Academic Integrity Policy

Marist College is a learning community dedicated to helping students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century. Students are expected to pursue excellence in their education while being honest about their work and fair to other members of the learning community. All work presented to instructors for evaluation must reflect their own ideas and effort, and must properly acknowledge any contributions of others. Students should expect this honesty and fairness in others as well. As members of the Marist learning community, all students should adhere to the following principles of academic integrity outlined below.

 

Report an Academic Integrity Violation

Academic violations include cheating, plagiarism or falsifying official records related to the College. General classroom misbehavior is considered a non-academic violation. If you have questions about whether a behavior is considered academic misconduct, please contact the Office of Student Conduct.  Additional information is included in the Academic Integrity section of the Student Code of Conduct.

Please use the Academic Integrity Violation Form to notify the Office of Student Conduct of a violation.  In addition, faculty also will need to fill out the Faculty Adjudication Form   and submit this to the Office of Student Conduct.

 

Definitions

Academic Integrity Panel (AIP): A three-member hearing panel of faculty (or faculty/staff) drawn by the Office of Student Conduct from the pool of trained faculty/staff that will hear and resolve a case of academic integrity. At least two panelists will be full-time faculty members.

Appeals Officer: The Vice President of Student Affairs or his/her designee. Cases involving suspension/expulsion from the institution are appealed to the Appeals Officer, in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Appeals Panel: A three-member panel of trained faculty or faculty/staff drawn by the Office of Student Conduct from the pool of members who did not serve on the Academic Integrity Panel. At least two panelists will be full-time faculty members. Cases not involving suspension/expulsion from the institution are appealed to an Appeals Panel.

Faculty Member/Instructor: Any person hired by the College to provide instruction to students.

Hearing: A formal procedure before a panel after an incident is referred or the responding party does not agree with the resolution.

Preponderance of the Evidence: Information, considered as a whole, which indicates that it is more likely than not that a policy violation occurred.

Responding Party: The student who has allegedly violated the Code of Student Conduct, regulation, or policy.

Reporting Party: Any member of the community who alleges that a student has violated the Code of Student Conduct, regulation, or policy.

Student: Any person currently or formerly enrolled in courses at the College, including online, off-site, full-time, part-time, undergraduate or graduate.

Witness(es): Includes, but not limited to any person who can provide a firsthand account of details regarding the incident and/or has interacted with the parties.  This may include investigators, conduct officers, faculty, or other college administrators.

 

Standards of Academic Integrity

Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following actions:

• Cheating:
  • Intentionally using or attempting to use any unauthorized assistance, including but not limited to: course materials, sharing answers or test information with another student, notes, study aids, or devices such as cellphones or cameras) in an academic exercise. “Academic exercise” includes, but is not limited to, quizzes, tests, examinations, or graded projects and assignments.
  • Intentionally copying or attempting to copy from someone else's test, quiz, assignment, data, or lab report.
  • Permitting another student to copy from a test, quiz, assignment, data, or lab report.
  • Engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by an instructor in the course syllabus or class discussion.
  • Submitting work that has been purchased, or borrowing from work submitted in a previous or concurrent class, except where expressly permitted by the instructor.
  • Permitting another student to substitute for oneself in an academic evaluation.
  • Unauthorized communication to another student through written, visual, electronic, or oral means.
• Selling notes, handouts, or other materials without authorization from the instructor or using them for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of the College and the instructor.
• Falsifying or misrepresenting your academic work.
• Knowingly helping another student violate academic behavior standards.
• Gaining unfair advantage, including but not limited to:
  • Attempting to influence or change an academic evaluation, grade, or record by unfair means. This would include altering academic work that has been resubmitted without indicating that the work has been altered.
  • Marking or submitting an examination or evaluative material in a manner designed to deceive the grader or the grading system.
  • Willfully damaging the academic work or efforts of another student.
  • Using library materials, computer facilities, or college facilities in a manner intended to improperly restrict equal access by others to those resources.
• Plagiarism: using work not appropriately cited, including but not limited to:
  • Using another person’s ideas or expressions as if they are your own and/or without properly acknowledging the source, regardless of whether this was an accident.
  • Submitting material (in whole or part) that has been prepared by another individual(s) or commercial agency, or organizations.
  • Submitting work that has at any time been submitted to fulfill another academic requirement, either at Marist or another institution.
  • Referencing material that was not accessed.
  • Submitting data that have been altered or contrived in such a way as to be deliberately misleading.

 

Additional Expectations

The following statements also apply:

• An arrangement by which work is to be submitted for credit in two or more courses must have the prior approval of the instructors involved.
• A student who cooperates with one or more other students in an act of academic dishonesty is subject to the same penalties.
• Those students who witness an act of academic dishonesty are expected to report it to the proper college official.
• Acts of academic dishonesty may result in penalties up to and including a grade of “F” for the course and/or suspension or expulsion from the College.

