Academic Honesty
Honesty in all matters, including honesty in academic endeavors, is a valued principle at Southern Wesleyan University. It is the expectation of the University that all those joining the academic program will act with integrity in all matters. Because of this principle, members of this community of learners (students, faculty, facilitators, staff, and administrators) are also expected to honor one another.
Honesty is particularly important when it comes to academic work. Because the University awards academic credit based on the assessment of each student’s work, and because that academic credit represents the University’s validation of learning, dishonesty by a student strikes at the heart of the value of the degree for all students and alumni. Consequently, any form of academic dishonesty (including cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of documents) constitutes a serious breach of trust.
No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated. Students are encouraged to help each other maintain these high standards. All academic dishonesty observed should be reported to the faculty directly. Faculty members are in charge of their classrooms and are encouraged to be present during exams. In the case of exams given outside of a classroom setting (such as online), efforts should be made to safeguard the integrity of the evaluation.
All community members are encouraged to avoid increasing temptations for dishonesty. At the beginning of the course, faculty members are encouraged to convey and to interpret their policy on plagiarism (academic dishonesty involving the use of another’s material, methods, or ideas without properly acknowledging the originator).
Upon evidence of academic dishonesty (cheating, plagiarism, or misuse of another’s intellectual property), either by voluntary confession, report of another student, or on the basis of work submitted, the faculty member should follow this procedure:
- Talk with the student in the presence of another faculty member or an appropriate administrator. If the student is taking classes online only, then the faculty member should email the student and copy the dean (or division chair where applicable).
- Inform the student of the resulting discipline, based upon the situation:
- student’s unprompted confession - NC or 0 for work involved.
- admission after confrontation by faculty member - NC or 0 on work and 10% course grade reduction; the student is not permitted to withdraw from the class.
- denial of guilt and faculty member believes innocence - no penalty.
- denial of guilt but faculty member believes guilt - F for the course; the student is not permitted to withdraw from the class.
- In the event that there is evidence the student either encouraged others to be involved in the academic dishonesty, or conspired with others in the process by giving, receiving or using unauthorized aid, the faculty member should consult with his or her dean (or division chair where applicable) and recommend to the provost a response that may include academic dismissal from the University.
- Explain the appeal process to the student described in Appeals in Cases of Alleged Academic Dishonesty.
- Submit a written report to the provost, including the discipline implemented. Upon receipt of the report, the provost will take the following action:
- For a first offense, the provost will send a letter to the student indicating that evidence of the incident will be kept on file and warning of possible dismissal should the student be implicated in academic dishonesty again.
- For a first offense involving multiple students or outside parties that results in a recommendation of dismissal, the provost will meet with the students.
- For a second offense, the student will meet with the provost to discuss the evidence and appropriate action. This meeting may result in the student’s dismissal from the institution.
- Should a student not enrolled in the course be implicated in an act of academic dishonesty, that student will meet with the provost, who will place a record of the event in the student’s file. A second offense would result in dismissal from the University.
While faculty and administrators must consider academic dishonesty seriously in order to protect the value and integrity of University degrees, every effort will be made at each step of the process to work with students redemptively.