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A C A D E M I C
I N T E G R I T Y P O L I C Y
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i
Academic Integrity Principles and Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Categories of Academic Integrity Violations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Procedures for Academic Integrity Violations Involving Administrators . . . . . . 3
Procedures for Academic Integrity Violations Involving Faculty,
Staff and Librarians. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Academic Integrity for Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Classification of Academic Integrity Violations by Offense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Fraud and Purchase Term Papers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Procedures for Reporting and Appealing Academic Integrity Violations . . . . . 10
Student Appeal of Charge or Sanction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Composition and Authority of the University Appeals Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Other Procedures for University Appeals Board Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Appendices for Student Process
Appendix 1 - Summary Matrix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Cheating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Plagiarism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Fabrication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Academic Misconduct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Appendix 2 - Flowchart of Violations Reporting Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Appendix 3 - Flowchart of Appeals Process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Academic Integrity Violations Reporting Form. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Revised Fall 2012
(Approved by Kean University Board of Trustees June 25, 2012)
KEAN UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY
PREFACE
Kean University is aware of and sensitive to the pressures exerted by peers and family, work environment, the academic process, and society in general, and is committed to creating an environment in which aca- demic integrity is supported and academic dishonesty is not tolerated. To that end, the University has taken steps to ensure that all members of the academic community are fully aware of the Academic Integrity Policy by: widely distributing the policy, posting it on the University’s Web site, identifying material on all course syllabi, and provide training to increase awareness of Academic Integrity issues among all members of the Kean University Community.
Thus, administrators, staff, Board of Trustees Members, and faculty at Kean University have an obligation to support academic integrity by ensuring that all members of the University community understand:
• What constitutes academic integrity • How to prevent academic dishonesty • What sanctions are imposed for academic dishonesty • What consequences ensue as a result of such sanctions, and • What process is used to impose those sanctions
All members of the Kean Community shall actively engage in the aca- demic process. In order to ensure compliance with the Academic Integrity Policy, administrators, faculty, staff, librarians, and students should:
• Represent their identity truthfully in all situations
• Protect their materials, including papers, tests, and other academic exercises, from unauthorized access
• Protect their means of access to resources, including computer pass- words and library access codes, from unauthorized use of the system
• Respect the work of others by acknowledging their words, ideas, opin- ions, theories, data, programs, and other intellectual material in accor- dance with the guidelines of the discipline or other faculty instruction
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• Report data or source information accurately
• Refuse to participate in activities that violate the Academic Integrity Policy
• Read, understand, and comply with the code of ethics and/or clinical code of their chosen discipline, and
• Represent their mastery of material truthfully and accurately.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
Kean University is committed to nurturing the growth of intellectual reasoning, academic and professional values, individual ethics and social responsibility in all members of the campus community. Kean University provides academically rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs that adhere to the twin principles of honesty and academic integrity. These principles are essential for ensuring and maintaining excellence in the quality of its academic instructional programs and facilitating the intellectual development of its students, led by the facul- ty, staff, administration, and Board of Trustees of the University. Therefore, academic dishonesty in any form - written or non-written, media or technology - seriously compromises the Kean University mis- sion to provide quality programs and opportunities for the optimum development of all students and employees.
There are five fundamental values that characterize an academic com- munity of integrity (five values itemized below adapted from The Center for Academic Integrity, (http://www.academicintegrity.org/icai/home.php)
• Honesty. The quest for truth and knowledge requires intellectual and personal honesty in learning, teaching, research and service.
• Trust. Academic institutions must foster a climate of mutual trust and respect in order to stimulate the free exchange of ideas.
• Fairness. All interactions among the members of the Kean University Community should be grounded in clear standards, practices and procedures.
• Respect. Learning is acknowledged as a participatory process, and a wide range of opinions and ideas is respected.
• Responsibility. A thriving community demands personal accountabil- ity on the part of all members and depends upon action in the face of wrongdoing.
