Ideas and learning form the core of the
academic community. In all centers of education, learning is valued and honored.
No learning community can thrive if its members counterfeit their achievements,
and seek to establish an unfair advantage over their fellow students. The
academic standards at DeVry are based on a pursuit of knowledge and assume a
high level of integrity in every one of its members. When this trust is
violated, the academic community suffers injury and must act to ensure that its
standards remain meaningful. The vehicle for this action is the Academic
Integrity Policy.
The Academic Integrity Policy is designed to foster a fair and impartial set of
standards upon which academic dishonesty will be judged. All students are
required to adhere to these standards. This system defines dishonest acts as
those which are cited in the following paragraphs. This list is not
all-inclusive, as instructors may establish certain other standards based upon
the nature of the course or the setting in which the course material may be
delivered or applied. The following, however, does constitute the minimum basis
upon which academic integrity will be measured.
All DeVry students have a responsibility
to adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy, as do all members of the Institute
community. Following is a list of ways in which students can prevent and
confront academic integrity violations:
1.If you observe a violation of the Academic Policy, report it to either of the following:
·The faculty member teaching the course, or
·
The Director of Student Services or his/her
designee.
2.
Make it difficult and unacceptable for other
students to cheat by:
·
Covering your work during exams.
·
Giving discouraging glances to students
trying to cheat.
·
Refusing to give away old term papers.
·
Refusing to provide old exams to other
students without the consent of the faculty member.
·
Keeping your computer password a secret.
·
Denying others access to your computer
programs.
Dishonest acts for the purposes of this policy are those which permit a student
to gain an unfair advantage over other students by any of the means enumerated
below:
A. CopyingThis act of copying is not limited by the method of
conveyance. Visual, oral, notes, printed matter or electronic means all
constitute methods by which copying can occur.
Any act of copying information from
another student by any means to obtain an advantage for one's self.
Any act of conveying information to
another student for the purpose of providing unfair advantage to that
student.
Any act of representing others' work,
whether copyrighted or not, as one's own. Others' work includes, but is not
limited to, homework, written papers, examinations, laboratory assignments,
published work, circuit designs, software, etc.
B.
Plagiarism
In speaking or writing, plagiarism is the act of representing someone else's
work as one's own. In addition, plagiarism is defined as using the essential
style, and manner of expression, of a source as if it were one's own. If there
is any doubt, the student should consult his/her instructor or use a "when in
doubt, document" philosophy. Also, any statement made without documentation is
claimed as your own and therefore subjects you to this plagiarism policy.
Examples of plagiarism include:
Student submission of word for word
passages of others' work without proper acknowledgment.
Paraphrasing of others' work which
contains specific information or ideas and which is not shown within quotation
marks or is not properly acknowledged.
Two or more submitted papers, lab
assignments, computer programs, etc., which contain a resemblance decidedly
beyond the bounds of reasonable coincidence.
A paper, examination or assignment that
contains data or conclusions which, upon questioning, the student cannot
explain, support or demonstrate direct knowledge of.
Computer piracy which includes any act of
copyright infringement (protected by Federal, State or Local law), the use of
software which has otherwise been expressly prohibited, copying, duplicating
software code and copying of notes, specifications, technical descriptions of
any software code whether copyrighted or not.
C.
Collaboration
Any act of two or more students actively
cooperating on any assignment when such cooperation has not been expressly
permitted by the instructor. This may include, but is not limited to,
homework, papers to be completed outside of the normal classroom scheduled
hours, in-class assignments, laboratory exercises or reports, and take-home
examinations.
Any individual representing another
student or being represented by another person for the purpose of taking an
examination, authoring a paper for another student, or in any other way
fulfilling the obligation of another student when that obligation is expected
to be the work of the non-participating student.
D.
Alteration of Records
Any act by which the signature of an
instructor or any authorized agent of instructor (including student faculty
assistants) is changed or forged for the purpose or misrepresenting the
signature of the instructor or his/her authorized agent.
