Cheating & Plagiarism
The following policies and procedures concerning cheating and plagiarism are printed in this form for the information of all students. The gaining of knowledge and the practice of honesty go hand-in-hand. The importance of knowledge properly gained is emphasized by the grading system. The importance of honesty, fully practiced, is emphasized by these rules against cheating and plagiarism.
An act of cheating or plagiarism in any degree subjects a student to disciplinary procedures listed below.
Cheating Defined:
Dishonesty of any kind on examinations and written assignments, illegal possession of examinations, possessing crib notes during an examination (whether used or not), illegally obtaining information during an examination from the examination paper or from another student, assisting others to cheat, alteration of grade records, and illegal entry or presence in any office are instances of cheating. Complete honesty is required of the student in the presentation of any and all phases of course work as his/her own. This applies to examinations of any length; daily homework, written reports, and quizzes; papers and any documentation for those papers; and all other coursework where the student is assumed to be doing his/her own work.Plagiarism Defined:
Offering the work of another, as one’s own without proper acknowledgment is plagiarism. Therefore, any student who fails to give appropriate credit for ideas or material he/she takes from another, whether a fellow student or a resource writer, is guilty of plagiarism.
Procedure for Discipline of Cheating and Plagiarism:
The responsibility and authority of initiating discipline arising from violations of the rules against dishonesty during the process of the course are vested in the professor of that course.Penalty:
If, in the judgment of the professor, cheating or plagiarism has occurred, the penalty assessed could be a grade of F in the course. Also, students should understand that offenses of cheating may subject the offenders to disciplinary action. The professor may recommend that the disciplinary action include suspension from the College. The professor will notify the student of his/her decision concerning the student’s grade and whether further disciplinary action is recommended before filing the report as indicated below. Should the professor recommend suspension of the student, the vice president of instruction has the responsibility and authority to determine whether the student will be suspended.
Filing Report:
In every instance, the professor will prepare a report indicating the nature of the cheating/plagiarism incident and the student’s grade in the course. If the professor judges it appropriate to suspend the student from the College, the report will include this recommendation. The professor will retain one copy and send three copies to the vice president of instruction. The vice president of instruction will place one copy in a special file and will forward one copy to the chairman of the Discipline Committee and the other to the president of the campus.
Student May File Statement:
The student has the opportunity to make a written declaration on his/her behalf. Copies of this declaration, which is construed not as an appeal, but for information only, will be filed with the vice president of instruction and the chairman of the Discipline Committee. The student may file an appeal of the decision of the professor to the chairman of the Discipline Committee.
The rules and regulations are intended to be simple, clear, and definite. They protect the honest student against unfair competition for high grades and emphasize, to the relatively few students who need it, that the College will not recognize course credit which is dishonestly earned.