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Maintaining high standards of academic integrity is the obligation and expectation of all members of the Kean community – students, fac- ulty, staff, administrators and Board of Trustees. It ensures the applica- tion of the highest academic standards and principles of conduct, hon- esty and truth. An individual’s work must reflect that person’s own efforts and achievements. Any collaboration of effort by an individual or groups of individuals must be acknowledged. Failure to acknowl- edge such contributions constitutes an act of dishonesty and a misrepre- sentation of the individual’s work.
Academic and professional communities are built on ideas. These ideas are debated, investigated, tested, and applied. The evidence of these ideas and the work that stems from them includes, but is not lim- ited to: research data, articles, books, computer programs, art, music, policies, and procedures. Academic and professional communities use this intellectual material to communicate ideas and to expand their body of knowledge. Reputable and respected members of these commu- nities always acknowledge the sources of the material so used.
At Kean University, the demonstration of academic integrity falls into four categories:
• Mastery of material – All members of the Kean community are responsible for the truthful representation of their mastery of content and material on prepared documents or other academic, research or professional exercises.
• Representation of sources – All members of the Kean community are responsible for the complete, accurate, specific, and truthful acknowl- edgement of the work of others, including, but not limited to, their words, ideas, phrases, sentences, or data.
• Truthful submission of work – All members of the Kean community are responsible for the truthful representation of data, scholarly or cre- ative works, research, its findings, projects, or other academic, research or professional exercises.
• Access and use of resources – All members of the Kean community, shall ensure that they protect their rights to access and use resources and engage only in authorized access and use of copyright of these resources.
CATEGORIES OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS
Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy generally fall into four cate- gories: Cheating, Plagiarism, Fabrication, and Academic Misconduct. In order to assist students, faculty, staff, librarians and administrators to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty, the following defini- tions are provided:
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• Cheating. Cheating is an act of deception by which a person misrep- resents his or her mastery of material
• Plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs when a person represents someone else’s words, ideas, phrases, sentences, or data as one’s own work. Copying or paraphrasing text without acknowledging the source, for example, is plagiarism.
• Fabrication. Fabrication refers to the use of invented information or the falsification of creative or scholarly works, research, its findings or other results. Listing sources in a bibliography or other report that were not used in the paper or project is an example of fabrication.
• Academic Misconduct. Academic Misconduct is any other act of aca- demic dishonesty that does not specifically fall in one of the above categories. Academic misconduct includes assisting another to com- mit any act of academic dishonesty.
In addition to the categories described above, academic integrity viola- tions may also occur in other academic contexts.
The University maintains that all members of the academic communi- ty are expected to employ the highest standards of academic integrity in their work and in representing their academic credentials. Whenever the values of academic integrity are violated (such as cheating, fabrica- tion, plagiarism, fabrication and academic misconduct) sanctions and discipline are required actions.
PROCEDURES FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS INVOLVING ADMINISTRATORS
1. Upon receiving a written complaint alleging an academic integrity violation, the President or his/her designee shall assign a fact-finding investigator(s) to review and investigate an alleged academic integri- ty violation by a University administrator. The accused administrator shall receive written notification advising him/her of the general nature of the alleged violation.
2. The assigned investigator(s) shall conduct the fact-finding investiga- tion, which shall include an interview of the accused administrator who shall be afforded an opportunity to present any evidence he or she believes is relevant to the investigation. The investigation also may include interviews of other witnesses and the review of any rele- vant documentation at the sole discretion of the investigator(s).
3. At the conclusion of the investigation, the investigator(s) shall prepare an investigation report to be submitted to the President or his/her designee, which shall include findings of fact and a recommendation regarding whether an academic integrity violation occurred.
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4. After receiving the report, the President or his/her designee shall determine whether a violation has occurred and advise the adminis- trator in writing of his/her decision. The President or his/her designee shall have the discretion upon receipt of the recommenda- tion to conduct additional inquiries before reaching a decision.
5. Upon receiving the decision, the accused administrator shall have a right of appeal to the University’s Board of Trustees. Any appeal shall be in writing and be submitted to the Board of Trustees within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of the decision by the administrator. The appeal must state the specific grounds for any claimed error in the decision.
