including but not limited to independent study/research, creative projects, internships, and collaborative projects, the supervisor shall confiscate, as evidence, any appropriate materials.

2.0. Resolutions

2.1. Questions of academic dishonesty should be settled directly by the instructor and student(s) involved. The instructor should meet with the student(s) involved and, after informing the student(s) of the allegation and supporting evidence, attempt, in a timely manner, to reach agreement regarding the veracity of the charges and whether a penalty is to be levied. If a decision is reached by the instructor that academic dishonesty occurred, the instructor should prepare and submit a written report to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs within two weeks of becoming aware of the offense. Reports should include the date of the violation, the class in which the alleged violation occurred, the nature of the alleged violation, evidence to support the violation, the name(s) of student(s), instructor(s), and proctor(s) involved and the penalties imposed. If the student(s) receives the penalty of an “F” grade in the course, the student(s) cannot withdraw from the course. The Vice Chancellor will provide the student with a copy of the report. The student is considered guilty if he/she does not contest the instructor's accusations. These reports will be maintained in a confidential University file. Through this process, repeat offenders will be identified. The student may, if they wish, submit a written statement regarding their position on the matter. The statement does not have bearing on the finding but provides a means for students to document their perspective. This statement will be maintained in the confidential file with the report.

2.2 If an instructor becomes aware that a student in a course has collaborated in academic dishonesty with a student who is not a member of that course, the instructor should prepare and submit a written report to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs within two weeks of becoming aware of the offense, presenting the details of the incident (as above in 2.1). The Vice Chancellor will consider the charge in consultation with the Secretary of the Student Behavior Committee and the Secretary of the Scholastic Committee. The Vice Chancellor will provide the student with a copy of the report. The student is considered guilty if he/she does not contest the instructor's accusations. These reports will be maintained in a confidential University file. Through this process, repeat offenders will be identified. The student may, if they wish, submit a written statement regarding their position on the matter.  The statement does not have bearing on the finding but provides a means for students to document their perspective.  This statement will be maintained in the confidential file with the report.

If a violation of academic integrity is determined, the sanction for the student who is not a course member will be determined by the VCSA, the Chair and Secretary of the Student Behavior Committee and the Chair and Secretary of the Scholastic Committee. In addition, the student may be referred to the Student Behavior Committee if there are additional student conduct code violations.

2.3. If a satisfactory resolution between the student(s) and the instructor cannot be reached, or if the student contests the accusation and/or action of the instructor (or other concerned parties as above in 2.2), the matter may be referred by any of the parties to the Committee on Academic Integrity for resolution. All referrals shall be in the form of a written report submitted to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs within two weeks of the student being informed of the proposed penalties. Reports shall include the date of the violation, the class in which the alleged violation occurred, the nature of the alleged violation, the name(s) of student(s), instructor(s), and proctor(s) involved. All reports from either instructors or students shall carefully specify why the matter is being referred to the Committee on Academic Integrity, including the nature of the disagreement regarding any action taken or contemplated. The Committee shall provide instructors with a copy of reports from students, and students will receive the instructor's or other parties' report. Instructors and students may, if they wish, submit to the Committee an additional written statement regarding their position on the matter. All such written statements, whether from instructors or students, shall be maintained with the original reports.

2.4. The Committee shall review the report or reports brought before it, collect evidence bearing on the case, interview witnesses, summon all persons who are parties to the case, hear views from all sides, and determine all facts relevant to the case. The hearings of the Committee shall follow standard University procedures designed to guarantee the rights of the accused to a fair and impartial hearing and to prompt action leading to a disposition of the alleged violations. If requested to determine the guilt of or innocence of students charged with violations of academic integrity, the Committee shall in closed deliberative session attempt to make such a determination based upon a preponderance of evidence . After a determination has been made, the Committee will recommend an appropriate course of action to the instructor. The Committee may impose sanctions as defined in the Student Conduct Code. The Committee shall report all decisions to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is responsible for ensuring timely action on the matter.

2.5. A student who is identified as a repeat offender shall be summoned to appear before the Committee on Academic Integrity. A repeat offender is defined as any student who is guilty of two or more violations of academic integrity while a student at UMM. The student is considered guilty if he/she does not contest the instructor's accusations or if the Committee finds him/her in breach of academic integrity. The Committee shall collect all available evidence bearing upon the violations of this student and may impose sanctions as defined in the Student Conduct Code . The Committee shall report all decisions to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is responsible for ensuring timely action on the matter.

3.0. Appeals