| Integrity
in the Academic Community
All the members
of the university community benefit from respecting the values
that support academic integrity. Those values begin with honesty,
the fundamental value underlying integrity. Integrity also denotes
wholeness, or as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary puts it: "an unimpaired condition: soundness"
("Integrity" def. 2). Those students who honestly
earn their accomplishments also earn a complete and genuine
or authentic education.
To obtain all the
benefits of a university education, students must represent
themselves honestly when submitting work produced as the result
of their own efforts. Independent work helps students demonstrate
verifiable mastery of the foundational knowledge required in
a particular field. In addition, students who have completed
their work as directed will receive the greatest possible benefit
from instructor feedback.
Fair and equal evaluation
of student work depends upon all students creating graded work
under the same circumstances. For example, if an instructor requires an assignment
be completed independently, a student who completes that assignment
without consulting a textbook, tutor, or other expert should
not have his or her work evaluated alongside work completed
with the unfair advantage of unauthorized assistance.
Academic excellence,
fostering the original ideas and discoveries of each member
of the community, thrives best when faculty and students share
mutual respect and trust. Adherence to the professional standards
that regulate research practices for students and faculty members
demonstrates that respect and strengthens that trust.
Authentic education
provides the best possible preparation for the opportunities
that follow from a university education. In addition, upholding
the values that support authentic education enhances the reputation
of the university, and by extension, the value of each graduate's
education.
At UC Davis, Student
Judicial Affairs (SJA) administers the "Code of Academic
Conduct" which provides an overview of university standards
for academic integrity:
All members of
the academic community are responsible for the academic integrity
of the Davis campus. Existing policies forbid cheating on
examinations, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is contrary to the purposes of the University
and is not to be tolerated. A code of conduct for the campus
community must exist in order to support high standards of
behavior. ("Code of Academic Conduct")
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What
is academic integrity?
Integrity, or honesty, as it applies
to academic life, simply means no cheating.
What
is cheating?
Any act that misrepresents the origin or authorship of academic
work can be called cheating. The SJA handout, "The Student
Disciplinary System," lists numerous examples: "receiving
or providing unpermitted assistance on exams; using unauthorized
materials during an exam; altering an exam and submitting it for
regrading; taking an exam for another; failing to stop working on
an exam when time is called; providing false excuses to postpone
tests or due dates; fabricating data or references." Submitting
work that has already been submitted in another class without asking
for permission from the instructor also misrepresents the origin
of academic work (in this case, the time and circumstances of origin)
and would be considered cheating.
Disciplinary Action
Student
Judicial Affairs
Student Judicial Affairs (SJA) promotes and supports academic integrity
and ethics within the university community at UC Davis. Located
in Dutton Hall, the SJA office also monitors academic conduct and
"maintains centralized, confidential disciplinary records"
of all incidents of misconduct ("The Student Disciplinary System").
Referrals
The
Code of Academic conduct makes clear that both faculty members and
students are responsible for referring any incidents of possible
academic misconduct to Student Judicial Affairs. Though SJA will
investigate misconduct based on an anonymous tip, such cases will
not be resolved without authenticated corroborating evidence. In
addition, all parties must treat the incident and any attendant
information confidentially. Any member of the university community
may contact SJA by phone (752-1128) or by email (sja@ucdavis.edu)
for advice about how to handle cases of suspected academic dishonesty.
Students and faculty members may refer cases to SJA by completing
and submitting a referral formÑavailable at http://sja.ucdavis.edu/form-a.pdf.
Notification
A Student Judicial Affairs officer
will contact the referred student by email and notify him or her
"in writing of the alleged misconduct" and request the
student "to schedule a meeting with SJA" ("The Student
Disciplinary System at UC Davis"). Then, "[a]t the initial
meeting, the student is advised of his/her rights and informed of
the evidence supporting the charges" and may respond to the
charges and "discuss possible resolutions of the case"
("The Student Disciplinary System").
Informal Resolution
The complaint will often be resolved
informally, by agreement between the SJA officer (in consultation
with the referring party) and the student, only if the student and
officer agree upon both the facts that occurred and any recommended
sanctions. During the informal disposition stage, the student must
meet with SJA when summoned. Though a student need not necessarily
respond to charges, any student who chooses to discuss the referral
is expected to be honest.
Formal Resolution
If the SJA officer and the student
cannot agree on a resolution informally, a panel of student and
faculty volunteers may hear the case; this panel will consider the
evidence, listen to any witnesses, and determine whether a violation
occurred. If a student is found in violation, the hearing panel
recommends the appropriate disciplinary action, which is reviewed
and approved by the university.
Unilateral Action
If
a student does not meet with SJA as required, the university may
place "administrative holds on registration, transcripts, graduation
and/or diploma." In certain circumstances, SJA has the authority
to impose unilateral sanctions including "disciplinary Probation,
Suspension, or Dismissal from the University" ("The Student
Disciplinary System"). To avoid such actions, students should
respond "promptly" to notices from SJA and should "participate
in the process" ("The Student Disciplinary System").
Student Rights
A student has a right to be informed
of the charges against him/her, has the right to "consult an
advisor or attorney at any stage in the informal or formal process,"
may appeal any sanctions imposed through unilateral action or may
appeal the outcome of a formal hearing ("The Student Disciplinary
System"). For a formal hearing, the student has a right to
request a university-appointed advisor or assistant, to introduce
evidence and/or witnesses, and to review all evidence supporting
the charges.
| Consequences
for violating the Code of Academic Conduct
include disciplinary
sanctions ranging from a written notation of the violation
in the student's academic record, disciplinary probation, deferred
separation, suspension, and/or dismissal. SJA may also assign
educational interventions that
could include but are not limited to attending a workshop on
avoiding plagiarism, writing a paper on academic integrity,
rewriting a plagiarized assignment, and/or completing community
service. In addition,
any work that is the product of cheating is generally assigned
a grade of "zero" by the instructor.
Students
applying to medical school, law school, or other graduate programs
must answer honestly when asked about previous instances of
misconduct which resulted in institutional action. University
policy allows for discretionary release of any incidents of
misconduct but permits that record to be expunged upon graduation,
at the prudence of SJA.
For
more information on student discipline, see "The Student
Disciplinary System": http://sja.ucdavis.edu/pdf/Integrity1.pdf. |
Strategies for Success: Valuing the Authentic Education
- Recognize
and protect the value of authentic education.
- Educate yourself
on the rules: learn how to avoid accidental plagiarism, how
to cite sources properly, and how to collaborate responsibly.
- Stand up for
the value of your education. Inform an instructor or Student
Judicial Affairs of any potential misconduct you encounter.
- Foster communication
with your instructors. Ask them to clarify the rules if necessary.
- Tell the truth.
When asked about your knowledge of potential misconduct, be
candid.
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Works Cited
"Integrity."
Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. 10th
ed. 1999.
"Unauthorized Collaboration: What Students Need To Know."
Student Judicial Affairs. University of California, Davis.
September 25, 2003. <http://sja.ucdavis.edu/collab.htm>.
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