6. The Board shall consider the written appeal and any supporting doc- umentation submitted with the appeal. Upon receipt of the appeal, the Board shall have the discretion to conduct any other inquiries or take any other action it deems necessary.
7. An appeal decision issued by the Board is the University’s final insti- tutional action regarding whether an academic integrity violation occurred.
8. If an investigation results in the finding of an academic integrity vio- lation against the administrator that is not appealed or is sustained after an appeal, the matter will be referred to the Office of Human Resources pursuant to the University’s established procedures for dis- ciplinary action.
PROCEDURES FOR ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS INVOLVING FACULTY, STAFF AND LIBRARIANS
Certain procedures for faculty, staff and librarians require negotiation between the University and designated representatives of the applicable collective negotiations unit(s). Therefore, this section will be updated in the future.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY FOR STUDENTS
Students who demonstrate academic integrity become a part of their academic or professional community. These guidelines are designed to help the student understand how to achieve that result.
What follows are the procedures related to students. Faculty mem- bers are required to support the Academic Integrity Policy by dis- cussing the value of integrity and by reporting academic dishonesty.
As the first line of support, faculty shall ensure that the Academic Integrity Policy is discussed to an appropriate extent in every course
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section, with emphasis on the elements that pertain particularly to that class. As stated in the University catalog, faculty shall distribute a syl- labus for every course section that includes, among other criteria and information, the course requirements, methods of evaluation, and the basis by which the final grade is derived.
CLASSIFICATION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS BY OFFENSE
Violations of academic integrity are classified based on the level of seriousness of the behaviors. Brief descriptions, examples and recom- mended sanctions are provided below. Quantitative benchmarks (per- centages of course grades) are offered as guidance to assist faculty and administrators to determine the appropriate level of violation. These are general descriptions and should not be considered as all-inclusive.
Level One Violations
Level One violations consist of those instances when, in the opinion of the instructor, the student’s actions may be the result of inexperience and the activity in which the violation occurs constitutes less than 10% of the grade for the course. Level One violations are considered aca- demic issues and not disciplinary offenses. Inherently, Level One viola- tions would be most common among first-year students.
Examples:
PLAGIARISM
• Improper citation or footnoting
• Citation of information not taken from the source indicated
Recommended Sanction: Make-up assignment at a more difficult level or assignment of no credit for work in question, required atten- dance at a workshop on preparation of term papers, or a library assign- ment on the preparation of term papers.
Level Two Violations
Level Two violations consist of those instances involving cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or academic misconduct when, in the opinion of the instructor, one or more of the following conditions exists:
– The student’s actions constitute a violation of academic integrity that cannot be dismissed as a result of inexperience.
– The activity in which the violation occurs constitutes less than 25% of the grade for the course.
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Examples:
CHEATING
• Unauthorized assistance with academic work (e.g., excessive editorial assistance)
• Allowing another student to copy one’s work
• Copying from another student’s work
PLAGIARISM
(representing less than 25% of the entire academic exercise)
• Level One violations not attributable to inexperience
• Copying another person’s words directly without acknowledging the source
• Using another’s ideas, opinions or theories (even if they have been completely paraphrased in one’s own words) without acknowledg- ing the source
• Using facts, statistics or other illustrative material taken from a source without acknowledging the source, unless the information is common knowledge
• Submitting a computer program, or any other creative work or intel- lectual property as defined by the discipline, as original work which duplicates, in whole or in part, the work of another, without citation,
FABRICATION
• Listing of sources in a bibliography or other report not used in that project
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
• Submitting the same written work to fulfill the requirements of more than one course without the explicit permission of the present instructor
Recommended Sanction: A failing grade on the assignment. The Academic Integrity Violations Report (AIVR) is sent to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the record may be considered in the determination of the level of future violations.
Level Three Violations
Level Three violations consist of those instances involving cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or academic misconduct when, in the opinion of
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the instructor, one or more of the following conditions exists.
– The student’s actions are a repeat offense of a Level Two violation.
– The activity in which the violation occurs constitutes 25% or more of the grade for the course.
