Academic Integrity Policy
Academic Integrity Policy
The Academic Integrity Policy of the University of Rockford was developed by the Faculty, in consultation with University leadership and faculty sub-committees, for the purpose of replacing the outdated Academic Honor Code of the University and thereby more effectively promoting the educational mission of the University, enhancing fairness and justice in matters related to violations of academic integrity, ensuring accountability in record-keeping and actions taken, and providing guidance for students, faculty, and leadership on matters of academic integrity.
I. Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a value held highly by the Rockford University community. It is the responsibility of students to continually engage in behaviors and ethical decision-making processes consistent with this value as part of their learning, academic performance, and personal and professional growth. It is the responsibility of faculty members to foster environments for learning that consistently uphold this value by explicitly setting expectations of academic integrity and applying academic consequences for violations. It is the responsibility of University leadership to support students and faculty in these endeavors and provide adequate resources, data systems, and settings in which issues of academic integrity may be addressed fairly, collaboratively, and productively.
II. Violations of Academic Integrity
Violations of Academic Integrity include, but are not be limited to:
1. Plagiarism: the representation of another person’s work or ideas (whether published or unpublished) as one’s own; using others' words without clearly acknowledging the source of that information; using another person’s exact words in any work without properly designating the material as a quote and/or citing the source; summarizing/paraphrasing another person’s thoughts or ideas in any work without properly citing the source; taking any digital media product that was created by another person and using it in any work without properly citing the source; copying another person’s computer program without the owner’s permission and without properly citing the source; purchasing or borrowing a paper and submitting it as one’s own; and multiple submissions of one’s own original work (self-plagiarism).
2. Cheating: obtaining, using or attempting to use unauthorized materials or information, or help from another person, in any work submitted for evaluation for academic credit; unauthorized group collusion or collaboration on an assignment or evaluation; unauthorized altering of a graded work then submitting the work for re-grading; or submitting identical or highly similar papers for credit in more than one course without prior permission from the course instructors (also self-plagiarism).
3. Fabrication or Falsification: invention or distortion of data, information, citations, or bibliographic references in any academic work; or altering, forging, or falsifying any academic record or other University document.
4. Obtaining an Unfair Advantage: employing unapproved methods in course work or preparation for an evaluation; stealing, reproducing, circulating or otherwise gaining unauthorized access to examination materials; sharing, using, obtaining, or trying to obtain a test or any part of a test before the testing period; retaining, possessing, or using previously given examination materials where those materials clearly indicate that they were intended to be returned to the instructor at the conclusion of the examination; stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing library materials with the purpose of depriving others of their use; intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student's academic work; otherwise undertaking activity with the purpose of creating or obtaining an unfair academic advantage over other students' academic work.
5. Unauthorized Access to Grading Records, Computerized Records or Systems: unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems; viewing or altering grading records or computer system records; modifying computer programs or systems; releasing or dispensing information gained via unauthorized access; or interfering with the use or availability of computer systems or information.
6. Facilitating Violations of Academic Integrity: assisting or attempting to assist another student in violating academic integrity; allowing another to plagiarize or copy from one's work; unauthorized communication to provide information to another student during an evaluation; providing false information in connection with any inquiry regarding academic integrity.
III. Response to Violations of the AIP
When an instructor identifies violations of the AIP by a student in a course, it is the responsibility of the instructor to investigate, and take action by imposing a proportionate and reasonable sanction on the student. At the discretion of the instructor, and with consideration of the nature and severity of the violation and the evidence, one or more of the following sanctions are available to instructors and would be consistent with this Policy:
1. An oral reprimand made directly to the student individually and in private
2. A written reprimand presented to the student
3. An assignment to repeat the work, to be graded on its merits
4. A lower or failing grade on the test, project, or paper in question
5. A lower grade in the course
6. A failing grade in the course
IV. Student Appeals
Students have the right to appeal sanctions made by instructors for violations of academic integrity. The procedure for review and decision will be similar to the procedures for grade appeals.
1. The student should first meet with the instructor to discuss the alleged violation. If the student believes the conflict is not resolved, the student may file a formal appeal. The student must submit the form to the instructor, with copies to their chair, dean, and chief academic officer (CAO) within thirty days of being notified of the alleged violation.
2. The instructor must respond to the appeal within ten business days.
3. If the instructor rejects the appeal, reviewers (the department chair, the dean, and the CAO) meet within 10 business days of receipt of the instructor’s response to the appeal. If any of the reviewers are the instructor named in the appeal, a Dean from another college will fulfill the third role as a reviewer. The student or instructor may provide supplemental information to the reviewers within five business days after the instructor’s response.
4. If the reviewers find the allegation of a violation to be legitimate, the appeal fails.
5. If the reviewers find the allegation of a violation to be illegitimate, the appeal succeeds and a binding recommendation of a revision of the allegation is made to the instructor.
V. Multiple Violations
An instructor who detects egregious violations of the Academic Integrity Policy should report the case to Academic Affairs, who will maintain records of egregious violations. An egregious violation is one that will have a significant effect on the student’s final course grade. Examples of the kinds of violations considered egregious include but are not limited to:
1. If the grade in the class is affected:
a. A lower or failing grade on the test, project, or paper in question
b. A lower grade in the course
c. A failing grade in the course
2. Plagiarism so extensive that a major course assignment worth a third or more of the course grade contains little or no original work, e.g. plagiarism that accounts for three quarters of the text in
a culminating course paper
3. Repeated plagiarism in a class or across classes after a first warning
4. Purchase or sale of a paper from an essay mill
5. Cheating on a major exam in which the student has offered little or no honest work
6. Forgery of academic or other documents created to support false academic claims or extend academic deadlines, e.g. forged medical excuses, family death certificates or alteration of a transcript
When reporting an egregious offense, the instructor must submit documentation to Academic Affairs. The report must include:
Course number (if applicable)
Date of infraction and/or date violation was identified
Detailed description of the violation
Copy of supporting evidence (in electronic format if possible, scanned documents are acceptable)
Academic Affairs will notify the involved student of the official egregious violation. When Academic Affairs receives notice of two separate egregious violations by the same student, the student will be suspended for a semester. When Academic Affairs receives notice of a third egregious violation the student will be dismissed from Rockford University.
Students who have been suspended or dismissed for multiple egregious violations of the AIP from Rockford University, but who believe there are extenuating circumstances, may petition the Academic Standards Committee in writing for reinstatement. Such petitions do not include a re-adjudication of the violations. Such petitions must be submitted to the chair of the committee via the Registrar prior to the deadline established by the committee. The Academic Standards Committee reviews all applications and supporting documents, and decides whether or not to waive the suspension or dismissal.