Any act which changes or alters the time
or date of a submitted assignment for the purpose of misrepresenting an
established due date or time.
The alteration of any previously
completed examination, record or an examination or any other assignment which
has been returned to the student, in an attempt to claim instructor error.
This includes any attempt to gain an improved grade or additional credit for
work not originally demonstrated.
E.
Aids
Any use of aids which have not been expressly permitted. Aids include but are
not limited to, calculators, crib notes, notes, books, electronic recording
devices, photocopied materials, etc.
F.
Proprietary Material
Any unauthorized use of or giving to others proprietary materials obtained by
any means. This includes, but is not limited to, examinations, problem
solutions, copyright or patent infringement, computer piracy, or unauthorized
use of any other material regulated by Federal, State or Local law.
G. Bribery
Bribing another person to obtain an
unadministered test or information about an unadministered test.
Offering money, any item, or service to a
faculty member or any other person to gain academic advantage for oneself or
another.
The offering, giving, receiving or
soliciting of any unauthorized information in exchange for anything of value.
H. Lying
is the deliberate misrepresentation by words, actions, or deeds, of any
situation or fact, in part, or in whole, for the purpose of enhancing one's
academic standing, or for the purpose of avoiding, or postponing the completion
of any assignment, duties, test or examination in a course, internship, or
cooperative education assignment or program.
I.
Other
Any act of misrepresenting the facts
regarding an absence, or work that has not been completed, for the purpose of
gaining an extension of an established due date or for taking a make-up
examination.
Any act of using the material of others,
however obtained, for the purpose of gaining advantage or credit unless the
use of such material is expressly authorized.
The use of any work previously submitted
for credit unless the use of such previously completed work is expressly
authorized.
Stealing, as theft of grade books from
faculty offices or elsewhere.
Knowingly using, buying, selling,
stealing, transporting, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an
unadministered test.
Intentionally or knowingly helping or
attempting to help another to commit any act of academic dishonesty.
Any member of the Institute community may
report a violation of the standards of conduct as described in the Academic
Integrity Policy. Any violation should be reported as soon as possible after
the event takes place. If a violation is reported, observed or suspected, the
instructor will discuss the incident with the student. The student will be
given the opportunity to provide an explanation or admit fault. If the student
admits fault or presents an unsatisfactory explanation, the instructor will
inform the student that the case is being referred to Student Services for
action. The instructor will complete the Academic Dishonesty Incident Report,
attach copies of supporting documents, and forward copies of all documents to
the Student Services office.
Upon receipt of the Incident Report, the
Director of Student Services/designee will review the record to determine
whether the incident is the student's first, second or third offense.
If the incident is the student's first
offense, the Director of Student Services/designee will review the case and
send an appropriate notice to the student within five school days. The
student notice will include date of incident, charges, action taken, appeal
rights and deadlines. A copy of the Academic Integrity Policy will be
included. A copy of the notice will be sent to the instructor for his/her
records, and the instructor will record a grade of zero (see Sanctions).
If the incident is the student's second
or third offense, a Hearing Panel will be convened and all procedures used
for an Hearing Panel will be followed. The Director of Student
Services/designee will then impose appropriate sanctions based upon the
results of the hearing.
The mandatory sanctions are the minimum
required. The discretionary sanctions for each offense may be imposed if deemed
appropriate by the Director of Student Services/designee.
1. First Recorded Offense:
Mandatory:
·
Student receives zero credit for the entire
paper, exam, quiz, homework, lab, etc. in which the incident of academic
dishonesty occurred. No partial credit may be given.
·
Where the incident involves a graded
assignment normally subject to a "drop" option, the student may not exercise
that option.
·
Where the incident involves a graded
assignment which has been so compromised that it must be voided for the class,
the offending individual's grade for the class will be based upon the inclusion
of the zero for the voided assignment.
