Defining Cheating and Understanding Procedure: The Honor Pledge at CSU

Dr. Maite Correa

Orientation Week 2011

Introduction

• In June 2011, the Board of Governors approved a Manual change to Section I.5.1 of the Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual that establishes an Honor Pledge at CSU. 

• Three basic points:– Syllabus statement– Address academic integrity in class– Decide which course components will use an honor

pledge

Academic Misconduct Defined• Article III of the Colorado State University Student Conduct Code:

Any student or student organization found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to disciplinary sanction:

1. Academic misconduct including but not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized possession or disposition of academic materials, falsification, or facilitation of acts of misconduct. Plagiarism includes the copying of language, structure, images, ideas, or thoughts of others and is related only to work submitted for credit.  Disciplinary action will not be taken for academic work in draft form. Specific procedures for cases of academic misconduct are also described in the Academic Integrity Policy in the General Catalog, the Graduate Student Bulletin, the Faculty Manual, the Honor Code of the Professional Veterinary School, or the Honor Code of the School of Public Health as applicable.

• Cheating: using unauthorized sources of information and providing or receiving unauthorized assistance on any form of academic work or engaging in any behavior specifically prohibited by the faculty member in the course syllabus or class presentation.

• Plagiarism: the copying of language, structure, images, ideas, or thoughts of another, and representing them as one's own without proper acknowledgement; the failure to cite sources properly; sources must always be appropriately referenced, whether the source is printed, electronic, or spoken.

• Unauthorized Possession or Disposition of Academic Materials: unauthorized selling or purchasing of examinations, term papers, or other academic work; stealing another student's work; using information from or possessing exams that a faculty member did not authorize for release to students.

• Falsification: any untruth, either verbal or written, in one's academic work. • Facilitation: knowingly assisting another to commit an act of misconduct.

1. Syllabi• State clearly in our syllabi that the course will adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy

of the General Catalog and the Student Conduct Code. 

Integridad Académica: Del Catálogo General de CSU: “Academic dishonesty, such as cheating or plagiarism, will result in academic penalty and/or university disciplinary action. Cheating includes using unauthorized sources of information and providing or receiving unauthorized assistance on any form of academic work.” Las “ediciones” y “correcciones” no autorizadas fuera de clase de cualquier trabajo o tarea también se considerarán plagio. La profesora se reserva el derecho de usar software antiplagio como Turnitin. El uso de traductores online es inaceptable y resultará en un cero. Todo caso de integridad académica resultará en un reporte al “Conflict and Resolution Center”.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: All work is to be strictly your own work. A composition is NOT your own work if you have a previous instructor, tutor or Spanish-speaking friend go through the paper to make corrections for you (excluding peer editors assigned by your instructor); it is not your own work if you use an online translator. When you need help with a composition or other assignment, the instructor will be happy to help you. Any assignment completed with this kind of "outside help" will receive an F grade and WILL be reported to the Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services.

Colleen McKee for LSPA300

This course will follow the Academic Integrity Policy of the Colorado State University General Catalog (Page 7) and the Student Conduct Code, which defines academic dishonesty as: “misconduct including but not limited to: cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized possession or disposition of academic materials, falsification, or facilitation of acts of misconduct. Plagiarism includes the copying of language, structure, images, ideas, or thoughts of others and is related only to work submitted for credit”. In addition, plagiarism in the language classroom includes the use of translators and unauthorized help from peers and native speakers. You may not submit work from a prior class (self-plagiarism).

Academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary action, and may result in failure of the course. Both the student and the office of Conflict Resolution and Student Services will be informed of the disciplinary action in writing.

Academic Integrity Resources: How to avoid plagiarism:  http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/teaching/plagiarism/ How to cite your work: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/

2. Address it in class

• By the end of the second week of class we must address academic integrity issues as they apply to the graded course components. Individual faculty members will likely have different policies for what is permitted with regard to exams, papers, etc. This should be spelled out so students know the rules for each class. 

• Why academic integrity is important - to you, to fellow students, in this profession• The full range of consequences for academic misconduct and the procedures you

will follow when academic misconduct is suspected:– Make only general comments about the grading penalties you will assess

and refrain from using such phrases as: "First offense — failure on the assignment or test," and "Second offense — failure in the course."

– The danger in prescribing specific penalties is clear. Doing so locks you into a course of action no matter the degree of seriousness or the possibility of mitigating circumstances attached to the offense.

