Academic Honesty – Policy ED(24) 5-0

Please see www.cariboo.bc.ca/policy/index.html for the latest policy and regulations.

Policy

University College of the Cariboo (UCC) students have an obligation to fulfill the responsibilities of their particular roles as members of an academic community. They are expected to be honest and forthright in their endeavours. Academic integrity is both highly valued and expected.

Apart from the responsibility of the student in not participating in an act of academic dishonesty, it is the responsibility of the UCC staff to take all reasonable steps to prevent and to detect acts of academic dishonesty. It is an instructor's responsibility to confront a student when such an act is suspected and to take appropriate action if academic dishonesty, in the opinion of the instructor, has occurred.

Regulations

When an instructor suspects that academic dishonesty has occurred, the instructor shall:

1. Contact and meet with the student(s) concerned. If the meeting with the student leaves the issue unresolved, then notify the appropriate department Chairperson or Dean.
2. If resolution results in a failed grade for a course, this must be reported to the Academic Honesty Committee.
3. In conjunction with the Chairperson or Dean, meet with the student(s) concerned.
4. If the department Chairperson or Dean is satisfied that academic dishonesty has taken place, he or she shall advise the student(s) in writing that the case will be referred to the Academic Honesty Committee.
5. The Academic Honesty Committee shall be comprised of: one representative from Student Services, five faculty, one Dean, and one student.
6. The Academic Honesty Committee will decide whether the infraction submitted by the faculty member will receive one of the following academic sanctions:
   • Reprimand: written warning to a student from the Academic Honesty Committee that states their behaviour is unacceptable to UCC.
   • Reduction of grade: may be applied to an assignment, test or project in consultation with the instructor and the program Chairperson.
   • Failure of course.
7. Academic Honesty Committee will inform the instructor, student, Chair, Dean, Registrar, and Student Affairs of their decision.
8. The Academic Honesty Committee will keep a record of decisions.
9. In the event a student is found to have been guilty of academic dishonesty for a second time during his or her program or studies at UCC, the student will receive a failing grade (F) for that course and the Academic Honesty Committee may recommend to the President the suspension or expulsion of the student from UCC.
10. In the event a student is found to have been guilty of academic dishonesty, the student may appeal the decision by means of the appeal procedure described in Policy BRD/ED(25) 4-0.
11. The Academic Honesty Committee has a role to inform faculty on issues and standards relative to academic honesty.

Forms of Academic Dishonesty

1. Cheating

   Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered.

   Examples:

   1. Copying from another student's test paper or assignment.
   2. Allowing another student to copy from a test paper.
   3. Using the course textbook, electronic devices, or other material such as a notebook brought to a class meeting but not authorized for use during a test.
   4. Collaborating during a test with any other person by receiving information without authority.
   5. Using specifically prepared materials during a test, e.g. notes, formula lists, etc.
2. Academic Misconduct

   Academic misconduct is the intentional violation of UCC academic policies and procedures, by tampering with grades, or taking part in obtaining or distributing any part of an unadministered test. Examples:

   1. Stealing, buying, or otherwise obtaining all or part of an unadministered test or document through the internet.
   2. Selling or giving away all or part of an unadministered test including answers to an unadministered test.
   3. Bribing any other person to obtain an unadministered test or any information about the test.
   4. Entering a building or office for the purpose of changing a grade in a grade book, on a test, or on other work for which a grade is given.
   5. Changing, altering, or being an accessory to the changing and/or altering of a grade in a grade book, on a test, a "change of grade" form, or other official academic records of UCC which relate to grades.
   6. Entering a building or office or otherwise viewing a test for the purpose of obtaining or examining an unadministered test.
3. Fabrication

   Fabrication is the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive. Examples:

   1. Listing sources in a bibliography not used in the academic exercise.
   2. Inventing data or source of information for research or other academic exercise.
   3. Submitting as one's own any academic exercise (e.g. written work, printing, sculpture, etc.) prepared totally or in part by another.
   4. Taking a test for someone, or permitting someone to take a test for the registered student.
4. Plagiarism

   Plagiarism is the inclusion of someone else's words, ideas or data as one's own work. When a student submits work for credit that includes the words, ideas or data of others, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific footnote references, and, if verbatim statements are included, through quotation marks or block format as well. By placing his/her name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgements.

   A student will avoid being charged with plagiarism if there is an acknowledgement of indebtedness:

   1. Whenever one quotes another person's actual words;
   2. Whenever one uses another person's idea, opinion or theory, even if it is completely paraphrased in one's own words; and
   3. Whenever one steals facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials, unless the information is common knowledge.
   4. Whenever citation of information not taken from the source indicated.
   5. Whenever submitting the same work for more than one course without previous authorization from all instructors involved.

Final Exams

1. Role of the instructor

   Because of the special relationship which exists between an instructor and his or her students, the basic responsibility for taking reasonable precaution to prevent academic dishonesty shall rest with the instructor or instructors in charge of a particular course or program. As well as maintaining the security of final examinations, the instructor must, of necessity, assume responsibility for taking all reasonable steps to detect academic dishonesty in all forms of course or program assessment in the courses or programs for which he or she is responsible.

   Each instructor, subject to ED(24) 3-9 Regulations II.2.a), is responsible for the invigilation of his/her scheduled exams, at the time and place indicated in the final exam schedule. Any additional invigilators that may be required are to be accessed by the instructor involved and their respective Chairperson.

   Invigilators are responsible for taking reasonable precautions to prevent cheating in that examination. Invigilators must also check the room for possible security problems both before the students enter the room and again after the examination is complete.