 

General Overview of the Academic Integrity Process

Upon suspicion that a student has violated the Standards of Academic Integrity, the instructor of record notifies his/her Dean, attempts to contact the student to inform him/her of the alleged violation, to arrange a time to discuss the incident, and to determine sanction or sanctions.  The instructor begins completing the Academic Integrity-Incident Report Form that will be submitted to the Office of Student Conduct.

• Following the Incident Report form the Referral/Summary Adjudication form will need to be completed. There is a place for students to sign acknowledging that they and the faculty member:
  • have reached an agreement concerning the allegations and sanctions, or
  • have reached an agreement concerning the allegations but not the grade sanction imposed.
  • have not reached an agreement with the student regarding the allegations and sanctions, a formal hearing is requested or
  • the case is being referred to the Office of Student Conduct to coordinate the hearing process due to the actions or allegations being egregious.

Acknowledgement sent from the student’s Marist Mail account is acceptable as an electronic signature. When a student does not sign the form, he/she is considered to have “not reached agreement regarding the incident.”

• In the case of a first-time, minor offense: If the responding student accepts responsibility for the alleged violation, the student will receive an academic sanction determined by the instructor of record, which may include a failing grade in the course. The form is submitted to the Office of Student Conduct, and the case is closed.
• In the case of a first-time, minor offense: If the responding student accepts responsibility for the alleged violation but not the academic sanction, the form is submitted to the Office of Student Conduct, and the student may appeal the grade sanction through the Grade Appeals Policy. 
• If it is determined that this is a repeat offense, if the instructor feels the incident is severe, or if the student denies responsibility, the form is submitted to the Office of Student Conduct, which will initiate a hearing with an Academic Integrity Panel.

 

Resolution of Academic Integrity Allegations

• When an instructor alleges a violation of the Standards of Academic Integrity, the following process applies:
  • The instructor notifies the School Dean.
  • The instructor attempts to contact the student to inform the student of the alleged violation(s).
  • The responding student is provided with an informal opportunity to address the allegations and to sign the Referral/Summary Adjudication form indicating they either accept or deny responsibility for the violation(s). An email sent over Marist Mail can be used by the student to substitute the student’s signature in the Referral/Summary Adjudication form.
  • The instructor then signs and submits the Referral/Summary Adjudication form to the Office of Student Conduct. This documentation becomes part of the student’s conduct file and is used by the Office of Student Conduct to track incidents of academic dishonesty, including a repeat offense by students.
    • If the responding student accepts responsibility for the alleged violation, the student will receive an academic sanction determined by the instructor of record, which may include a failing grade in the course.
    • If the responding student accepts responsibility for the alleged violation but not the academic sanction, the student may appeal the grade sanction through the Grade Appeal Policy.
    • If the instructor reports the incident as severe, or if the student denies responsibility, the Office of Student Conduct will initiate a hearing with an Academic Integrity Panel.
    • If the Office of Student Conduct determines the case is a repeat offense, it will notify the instructor and student and initiate a hearing with an Academic Integrity Panel.
  • The Office of Student Conduct’s Disciplinary Records policy describes how student conduct records are shared and retained.
• When information concerning an alleged violation of the Standards of Academic Integrity is received by the Office of Student Conduct from other than instructional sources (such as other students, Safety and Security, etc.), the Office of Student Conduct shall inform the Dean of the School in which the violation allegedly took place before proceeding. The School Dean shall inform any impacted instructor.
  • In cases where it is not clear initially whether the reported action is best pursued through academic action or disciplinary action procedures, the Office of Student Conduct and the Dean of the School will, in consultation with the instructor(s), decide which procedure to employ in pursuing the case.
  • In the case of severe violations of the Standards of Academic Integrity, the Office of Student Conduct shall initiate the hearing process (see C below) based on information contained in college records upon recommendation from the Dean of the School.
  • In the case of multiple violations of the Standards of Academic Integrity, the Office of Student Conduct shall initiate the hearing process (see C below) based on information contained in college records.
• When a hearing is initiated, the Academic Integrity Panel (AIP) is the hearing panel trained to review alleged violation(s) of the Standards of Academic Integrity and recommend a finding and sanction. The AIP is coordinated by the Office of Student Conduct to resolve cases of alleged violations of the Standards of Academic Integrity.
  • The Director of Student Conduct or designee serves as advisor to the AIP to coordinate the hearing process and to assist the panel in providing fair and impartial hearings for students accused of academic dishonesty.
  • Instructors from each academic school will be recommended by the Dean to serve on Academic Integrity Panels for one-year appointments that can be renewed.
  • When possible, the AIP will consist of three full-time faculty members, preferably from different schools. When three faculty members are unavailable, the AIP will consist of two full-time faculty and one staff member.
  • Staff are selected through an application and interview process.
  • The Chair of each hearing will be a faculty member on the Academic Integrity Panel designated by the Director of Student Conduct.
• Once a hearing is initiated, the responding party and instructor will receive a Notice of Hearing as described in the Panel Hearing Procedures of the Code of Student Conduct.
• The responding party will be provided with a copy of all available information presented in support of the alleged allegation during a meeting with the instructor or prior to meeting with the AIP.
• The three-member AIP will hear the case and make a determination of whether there is a preponderance of evidence to find the student responsible for violating the Standards of Academic Integrity. In addition to the responding party, the instructor and witnesses may be contacted to provide testimony. When necessary, the responding party may provide testimony though video conference / telepresence. Instructors may provide testimony from a remote location. If requested, witnesses may also provide testimony from a remote location.
• If the AIP’s recommended finding is “responsible” (i.e., the student is responsible for violating the Standards of Academic Integrity) the committee will recommend disciplinary sanction or sanctions, which may include suspension or expulsion as stated in the Code of Student Conduct.
• The Office of Student Conduct will review the AIP’s recommended findings and sanctions and send a written Notice of Outcome to the student and instructor of record. The written notice will include the rationale for the finding and the sanctions.