Examples:
CHEATING
• Using unauthorized materials such as a textbook, notebook, or text messaging during an examination
• Collaborating with another person during an exam by giving or receiving information without permission
• Unauthorized access to or use of someone else’s computer account or computer files for any purpose.
PLAGIARISM
(representing 25% or more of the entire academic exercise)
• Improper citation or footnoting
• Citation of information not taken from the source indicated
• Copying another person’s words directly without acknowledging the source
• Using another’s ideas, opinions or theories (even if they have been completely paraphrased in one’s own words) without acknowledg- ing the source
• Using facts, statistics or other illustrative material taken from a source without acknowledging the source, unless the information is common knowledge
• Submitting a computer program, or any other creative work or intellectual property as defined by the discipline, as original work which duplicates, in whole or in part, without citation, the work of another
FABRICATION
• Submitting as one’s own of any academic work prepared in whole or in part by others, unless the assignment allows students to work collaboratively
• Making up data or source information for an experiment, research project, or other academic exercise
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ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
• Altering test answers and then claiming that the instructor inappro- priately graded the examination
• Misrepresenting oneself or providing misleading and false informa- tion in attempt to access another’s computer account
The Dean (or designee) or the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs may determine that a violation reported at Level Two becomes a Level Three in the presence of a prior Level Two violation unknown to the reporting instructor. This determination may be made after the Level Two sanction has already been imposed.
Recommended Sanction: Probation or suspension from the University for one semester with a notation of “disciplinary suspen- sion” placed in a student’s internal academic file and a failing grade in the course. The Academic Integrity Violations Report (AIVR) is sent to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the record may be considered in the determination of the level of future violations.
Level Four Violations
These are the most serious breaches of academic integrity and include violations that may even potentially result in legal action against the perpetrator. Level Four violations consist of those instances involving cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or academic misconduct when, in the opinion of the instructor, one or more of the following conditions exists:
– The student’s actions represent a blatant disregard or disrespect for the expectations of academic integrity and/or University life.
– The student’s actions represent a violation of law.
– The student’s actions represent any degree or category of infraction relating to a graduate thesis.
Examples:
FABRICATION
• Makes up data or source information in an experiment, research project, or other academic exercise related to the senior or graduate thesis
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
• Changing, altering, falsifying or being accessory to the changing, altering or falsifying of a grade report or form, or entering any University office, building or accessing a computer for that purpose
• Coercing any other person to obtain an unadministered test
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• Stealing, buying, selling, giving away or otherwise obtaining all or part of any unadministered examination, term papers, or works of art, or entering any University office or building for the purpose of obtaining said materials without authorization
• Substituting for another student or permitting any other person to substitute for oneself to take a test or examination
• Creating illegal accounts, changing of files or securing of passwords illegally
• Destroying computer accounts without authorization
• Violating the clinical or ethical code of the discipline
• Sabotaging of another’s work
The Dean (or designee) or the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs may determine that a violation reported at Level Three becomes a Level Four in the presence of a prior Level Three viola- tion unknown to the reporting instructor. This determination may be made after the Level Three sanction has been applied. Multiple Level Two Violations or a Level Two violation followed by a Level Three vio- lation may only be sanctioned at Level Three. Only multiple Level Three violations may be raised to Level 4.
Recommended Sanction: Expulsion from the University and a per- manent dismissal notation on the student’s internal academic file.
FRAUD AND PURCHASED TERM PAPERS
The unauthorized collaboration with any other person in preparing work offered for course credit, such as purchasing a term paper from another student or from a term paper research company and submitting that paper as one’s own is fraud. Such behavior is illegal. New Jersey Statutes Annotated § 18A:2-3 states:
“No person shall, for any fee, or other remuneration, prepare, offer to prepare, cause to be prepared, sell or offer for sale any term paper [emphasis added], thesis, dissertation, essay, report or other written, recorded, pictorial, artistic or other assignment knowing or under the circumstances having reason to know, that said assignment is intended for submission either in whole or substantial part under a student’s name in fulfillment of the requirements for a degree, diploma, certifi- cate, course or courses of study at any university, college, academy, school or other educational institution.”
