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Academic Honesty

A. OFFENSES AGAINST ACADEMIC HONESTY Offenses against academic honesty are any acts which would have the effect of unfairly promoting or enhancing one's academic standing within the entire community of learners which includes, but is not limited to, the faculty and students of The University of Vermont. Academic dishonesty also includes knowingly permitting or assisting any person in the commission of an offense of academic dishonesty. The following is a list of some, but not all, offenses of academic dishonesty accommodated by the above definition.

1. Plagiarism. This consists of offering as one's own work the words, ideas, or arguments of another. Appropriate attribution by quotation, reference, or footnote is required when using another's work. It is the responsibility of all University of Vermont students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all written submission.

Plagiarism consists of, but is not limited to, copying portions of the writing of others with only minor changes in wording, with (a) inadequate footnotes, quotes, or other reference forms of citation or (b) only a list of references. Paraphrasing without appropriate citation is also plagiarism.

2. Acquiring from other persons or from commercial organizations, or other sources, or utilizing other unauthorized assistance, and submitting, unattributed and as one's own work, homework assignments, term papers, research reports, laboratory reports, or comparable documents prepared in whole or in part by others than oneself.

3. Communicating in any manner with other students during an examination, collaborating in the preparation of reports, laboratory reports, or take-home examinations, copying, or giving aid, or otherwise failing to abide by the University or instructor's rules governing the exercise or examination, without the instructor's specific permission.

4. Bringing to an examination or using crib sheets, supplementary notes, or comparable aids during an examination session except as specifically permitted by the instructor.

5. Soliciting, obtaining, possessing, or providing to another person an examination or portions of an examination prior to or subsequent to the administration of the examination, without the authorization of the instructor.

6. Substituting for, arranging for substitution by another student, or otherwise representing oneself as another person during an examination session or comparable circumstance.

7. Altering or changing an examination or comparable document so as to mislead other users or the reader.

8. Altering, changing, or forging University academic records, including attendance records or sign-in sheets, regarding oneself or others, entering the signature of any academic officer on any official University form, or causing any false information to be presented at an academic proceeding or intentionally destroying evidence important to an academic proceeding.

9. Causing any false information to be presented at an academic proceeding or intentionally destroying evidence important to an academic proceeding.

10. Infringing upon the right of other students to fair and equal access to any University Library materials and comparable or related academic resources. This may include theft, mutilation, or unreasonably delayed responses when materials are requested by others.

11. Attempting deliberately to prevent other users' access to the UVM computer system, deprive them of resources, degrade system performance, or copying or destroying files or programs without consent.

12. Presenting the same or substantially the same written work term paper, research report, essay or the like - as part of the requirements of more than one course, without the express prior written permission of the instructors involved.

13. Falsification of data collected in the conduct of research or the presentation of falsified data in papers, manuscripts, books or other documents submitted for publication or as course or degree requirements.

The above is not an exhaustive list and other instances of academic dishonesty may occur. Their identification will require the prudent judgment of faculty and students. The above definition and examples apply to all University of Vermont students regardless of the academic unit with which they are affiliated or within which they are enrolled.

B. REPORTING ALLEGED OFFENSES AGAINST ACADEMIC HONESTY

1. Definition: Major and Minor Offenses Occurrences of academic dishonesty may be classified as being either major or minor in nature. Minor offenses are offenses of either purely technical nature, or those in which the instructor does not perceive intent to achieve academic advantage. Major offenses are those in which the instructor perceives that the intent of the student is to achieve academic advantage.

The following is illustrative of the distinction between minor and major offenses:

Minor Offenses: Includes inadequate citation of sources, unauthorized consultation with students about out-of-class assignments, initial failure to check out library materials, etc.

Major Offenses: Includes misrepresentation of substantial and significant portions of written work, cheating, mutilation of library materials, and other significant acts of academic dishonesty.

2. Procedures: Minor Offenses In the case of minor infractions, faculty members will consult with accused students directly as to alleged offense and will propose a sanction which they feel is appropriate, in keeping with the guidelines indicated in Section G. Faculty members may choose to refer even minor cases directly to the Coordinator of Academic Honesty, a person designated annually by the Provost (hereafter, the Coordinator). If the accused student agrees that the sanction is both deserved and appropriate, it will be sent to the Coordinator as a recommended disciplinary action. The Coordinator will contact the student to discuss the offense(s) and sanction(s). If the accused student does not believe that s/he has been justly accused, or believes that the punishment suggested by the instructor is unreasonable, the student may request a hearing as described below. It is expected that unless the Coordinator deems other action more appropriate, the recommendation of the faculty will be endorsed.