 

Appeals

• A responding party has the right to appeal the disciplinary sanction or sanctions of the AIP as described in the APPEALS AND GROUNDS FOR APPEAL REQUESTS of the Code of Student Conduct. The link provides the grounds on which a party may appeal and a timeline for the process.
• Cases involving suspension or expulsion from the institution are appealed to the Appeals Officer, who is the Vice President for Student Affairs or his/her designee, in consultation with the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Cases not involving suspension or expulsion from the institution are appealed to the Appeals Panel. The Appeals Panel is coordinated by the Office of Student Conduct.
• The Appeals Panel will be three members drawn from the pool of members serving on the Academic Integrity Panels but will exclude members who initially adjudicated the case.
• When possible, the Appeals Panel will consist of three full-time faculty members. When three faculty members are unavailable, the Appeals Panel will consist of two full-time faculty and one staff member.
• If the final determination from the Appeals Officer or Panel differs from the Notice of Outcome, then the written decision will include a rationale.
• If there is no appeal, the written Notice of Outcome represents the final determination.
• After the final determination, the instructor of record is notified. He/she will assign the student a final grade (which may include a failing course grade) and process the appropriate grade change with the Registrar’s office.
• If it is determined that the student did not violate the Academic Integrity policy, the sanction is lifted. The College’s Grade Appeals policy remains in place.
• If the student is found responsible or accepted responsibility during the hearing process, the student may not appeal the grade through the Grade Appeals process.
• The Academic Integrity Panel process is separate from the Grade Appeals process, which is managed by Academic Affairs.

 

Withdrawal From A Course Or The College

Once a student has been accused of an academic integrity violation, an investigation and resolution with the faculty member and/or hearing process will be conducted.

• If the student has received a failing grade in the course as a result of the violation, he/she is not permitted to withdraw from the course until an investigation and/or hearing process is complete and the case has been closed.
• If the student did not receive a failing grade in the course as a result of the violation, he/she will be permitted to withdraw from the course, but the investigation and/or hearing will proceed in the normal manner.
• If as a result of the investigation and/or hearing process the student is found responsible, the violation will remain in the student’s record with the Office of Student Conduct. However, if the student is found not responsible this decision will be noted in the student’s record.
• If the student desires to withdraw from the College, the process shall be initiated in the normal manner. The Office of Student Conduct shall appropriately notify the student, instructor, and the Registrar of the final outcome.

 

Sanctions

The following sanctions may be imposed by the instructor including, but are not limited to, the following actions for a first-time offense:

• Zero for assignment;
• Failing grade for the assignment;
• Failing grade for the class;
• Rewrite the assignment;
• Additional assignment;
• Letter grade reduction;
• Academic integrity seminar;
• Other sanctions deemed appropriate by the instructor of record.

If the case is referred to the Academic Integrity Panel (AIP), disciplinary sanction or sanctions stated in the Code of Conduct may be considered by the panel including expulsion from the College.

 

Retaliation

Marist College expressly prohibits retaliation against any person who has reported academic misconduct, has participated in any way in the conduct of a case of academic misconduct, or has been involved in the imposition of a sanction for academic misconduct. Any person who violates this policy will be subject to disciplinary action.