The law provides a $1,000 fine for anyone convicted of violating its provision. Students should be aware that academic research companies:
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• Keep comprehensive lists of the clients they serve, including the client’s name, the school he or she attends, the date on which the material was purchased from the company, and the type of material secured.
• Provide copies of these lists and copies of the material sold to the individual purchaser, to any collegiate institution or faculty mem- ber, upon request made on official institutional letterhead.
PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING AND APPEALING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS
Violations of Level 2, 3, or 4 of the University’s academic integrity policy must be reported on an Academic Integrity Violations Report form (AIVR) found in all academic program offices. Completion and fil- ing of the AIVR form by an instructor, as outlined below, will serve as the official written notification of an Academic Integrity Policy offense. The responsibility for demonstrating the existence of a violation shall be upon the faculty member bringing the charges.
The Academic Integrity Violation Report Form is a five part form which identifies the student and instructor involved, the course, course assignment and specific details of the violation. It shall also designate the category and classification of the violation.
In the case of Level 2 violations, the instructor will meet with the stu- dent to address the charge, including the level of violation and recom- mended sanction, and impose the sanction for Level 2 violations. The sanction imposed by an instructor must be recorded on the AIVR form and forwarded to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs. If the instructor is unable to reach the student, a copy of the AIVR form will be sent via certified mail to the student’s address of record. All Level 1 and Level 2 appeals will proceed through the academic pro- gram grade grievance procedure or academic program Personnel Committee. If a student does not appeal, the AIVR form remains on file in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs as the final record of the violation.
All student/instructor conferences about Level 3 and 4 violations will be informational only. As discussed above, the instructor will meet with the student to address the charge; however the instructor is not respon- sible for determining the sanction or action that will be taken in response to these violations, but may make a recommendation to the College Dean (or designee). If the instructor is unable to reach the stu- dent, a copy of the AIVR form will be sent via certified mail to the stu- dent’s address of record. All Level 3 and Level 4 violations reports must
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be sent to the Dean’s (or designee) Office for action prior to filing the report with the Vice President of Academic Affairs and executive direc- tor/department chairperson. Both the student and the instructor have the right to meet individually with the Dean (or designee) before a deci- sion is made. The College Dean (or designee) will then review the inci- dent and apply a sanction in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy level of violation and recommended action. No further action will be taken if the Dean (or designee) finds no violation has occurred. The Dean’s (or designee) action will be reported in the appropriate sec- tion on the form. A letter will be sent to the student confirming the dis- ciplinary action taken, i.e. probation, suspension or dismissal. A copy of the completed form and the action taken will also be forwarded to the instructor, executive director/department chair and Vice President of Academic Affairs. All sanctions imposed by an instructor or College Dean (or designee) must be in accordance with the published Academic Integrity Policy.
STUDENT APPEAL OF CHARGE OR SANCTION
Once a sanction has been imposed at Level 3 or 4, the student may file a written appeal of the charge or sanction to the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 30 calendar days of the date of notification. Should an Academic Integrity Violations charge be made at the end of a semester, a No Record (NR) grade will be assigned until the charge is addressed. The Vice President of Academic Affairs office will refer all appeals of Levels 3 and 4 violations to the University Appeals Board (UAB) for hearing or mediation. The UAB may uphold, modify, or dis- miss a charge or a sanction made by the College Dean (or designee). If a student does not appeal, the Academic Integrity Violation Report form remains on file in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs as the final record of the violation.
Any written appeal by the student must be filed within 30 calendar days of the date of notification. It must include a:
• Clear explanation of the nature of the appeal
• Clear explanation of the reason(s) for the appeal
• Clear concise statement of the facts as known, with appropriate supporting documentation
• Clear statement of what is being appealed; i.e., the dishonesty charge and/or the sanction imposed and
• Current postal and e-mail addresses and telephone number(s) where the student can be reached.
