Policy on Academic Misconduct

At Central Connecticut State University we value personal integrity as fundamental to our interactions with each other. We believe that one of the purposes of a University education is for students to learn to think critically, to develop evaluative skills, and to express their own opinions and voices. We place special weight on academic honesty in all of our intellectual pursuits because it is a value that is fundamental to academic life and scholarly practice. All members of the University community are obligated to uphold high standards of academic honesty in their scholarship and learning. Therefore, we expect students to take personal responsibility for their intellectual work and to respect and acknowledge the ideas of others.  Academic honesty means doing one’s own work and giving proper credit to others whose work and thought one may draw upon. It is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with what constitutes academic dishonesty and plagiarism and to avoid all forms of cheating and plagiarism.

The CSU code of conduct, Guidelines for Student Rights and Responsibilities and Judicial Procedures, defines academic misconduct as including, but “…not limited to providing or receiving assistance in a manner not authorized by the instructor in the creation of work to be submitted for academic evaluation including papers, projects, and examinations (cheating); and presenting, as one’s own, the ideas or words of another person or persons for academic evaluation without proper acknowledgement (plagiarism).” 

Cheating may take many forms. It includes, but is not limited to, the following actions, unless explicitly authorized by the instructor:

Exams

•  Copying from another person’s paper or receiving unauthorized aid from another person during an
   examination;

•  Use of unauthorized materials or devices during an examination or any other form of academic evaluation
   and grading; e.g., use of signals, notes, books, or calculators during an examination when the instructor
   has not approved their use;

•  Knowingly allowing another person to copy from one’s paper during an examination.

Improper Behavior

•  Use of another person as a substitute in any form of academic evaluation or acting as a substitute for
   another person in any form of academic evaluation; e.g., a student cannot have another person take an
   examination for him/her;

•  Acquisition or distribution of improperly acquired examinations; e.g., stealing examinations before the
    test period or taking a copy of an examination from a testing room without the permission of the
    instructor (examinations which have been distributed by an instructor are legitimate study tools);

•  Submission of another’s material as one’s own for academic evaluation;

•  Preparation of work for another student to submit for academic evaluation;

•  Unauthorized collaboration in the preparation of materials to be submitted for academic evaluation; e.g.,
   working with another student on an assignment when the instructor has not authorized working together;

•  Submission of the same work, or substantially similar work, in more than one course without prior
   consent of the evaluating instructor(s);

•  Disruption in classroom, lab, or research and study areas; any conduct or actions that grossly or
   persistently interferes with the academic process. (See the CSU, Rights and Responsibilities, “Proscribed
   Conduct,” No. 7, CCSU Student Handbook.)

Falsification or Misuse of Academic Information

•  Falsification or misrepresentation of one’s own academic record or that of anyone else; e.g., altering a
   transcript for admission, hacking into the University’s computer system and changing a grade, having
   another student take an examination in one’s place, signing someone else’s name to an attendance sheet.

•  Unauthorized use of information in University computer records or the computer files of other students
   (see Computer Use Policy);

•  Using unauthorized materials or fabricated data in an academic exercise; e.g., falsifying data in a research
   paper or laboratory activity; conducting research on human or animal subjects without review by the
   appropriate panel or supervisor.

Plagiarism

•  Copying sentences, phrases, paragraphs, tables, figures, or data directly or in slightly modified form from
   a book, article, or other academic source without using quotation marks or giving proper acknowledgment
   to the original author or source.

•  Copying information from Internet Web sites and submitting it as one’s own work;

•  Buying papers for the purpose of turning them in as one’s own work;

•  Selling or lending of papers for the purpose of violating academic honesty policies. (This may also be an
   academic crime, see Connecticut General Statutes, §53-392a.)

Understanding Plagiarism

Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work without acknowledgements, whether in the same or in slightly modified form. In academic practice this is regarded as theft, intended to gain undeserved credit. Like other forms of academic dishonesty, plagiarism is cheating. To academicians, a well-documented paper is more impressive than one which arouses the suspicion of a reader familiar with the student’s work and alert to echoes from other writers. The proper use of outside sources does not necessarily mean that a paper is lacking in originality, nor does the presence of quotation marks in the text. In fact, the purpose of research and documentation is to share useful information with the reader. The penalties for plagiarism greatly exceed the unlikely reward of gaining credit by getting away with it. Students must be careful to avoid plagiarism and are responsible for learning how to present the ideas of others in their own work. For current documentation practice, consult the instructor and a style manual. When material is borrowed from another person, the source must be indicated. There are three ways in which another writer’s material may appear:

1.  By putting quotation marks around short passages borrowed verbatim (word for word); or by setting off
     from the text, without quotation marks, for longer quotations.

2.  By précis; condensing part of a writer’s argument.

3.  By paraphrase: interpretation of a writer’s ideas.

All three must be acknowledged either in footnotes or informally in the text.

Consequences of Academic Misconduct

•  There are significant consequences when an undergraduate student engages in academic misconduct. 

•  In each case the faculty member will initiate a conference with the student, after which the faculty member
   who believes that misconduct has occurred must complete a University Academic Misconduct Report,
   which is the record of a faculty member’s determination that the student identified in this report has
   engaged in academic misconduct. The content of a University Academic Misconduct Report shall include all
   items indicated in the form attached to this Policy.

•  A copy of each University Academic Misconduct Report will be sent to the student, the Department
   chairperson, the Dean’s office, and the University Judicial Officer. 

•  Upon receipt of the University Academic Misconduct Report, the University Judicial Officer, in consultation
   with the faculty member, may initiate disciplinary proceedings, which may result in sanctions, including
   disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University.