2. Second Recorded Offense:
Mandatory:
Student receives a failing grade for the class, lab, etc. in which the second
offense occurs. The second offense need not be in the same class, program or
term as the first offense to invoke this sanction. Withdrawal from the course
will not alter the failing grade.
Discretionary:
·
Suspension for up to one academic year
·
Permanent expulsion
3. Third Recorded Offense
Mandatory: Student is permanently expelled from the DeVry system.
Again, the third offense need not be in the same class, program or term as
either the first or second offense to invoke this sanction.
The action of the instructor may be
appealed by the accused student to the Director of Student Services or
designee within five (5) school days of receipt of notice of the action.
Such appeals will be in writing.
The student will be afforded by the
opportunity to select either a hearing by an Hearing Panel or a hearing by
the Director of Student Services/designee. The Director of Student
Services/designee may require a hearing by an Appeal Board when he/she feels
that such a procedure is in the best interest of the Institute.
All charges shall be presented to the
accused student in written form. A time shall be set for a hearing, not less
than two, nor more than fifteen calendar days after the student has been
notified. Maximum time limits for scheduling of hearings may be extended at
the discretion of the Director of Student Services/designee.
Hearings shall be conducted according
to the following guidelines:
The Director of Student
Services/designee may serve (in a non-voting capacity) as Chairperson of
the Appeal Board.
Hearings normally shall be conducted
in private.
Admission of any person to the
hearing shall be at the discretion of the Appeal Board and/or the Director
of Student Services/designee.
In hearings involving more than one
accused student, the Director of Student Services/designee, in his or her
discretion, may permit the hearings concerning each student to be
conducted together.
The complainant and the accused have
the right to be assisted by any advisor they choose, at their own expense.
The advisor may be an attorney. The complainant and/or the accused is
responsible for presenting his or her own case and, therefore, advisors
are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any hearing.
The complainant, the accused and the
Institute shall have the privilege of presenting witnesses, subject to the
right of cross examination by the Appeal Board or Director of Student
Services/designee.
Pertinent records, exhibits and
written statements may be accepted as evidence for consideration at the
discretion of the Director of Student Services.
All procedural questions are subject
to the final decision of the Director of Student Services/designee.
After the hearing, the Appeal Board
shall determine (by majority vote, if the judicial body consists of more
than one person) whether the student has violated the Academic Integrity
Policy.
The Appeal Board's determination
shall be made on the basis of whether it is more likely than not that the
accused student violated the Academic Integrity Policy.
There shall be a single verbatim
record, such as a tape recording, of all hearings. The record shall be the
property of the Institute.
APPEALS/SECOND OR THIRD OFFENSES
A decision reached by a Hearing Panel or
a sanction imposed by the Director of Student Services/designee may be
appealed by the accused student or complainant to the Director of Student
Services within five (5) school days of the decision. Such appeals shall be in
writing. In cases where the Director of Student Services is the Director of
Student Services/designee, the appeal shall be directed to the next
administrative level.
Except as required to explain the basis
of new evidence, an appeal shall be limited to review of the verbatim record
of the initial hearing and supporting documents for one or more of the
following purposes:
To determine whether the original
hearing was conducted fairly in light of the charges and prescribed
procedures giving the complaining party a reasonable opportunity to prepare
and present evidence that the Academic Integrity Policy was violated, and
giving the accused student a reasonable opportunity to prepare and present a
rebuttal of those allegations.
To determine whether the decision
reached regarding the accused student was based on substantial evidence,
that it, whether the facts in the case were sufficient to establish that a
violation of the Academic Integrity Policy occurred.
To determine whether the sanction(s)
imposed were appropriate for the violation.
To consider new evidence, sufficient to
alter a decision, or other relevant facts not brought out in the original
hearing, because such evidence and/or facts were not known at the time of
the original hearing.
If an appeal is
upheld by the Director of Student Services, the matter shall be remanded to the
original Hearing Panel and Director of Student Services/designee re-opening of
the hearing to allow reconsideration of the original determination and/or
sanctions.