The University Appeals Board must be convened by the Vice President of Academic Affairs office upon receipt of an appeal. The Vice President of Academic Affairs office will be responsible for checking the student’s past record, if any, to see if the student has committed prior acts of academic dishonesty.
COMPOSITION AND AUTHORITY OF THE UAB
The University Appeals Board is a body elected by the Faculty Senate membership whose role is to review all student appeals of violations of academic integrity.
The voting members of the UAB consist of one (1) full-time teaching faculty members elected from each academic college by the Faculty Senate membership; one (1) professional staff member elected by the Faculty Senate professional staff membership; three (3) students, one each, appointed by each of the three student governing bodies; and one (1) administrator or staff member appointed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Vice President for Student Affairs will appoint a nonvoting member who will serve as an observer. It is the responsibility of this member to observe and monitor procedure, and act as the liaison between the UAB and the Vice President for Student Affairs. After the Senate election results, in May, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will convene a UAB meeting for the purpose of electing a UAB Chair for the proceeding fall semester.
The UAB must be elected during the Faculty Senate’s regularly scheduled elections. Faculty Senate members of the UAB serve for two years. A quorum of 60% of the voting members is required to consider appeals.
The decisions of the UAB are considered final and may be appealed only on the grounds of alleged procedural or substantive error. Appeals will be directed in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and must be filed within ten (10) business days of the decision issued by the University Appeals Board. The written appeal must identify the nature of the alleged procedural or substantive error on which the appeal is based. Prior to reaching a decision on the appeal, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will meet with the Chairperson of the University Appeals Board to review the basis on which the UAB reached its deci- sion. If the Vice President of Academic Affairs determines that a proce- dural or substantive error occurred, the Vice President of Academic Affairs may direct the UAB to reconsider its decision. The determina- tion of the Vice President of Academic Affairs is final.
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OTHER PROCEDURES FOR UAB REVIEWS
Additional procedures for UAB reviews include:
• Student Presence at UAB Meeting: Students will be notified by certified mail that their appeal will be heard on a specific date and time, and that they are invited to attend. The student must notify the UAB Board Secretary in advance whether or not he/she plans to attend the hearing or inform the Board Secretary if the hearing is scheduled at a time when the student cannot attend so that a mutu- ally agreeable date can be scheduled. Should a student not attend by choice, the appeal will be heard based on the written record. Should the meeting be rescheduled for student’s convenience and the student fail to attend the meeting, the appeal will be heard based on the written record.
• Faculty Presence at UAB Meeting: The involved faculty member will be notified of the date and time of the hearing. The arrange- ments described above pertaining to attendance and rescheduling are also applicable to involved instructor.
• Case Records: Pending a scheduled appeal meeting, two (2) confi- dential copies of scheduled cases will be kept in the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs for review by Board members and the directly involved parties, i.e., the faculty member and the accused student.
• Attorneys Present at Meeting: Attorneys may attend at the accused student’s request to observe the proceedings and advise the stu- dent. Attorneys may not address the Board or otherwise participate.
• Parents or Guardians Present at Meeting: Parents or guardians may attend at the accused student’s request to observe the proceed- ings and advise the student. Parents or guardians may not address the Board or otherwise participate.
• Hearing Procedure: The UAB will convene its meetings first and then invite student and faculty to present their information. The Board Moderator will be the person through whom materials or questions will be addressed to the Board. All materials or questions to be introduced must normally be sent to the Moderator at least three (3) class days prior to the scheduled hearing. Notification of the UAB’s decision will be by certified mail.
• Recusal: Board members will use their discretion concerning cases where familiarity may affect their impartial judgment.
• Time/Witness Limitation: The Board Moderator may limit the number of witnesses to be heard or may exclude irrelevant or unduly repetitious information.
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• Hearing Record: The UAB will receive and consider oral and documentary information that support or discredit the charges presented
• Alternative Actions: If there is a need for the UAB to meet outside the academic year, (e.g. summer months), and a quorum cannot be reached, hearings may be delayed until the beginning of the next academic year, or the Faculty Senate, student organization or Vice President of Academic Affairs, as appropriate may be asked to elect an alternate member, as appropriate.
