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Academics -
Academic Freedom and Integrity
Honest inquiry in the search for
truth and understanding is the common purpose of
faculty and students; it entails the courage to
present and the tolerance to entertain divergent
views where intellectual differences exist..
Provision of an environment
conducive to learning is the primary function of all
administrators, faculty, and staff members and the
responsibility of trustees.
Responsible teaching demands
faithful attendance at assigned classes and
accessibility to students outside classes; respect
for the personal dignity and worth of each
individual student without prejudice; the
determination to uphold rigorous curricular
standards; the practice of honesty in defining and
impartiality in applying grading standards that
reward excellence, identify failure as distinct from
mediocrity, and assure the integrity of academic
credits; the willingness to undertake measures to
prevent student cheating and to impose penalties
whenever cheating occurs; and adherence to high
standards of personal behavior as a contribution to
the ethical tone of the campus.
Honest pursuit of research and
scholarship by faculty and students demands
attribution of credit to all individuals who
participated in the conduct or contributed to the
completion of a project, paper, publication, or
experiment; citation of the specific source of all
information, ideas, and quotations not original to
the author; and respect for truth in reporting
experimental findings or the results of scholarly
inquiry.
The proper fulfillment of
academic requirements demands the presentation of
such homework assignments, term papers, examination
papers, or other evidences of effort as are solely
the fruits of a student's own work; the practice of
fairness in competing with peers through recognition
of others' equal right to gain access to information
and materials, through respect for common facilities
and equipment, and through adherence to rules
governing their use.
Responsible administrative
oversight requires equity in recruitment, hiring and
admissions practices; attention to the educational
needs of all students admitted, including provision
of remedial programs where necessary; fairness in
procedures governing promotion and tenure decisions;
supervision of faculty members' outside employment
to prevent conflicts of interest or responsibility;
insistence on accuracy and truthfulness in all
materials and presentations describing the
institution; formulation and periodic dissemination
of an institutional code of academic ethics;
encouragement of adherence to the principles of the
code by frequent publication of penalties for
violations and their firm application when
infractions occur; and creation of a campus climate
of ethical behavior through the exemplary conduct of
administrative functions in dealing with students,
faculty, staff, and the public.
The exercise of trusteeship
demands the governing boards resist all attempts by
external agencies or persons to exert inappropriate
pressure on colleges and universities, and that they
publicly embrace the principles of academic
integrity, carefully monitor institutional efforts
to nurture ethical conduct, and strongly support the
enforcement of institutional codes governing matters
of academic ethics.
Compliance with any of the
foregoing statements is a joint responsibility of
the faculty and administration
A faculty member is entitled to
freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her
subject, but should be careful not to introduce into
his or her teaching controversial matter which has
no relation to his or her subject.
It is
expected that students will
present as their own work only that which they have
done themselves. The College will not condone
academic dishonesty at any time, whether it be
plagiarizing (the act of passing off someone else's
ideas as your own), or cheating by any means during
a test, an examination, or in any work intended to
be done independently.
Any
student who is found guilty in violation of academic
integrity by a faculty member is subject to any or
all of the following actions:
- A
grade of F for the work in question.
- Any
other action deemed appropriate by the faculty
member, including lowering of the final grade
for the course and/or makeup work.
-
Immediate and complete failure for the course.
- A
Censure or Probation initiated by the faculty
member and enacted by the Dean of Student
Services Office. This includes the creation of a
file in the student's name with full
documentation of the act of academic dishonesty.
- Upon
the recommendation of the Academic Vice
President, immediate dismissal from the College.
This decision may be appealed to the Judicial
Committee.
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