3. Procedures: Major Offenses Those members of the university community who feel that an offense may have taken place may wish to consult with the Coordinator for clarification prior to formally filing charges. If it is determined that a formal complaint is warranted, such complaint must be filed within five university business days of discovery reporting the specifics of an instance of alleged major academic dishonesty to the Coordinator. A copy of this letter must be sent by the person initiating the action to the student(s) involved. No instructor, chair, or dean has the right to discipline students in major cases of suspected academic dishonesty.

Upon receipt of a letter containing the specifics of an alleged act of academic dishonesty, the Coordinator will determine whether the allegation is supported by reasonable evidence sufficient to commence the hearing process. If the Coordinator deems the evidence to be insufficient to warrant bringing formal charges, s/he shall discuss with the complainant the advisability of pursuing a hearing, at which point the charge(s) may be dropped. A faculty member may request within five university business days that a hearing be held notwithstanding the Coordinator's view that insufficient evidence exists to warrant bringing formal charges, in which case charges will not be dropped and a hearing will be held, as described below. If charges are dropped, the student will be informed by certified mail and permitted to drop, with academic or financial penalty, the course in which the violation was alleged. The record of that course will be removed from the student's transcript. The Coordinator will initiate formal charges by informing, by certified mail, the accused student(s) of the charge(s), the specific sections of the Academic Honesty Policy violated, and that such charge(s) will be presented to the University Hearing Panel.

After receiving notification of the charges from the Coordinator, it is the responsibility of the student(s) charged to arrange a meeting, as promptly as possible, with the Coordinator, before the matter is scheduled before the University Hearing Panel. If more than one student is charged in a particular incident, each student may meet privately with the Coordinator. The student may be accompanied to the meeting by a person of his/her choice, other than an attorney.

The Coordinator will explain to the student(s) charged, the procedures, and define the rights and responsibilities of all parties to the charge(s), including the right of the student(s) to have an advisor(s) and the role of the advisor(s). In advance of the hearing, the Coordinator will furnish the student a list of witnesses and documents expected to be introduced against the student during the hearing.

The advisor assists the student in the preparation of his/her case, provides advice during the hearing and assists in preparation of an appeal, if necessary. Upon request, the Coordinator will assist the student in identifying an advisor. The role of the advisor during a hearing is limited to only advising the student and will not include participating in any discussion at the hearing unless invited by the Chair. A student with a pending academic honesty charge will not receive grades, be allowed to register for an ensuing semester, be permitted to drop a class to avoid the consequences of a pending or resolved academic honesty case, or be allowed to graduate.

C. WAIVER OF HEARING A student who has been charged by the Coordinator of having committed an offense or offenses against academic honesty has the right to a formal hearing. The student may waive this right and admit to the charges in writing. In such cases, the Coordinator will assign the appropriate sanction as specified in Section G, as the Coordinator deems appropriate. The Coordinator shall report the sanction in writing to the Chair of the Hearing Panel, appropriate faculty member, and other appropriate individual(s). Before the sanction(s) becomes effective, the student has the right to meet with the Coordinator to discuss the sanction, readmission procedures if appropriate, disposition of the record, or other matters pertinent to the case. Subsequent to this meeting, or within five university business days following the receipt of the waiver of hearing, the Coordinator will send, by certified mail, a letter to the student specifying the assigned sanction. If without reasonable cause, the student fails to respond within five university days to the letter of notification of charges, the Coordinator will assign the sanction as specified in Section G. The Coordinator will determine what causes are reasonable.

The Coordinator is responsible for maintaining, in a secure and confidential fashion, the records of individual cases of alleged academic dishonesty and their disposition. Availability of such records is subject to the University of Vermont policies governing access to student records. The fact that a student has been accused and/or found guilty of an offense against academic honesty will not be indicated on the student's transcript.

D. THE UNIVERSITY HEARING PANEL The University Hearing Panel is a body whose members sit at the call of the Chair of the Panel or of the Coordinator throughout the academic year, to hear cases brought forward by the Coordinator. A student shall be afforded a hearing within two weeks of the date of the letter of notification, unless extenuating circumstances require a brief delay.