• Voting Procedures: The UAB votes may be cast by secret ballot, with the recommendation made on the basis of a majority of voting members present. Minority opinions may be written to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. In the case of a tie vote, voting will continue until the Board deems that it must notify the Vice President of Academic Affairs of a deadlock. Thus, voting may span more than one meeting. In the case of a deadlock, the Vice President of Academic Affairs shall make the final decision.
• Procedural Questions: Any procedural questions should be addressed to the Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
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A P P E N D I X 1
S U M M A R Y M AT R I X O F D I F F E R E N T C AT E G O R I E S O F A C A D E M I C D I S H O N E S T Y, B Y L E V E L O F O F F E N S E
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A P P E N D I X 2
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Instructor Student College Dean
(or Designee)
Vice President of
Academic Affairs
Academic Integrity Violation Reporting
Identify and
Document
Violation
Level 1, Instructor
Imposes Sanction
Level 2, Instructor
Imposes Sanction
College Dean
(or Designee)
meets with Student
and/or Instructor
upon request
No action taken
College Dean
(or Designee)
Imposes Sanction
and distributes
copies of AIVR
What
Level?
What
Level?
Agree with
Instructor?
AIVR Copy AIVR Copy
AIVR Copy
to Student
AIVR copy to
Instructor and
Department Chair/
Executive Director
AIVR copy to
Vice President of
Academic Affairs
Level 3 and 4,
College Dean
(or Designee)
reviews AIVR Form
Levels 2, 3 & 4
Complete AIVR
Form
Level 2, 3 & 4
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3 & 4
Yes
No
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A P P E N D I X 3
Student Vice President of
Academic Affairs UAB Instructor
Instructor’s
Department
Academic Integrity Violation Appeal Process
Student receives
notification of
Sanction and
decides to appeal
Revise appeal to
comply with
requirements
Review appeal for
completeness
Set meeting date
Notify all parties
Hear testimony
Review
Change Violation
Level or Sanction
At what level of
Violation was
Sanction
imposed?
Complete?
Decision
Written notification
of appeal (see
policy for
requirements)
UAB receives
appeal
Notification of
Decision
Notification of
Decision
Receive
appeal of
UAB decision
Notification of
appeal denied
Written notification
of appeal (see
policy for
requirements)
Submit appeal within 30 calendar days
Overrule Sanction
10
bus days
Within 30
calendar days
YesNo
Appeal
Valid?
Appeal?
Appeals for Level 1
and 2 Violations
handled in Academic
Program Grievance or
Personnel Committee
Sustain Sanction
26
A c a d e m i c I n t e g r i t y V i o l a t i o n R e p o r t F o r m
Semester Year � Fall � Spring � Summer I � Summer II � Winter
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS REPORT FORM Kean University Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Student’s Name ID#
Instructor’s Name Department
Course Title Course No. Section No.
Category & Classification of Violation (select one) Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 (By Instructor) (No action to be taken by instructor at these levels)
Course Assignment: (provide written assignment or related materials, e.g. Syllabus)
Details of the Offense: (include specific evidence of violation)
Instructor’s Signature Date Student’s Signature Date
(Signature ensures that student has read the statement of the offense and violation; it does not indicate agreement or disagreement. If unable to obtain, send copy of Report to the Student at the address of record. If no reply by established date, forward to next step with copy of letter.) Action Taken : At level 2 the instructor takes action. At levels 3 & 4, students have the right to meet with the Dean (or designee) BEFORE the Dean (or designee) makes a determination about the alleged violation. Level 2
Instructor’s signature ___________________________________________ Date _________________________
Appeal If student appeals, determination of the Departmental Personnel Committee
Chair/Executive Director Signature________________________________________ Date __________________________ Levels 3 & 4 Dean (or designee) Signature Date
Appeal If student appeals, Determination by University’s Appeals Board (UAB) UAB Chair Signature Date Original to Vice President of Academic Affairs Copies to: student, instructor, executive director/department chair, dean (or designee)