3. Decide Grade Components•Before the first time you ask students to use the pledge, you should discuss what it means and why you are asking them to sign it. •The course instructor shall decide which course components will use an honor pledge. For those course components, the course instructor shall provide the opportunity for students to sign an affirmative honor pledge. The honor pledge shall include one of the following statements and may be expanded according to instructor, department, or college practices and policies:

– HONOR PLEDGE: I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance.– HONOR PLEDGE: I will not give, receive, or use any unauthorized assistance.

•A student’s decision to forego signing the honor pledge shall not be used as evidence of academic misconduct and shall not negatively impact a student's grade.

The Pledge• Your syllabus should include a copy of the pledge you would like students to include

on written work. For papers submitted electronically, your instructions could instruct students to type their name after the pledge as a "proxy" for their signature.– Exams: The pledge can be printed on the top of the exam. A space should be

provided for the student's signature as well as a place for the name to be printed. – Blue Books and other Written Work: Ask students to copy it on the first page of

their blue book, with their signature. In the future CSU blue books may be pre-printed with the pledge.

• If you allow group work, you may also want to ask students to indicate what other students contributed to their homework.

If there is Academic Misconduct in my class…• Prior to assigning any academic penalty:

– notify the student of the concern– make an appointment with the student to discuss the concern– DO NOT ACCUSE THE STUDENT: ask open questions– Email your supervisor and let her know about the case

• If the student admits to engaging in academic misconduct, or if the course instructor judges that the preponderance of evidence supports the allegation of academic misconduct:

– assign an academic penalty. – notify the student in writing of the infraction and the academic penalty to be imposed. – Send a copy of this notification to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services (

CRSCS@colostate.edu)

• If the student does not admit to engaging in academic misconduct or you are unsure about the proper penalty:

– refer the case to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services for a Hearing (CRSCS@colostate.edu)

• If, after making reasonable efforts, the course instructor is unable to contact the student or is unable to collect all relevant evidence before final course grades are assigned, he or she shall assign an interim grade of Incomplete and notify the student in writing of the reason for this action.

• If evidence of academic misconduct is discovered after the final course grades have been submitted, the course instructor shall follow the above procedure in properly notifying the student and providing an opportunity for the student to give his or her position on the matter before making a decision about any academic penalty. The course instructor must notify the student in writing of the infraction and any academic penalty subsequently imposed. A copy of this notification shall be sent to the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services (CRSCS@colostate.edu)

• If the course instructor so desires, he or she may request that the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct Services conduct a Hearing to determine whether additional disciplinary action should be taken by the University, or if the offense warrants the addition of the “AM” (Academic Misconduct) notation to the student’s transcript.

What Grading Penalties May I Impose? (From TILT website)

• Instructors may impose a "grading penalty" upon a finding that a student has, either intentionally or unintentionally, committed academic misconduct. – Minimum: reduced credit on the assignment – Maximum: course failure (regardless of academic performance)

• Other options include: – A zero (0) for the assignment– Negative credit for the assignment (Some departments at CSU have the policy that

on a first offense the effect of the grading penalty will always be GREATER than the effect of the student not doing the assignment at all).

– Reduction of one letter grade for the course– Re-doing the assignment (with or without credit) (Not recommended unless the

infraction is minor AND unintentional - due to the effect on students who completed the assignment correctly)

– An "F" for the course – Loss of Repeat/delete privilege

What are the Legal Ramifications when I Accuse a Student of Cheating?

• University procedures offer protection for instructors when they suspect (and or accuse) a student of academic misconduct.

• Faculty members cannot be held personally liable so as long as they have followed University procedures when dealing with students suspected of cheating.

• A student's right to privacy may be violated, however, when an incident of academic misconduct is discussed with the student in a public place (e.g., in class, the hallway, the food court, etc.). Under no circumstances is it proper to discuss such incidents, or use a student's name or other personally identifying information with someone who is not—as per FERPA regulation—in a "need to know" position (for example, a colleague)

• Instructors may be held liable, however, if they penalize a student without an admission, or a finding, of academic misconduct as defined by the Student Conduct Code. This also holds true if an instructor has not followed University procedures.

Information from:• I.5.1 Instructor Responsibilities Regarding the

Academic Integrity Policy (Academic Faculty and Administrative Professional Manual, http://facultycouncil.colostate.edu/files/manual/sectioni.htm#I.5.1)

• CSU General Catalog, pages 7-8 (http://www.catalog.colostate.edu/FrontPDF/1.6POLICIES1112f.pdf)

• TILT's Academic Integrity Program (http://tilt.colostate.edu/integrity/)

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY WEEK:September 26th-28th http://tilt.colostate.edu/events/view.cfm?EventID=429