When convened for a hearing, the panel must consist of five persons, three of whom are currently tenured faculty members and two students. If the accused is a graduate student, at least one faculty member must be a regular member of the Graduate Faculty, and at least one student must be a graduate student. Each panel has Chair and Vice Chair appointed by the Provost. The Chair votes only in cases of a tie. The Vice-Chair assumes the responsibilities of the Chair in the absence of that officer.

The Dean of each degree-granting academic unit shall nominate one tenured faculty member to serve on the University Hearing Panel. Nominations are submitted to the Coordinator. The Provost, upon advice of the Chair and Coordinator, will appoint, from this group of 9 nominees, 6, who will serve as regular ("standing") members on each of three panels: the other nominees will serve as alternates. Each member or alternate will serve a two-year term, initial terms being staggered such that no more than one-half will be replaced each year. Faculty membership at any scheduled hearing will include no more than one faculty member from any given School or College. The Coordinator is responsible for maintaining Panel membership and will seek replacements as the term of each member expires, or as need arises. Twelve undergraduate and three graduate (including medical) students will be appointed as described below; six will be named as regular ("standing") members, the remainder serving as alternates. Each student, whether alternate or regular member, will serve a two-year term. Any University of Vermont student may declare his/her candidacy.

Each candidate will be interviewed by members of the Public Affairs and Executive Committees of the Student Government Association. This group will recommend 10 students to the President of the Student Government Association, who will select regular members and alternates and will forward the names of the appointees to the Coordinator. The Coordinator will assume responsibility for maintaining the membership and seeking replacements as the need arises. The Coordinator will permit the student(s) charged to request that some member(s) of the student or faculty membership not be appointed to the specific Hearing Panel, if the student is concerned that such student or faculty member may not be objective in evaluating his or her specific case. If the request is reasonable, the person(s) in question will not be appointed to that Panel. The student may not select members of his/her Hearing Panel, nor interview, nor see personal records of proposed panel members.

E. PRESENTING CHARGES When a Hearing is scheduled, the Coordinator will select from a group of nine (9) tenured faculty members a person, hereafter the Presenter, who will present the charges and the particulars of the alleged offense to the Hearing Panel. Membership in the group of Presenters will be by nomination from the deans and directors of degree-granting academic units. Each such School or College will nominate one person, who will serve a two-year term. The Coordinator will be responsible for maintaining the membership, and seeking replacements by the above procedure as the need arises.

The Presenter will consult with the Coordinator, as necessary, in preparing the materials to be presented to the Panel in support of the charge(s); the Presenter will restrict the presentation to information directly relevant to the specific charge.

Before selecting the Presenter, the Coordinator will permit the charged student(s) to examine the list of Presenters; the student may request that one or more members of this list not be appointed for that Hearing. If the request is reasonable, the Presenter in question will not be appointed. The student(s) charged may not select the Presenter.

F. THE HEARING The Hearing will be closed. The following persons must be present at the Hearing; the student(s) accused of academic dishonesty, the advisor, the Presenter, the person(s) initiating charges, and the full Hearing Panel. The Coordinator will not be present at the Hearing, but may answer questions from any participant and in other ways facilitate the process before the Hearing Panel formally convenes. In the event that the student against whom charges are being brought does not attend the Hearing, without reasonable cause and after proper notification, the Hearing will proceed without the charged student. All the persons identified above are participants in the Hearing, and may initiate or respond to questions by other participants. The advisor(s) to the student(s) charged may be present throughout the Hearing. The advisor, with the approval of the Chair, will be given an opportunity to speak at the Hearing to the extent information provided is relevant to the case. Witnesses may be present only during their own testimony, and may be recalled. Any student, faculty member, or other person who is asked to testify at a Hearing is expected to do so. It is expected that all statements made to the University Hearing Panel, while not provided under oath, will be true.

The Presenter will describe to the Panel the particulars of the incident(s) leading to the charge. If the complainant in the case wishes to make a statement to supplement the statement of the Presenter, s/he may do so. A tape recording of the proceedings will be kept by a person (the recorder) assigned by the Coordinator; that record will be maintained in secure fashion by the Coordinator.