•  When a faculty member determines that a student has engaged in Academic Misconduct the student shall
    be required to complete the Academic Integrity Workshop.

•  The sanctions for academic misconduct available to a faculty member include any or all of the following: 

1.  A grade of “F” for the course.
2.  A grade of “F” for the material being evaluated.
3.  A reduced grade for the material being evaluated.
4.  The assigning of additional course work.

When Undergraduate Students are Suspected of Academic Misconduct

1.  When a faculty member reasonably believes that there is sufficient information to demonstrate that a student may have engaged in Academic Misconduct:

a.  The faculty member will discuss the incident with the student, in the presence of the
     department chair if the faculty member or student so desires. 

b.  At this time the faculty member shall outline the possible penalties specified in the CCSU
     Student Handbook. 

c.  The faculty member will indicate that the matter may be referred to the University Judicial
     Officer for possible disciplinary action.

2.  Based on the available documentation, the response offered by the student, if any, and any other relevant information:

a.  The faculty member will, within a reasonable period of time, reach a determination whether
     the student has engaged in Academic Misconduct. 

b.  Should the faculty member determine that Academic Misconduct has occurred, the faculty
     member shall retain evidence of the said misconduct.

3.  If the faculty member determines that Academic Misconduct has not occurred, no University Academic Misconduct Report need be prepared.

4.  If the faculty member determines that Academic Misconduct has occurred, the faculty member shall:

a.  Impose an academic sanction.

b.  Prepare and forward a University Academic Misconduct Report indicating the determination
     reached and sanctions imposed. 

c.  Direct the student to attend the Academic Integrity Workshop at the Learning Center. 

d.  Prior to making any determinations, a faculty member may consult with the Learning Center
     and/or the University Judicial Officer to determine whether the student has already attended
     the Academic Integrity Workshop. 

5.  The faculty member

a.  Shall inform the student that additional University Academic Misconduct Reports may result in
     more severe penalties.

b.  May also contact the University Judicial Officer regarding additional University disciplinary
     actions, which may include probation, suspension, or expulsion.

6.  In accordance with the “Student Records and Disclosure Policy,” “Data from academic, disciplinary, and counseling files shall not be available to unauthorized persons on campus or to any person off campus without the express consent of the student involved, except under legal compulsion.” (CCSU Student Handbook.)

Understanding the Academic Conduct Workshop 

The Academic Integrity Workshop is available to all CCSU students so that they will not violate the Academic Misconduct Policy as a result of misunderstanding. For those students who have violated the Academic Misconduct Policy, the Academic Integrity Workshop is designed to educate students about what constitutes Academic Misconduct so that future violations will not occur. Upon completion of the Academic Integrity Workshop, notification will be forwarded to the University Judicial Officer who will document such completion in the student’s file. Students must sign up for the Academic Integrity Workshop at the Learning Center within 10 school days of being provided with the University Academic Misconduct Report. Refusal or failure to attend the workshop will result in a referral to the University Judicial Officer for immediate action.

Subsequent Violations of the Academic Misconduct Policy

When the University Judicial Officer receives multiple University Academic Misconduct Reports regarding a particular student, whether or not the faculty member has made a complaint, a “Pre-Hearing Investigation” will normally be conducted in anticipation of disciplinary action, which may result in disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the University. If the University Judicial Officer determines that a formal hearing is warranted, a faculty member or members may be requested to provide information.

A Student’s Rights When Suspected and or Charged With Academic Misconduct

1.  A student has the right:

a.  To meet with the faculty member, in the presence of the Department Chair if so desired,
     before any determination has been made.

b.  To be informed during this meeting of the faculty member’s suspicions and have an
     opportunity to discuss the matter.

c.  To appeal a finding of Academic Misconduct made during the course of the semester, within
     10 school days of being provided with a University Academic Misconduct Report.

A written statement of appeal must be provided to the faculty member, the Department chairperson, the Dean, and the University Judicial Officer, setting forth the basis of the student’s appeal. Upon receipt of a student’s mid-semester appeal, the University Judicial Officer will consult with the faculty member, the Department Chair, and the Dean and communicate to the student within 10 school days the results of the student’s appeal. 

2.  Once a final grade is awarded, the student may file a grade appeal in accordance with the “Appeals for
     Grade Change Policy” (CCSU Student Handbook). 

3.  If a student receives a final grade of “F” as a result of violating the Academic Misconduct Policy, and that
    grade is upheld by the grade appeal process, no retroactive withdrawal from the course will be permitted. 

4.  All end of the semester appeals must be made in accordance with the “Appeals for Grade Change Policy.”

5.  In addition to academic sanctions provided by the faculty member, if disciplinary proceedings have been
     initiated by the University Judicial Officer, a student has the right to have such proceedings resolved in
     accordance with the CSU “Guidelines for Student Rights and Responsibilities and Judicial Procedures.”

Professor’s Responsibilities When Academic Misconduct is Suspected During End of the Semester Grading

If a faculty member reasonably suspects academic misconduct during end of the semester grading, a grade of Incomplete may be entered, to be replaced by an appropriate grade once the issue is resolved. The grade of Incomplete allows a faculty member to complete end of the semester grading and still follow up on suspected violations of the University Academic Misconduct Policy. 

Academic Misconduct reported by a member of the University Community other than the relevant faculty member: See “Academic Misconduct” in “Guidelines for Student Rights and Responsibilities and Judicial Procedures” (CCSU Student Handbook).

Adopted by the Faculty Senate November 5, 2001