It will be assumed that the student is innocent of the alleged offense until proven otherwise; the student(s) charged will be provided adequate opportunity to present their versions of the case, and be allowed to call relevant witnesses. The Chair of the Hearing Panel will insist that the Hearing be conducted in a fair, objective, dignified, and investigative fashion, with special attention to the protection of the rights of all participants. It will be the responsibility of the Chair to maintain order during the Hearing, and to insist that testimony from any participant be succinct, precise, and relevant to the charge(s) being considered. The Chair will announce a recess, if requested, for the student(s) charged to consult with his/her advisor(s).

When the Hearing Panel is satisfied that all relevant evidence has been presented and that all participants have been afforded the opportunity to state their versions of the case, or provide relevant information, the Hearing Panel will find a student guilty of the stated offense(s) if, and only if, it is satisfied by a preponderance of the evidence that the student's action meet the description of the offense against academic honesty provided in Section A.

The University Hearing Panel determines guilt or innocence of the specific charge(s) by majority written vote (except that the Chair votes only in the event of a tie) and informs the Coordinator of the decision. The Coordinator maintains a record of Ayes and Nays. The University Hearing Panel has the option of prescribing a sanction different from the standard sanction prescribed by Section G. The Coordinator may not modify the sanction as reported by the University Hearing Panel.

If the University Hearing Panel decides that the student is not guilty of the charges, the student will be permitted to drop, without academic penalty, the course in which the charges arose, if the student chooses to do so. The record of that course will be removed from the student's transcript.

G. THE SANCTIONS The sanctions for instances of academic dishonesty will range from warning to dismissal, and may include additional educational activities as determined by the Hearing Panel. These penalties may include each of the following or some combination of more than one of the following:

1. Receiving a written warning. 2. Receiving a zero on the assignment. 3. Being placed on disciplinary probation for one or more semesters. 4. Receiving a grade of "F" in the course. 5. One or more semesters of suspension. 6. Dismissal.

For minor offenses, faculty members are limited to proposing sanction 1-2. Any offenses which the faculty believes deserve a sanction other than 1-2 must be treated as a major offense.

Students will not be permitted to matriculate in any courses offered during the university Summer Session or Evening Division during periods of suspension.

For graduate and medical students, there will be a standard sanction: dismissal. Suspension and other sanctions are defined elsewhere in The Cat's Tale. Suspension will normally become effective at the beginning of the semester following that in which it occurred; except, if the violation occurred in the student's last semester before the award of any degree, the degree will be withheld pending completion of the term of the sanction. When a hearing is held at the beginning of the semester after which the alleged offense was committed, the suspension will take place immediately, if the hearing occurs before the add/drop period. The student shall receive a zero (not an F) for the piece of work that gave rise to the offense against academic honesty, and the student's grade for the course in which the offense occurred will be based on the grades earned in all work for the course, including zero, unless the Hearing Panel deems otherwise.

In the case of a second major offense, the student will be dismissed from The University of Vermont. A student who has been found to have committed two major offenses will be considered a repeat offender, even if both major offenses are discovered simultaneously.

The fact that the student has been found guilty of, or admits to, a violation of academic honesty, will be made a part of a permanent record, to be maintained in the Office of the Provost. Such information, however, will not be indicated on the student's transcript. Availability of such records will be subject to University of Vermont policies governing access to student records.

Upon completion of any given Hearing, the Chair will transmit to the Coordinator a letter which contains the ruling (guilty or not guilty), and a brief narrative summary of the rationale for the determined sanction. A copy of this letter will be sent by certified mail to the student against whom charges were made as well as to the student's academic dean. The Coordinator will inform, by certified mail, the student against whom charges were made as well as to the student's academic dean. The Coordinator will inform, by certified mail, the student of the sanction(s) to be assigned, and the effective date(s) of the sanction(s). A copy of this letter will be sent to the complainant. Unless an appeal is forthcoming within five university business days of receipt of the letter, the sanction(s) will become effective immediately.

The student will be informed by the Coordinator that an appeal can be directed to the Provost. The written appeal, based solely upon issues of procedural error(s) or clear abuse of discretion, must be forwarded to the Provost within five university business days of receipt of the letter. If the appeal is denied, the sanction(s) will become effective as originally assigned. In the event that the decision of the Hearing Panel is overturned, the appellate officer will communicate the rationale for his or her decision in a meeting with the Chair of the Hearing Panel and the complainant, and a letter will be sent to the student. The Coordinator will inform the complainant of such a decision and the reasons involved in writing.

Last modified May 25 2001 03:03 PM

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