Plagiarism | Cheating | Misrepresenting Academic Records | Academic Misconduct | Procedures for Handling Cases of Academic Dishonesty

The mission of Dana College is to provide higher education in harmony with the Christian faith as taught by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In keeping with its Christian purpose and ideals, the college has a primary concern to create an environment that values academic integrity. Academic integrity can be defined as a set of intellectual and moral values that rests on honesty. Members of the Dana community are ethically obligated to be honest in all of their interactions with one another, ranging from communications about student absences to student performances on papers and on tests. In addition, those who witness or know of a student's academic dishonesty have an ethical responsibility to report what they witnessed or know to the appropriate class instructor or to the Dean of the College.

This policy defines some major areas of academic behavior that violate the principle of academic integrity and that are subject to sanctions. The listed violations are examples only and should not be construed as comprising a definitive list of unethical academic behavior.

Back to top

Plagiarism
Plagiarism occurs whenever a person presents words, ideas, images, music, electronic files and/or other work of another without customary and proper acknowledgment of the source. Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to, copying another person's work and submitting it for an assignment, using someone else's ideas without crediting the source, and presenting someone else's words without using quotation marks. Students who may be uncertain as to what constitutes plagiarism or the exact procedures to follow for proper documentation should consult their professors for assistance. Ignorance is not an acceptable defense for plagiarism.

Back to top

Cheating
Cheating in an academic context includes any form of attempted deceptive behavior involving examinations or other academic work. Cheating includes but is not limited to the following activities:

1. using cheating instruments in exams;

2. sharing oral or written information during an exam;

3. inventing data or fabricating sources for a research project;

4. helping other students violate the principle of academic integrity (for example, by allowing them to copy a paper for an assignment);

5. collaborating with others on academic assignments without permission from the course instructor;

6. submitting all or part of the same work for the determination of a grade in two or more different courses without obtaining advance approval from instructors in the involved courses;

7. lying about the need for extensions on paper assignments or exams; and

8. seeking academic accommodation for an undiagnosed or nonexistent disability.

Back to top

Misrepresenting Academic Records
Misrepresenting academic records occurs when a student distorts, falsifies, or tampers with his or her academic record. Examples include knowingly furnishing false information to the college, forgery, and altering computer information, transcripts, or other college documents.

Back to top

Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct is any behavior that disrupts or obstructs classroom activities. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, communicating with other students during an exam, entering a class in which the student is not enrolled without permission of the instructor, and refusing to comply with directives from the class instructor. A faculty member has the discretion to define academic misconduct and to determine the grade penalty for any act of academic misconduct in his or her class.

Back to top

Procedures for Handling Cases of Academic Dishonesty
All incidents of academic dishonesty are to be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Success. A written report must be filed, which will include 1) a description of the violation, 2) the sanctions issued by the instructor, if any, 3) the appropriate supporting documents, and 4) statements from the student(s) concerning the incident, when applicable. Students who wish to report academic dishonesty may do so to the Associate Dean or to any member of the faculty. This faculty member reports the allegation to the Associate Dean.

Upon receipt of a written report of academic dishonesty, the Associate Dean will forward the case to the Academic Standards Committee for action. After reviewing the written records, the committee may invite the student(s) to appear at the hearing. The committee will decide on one of the following:

1. No further sanction. Penalties delivered by the instructor are sufficient.

2. Research project. Guided by the Learning Resources Director, the student(s) will a. review various definitions and explanations of academic dishonesty and write a summary that demonstrates complete comprehension of the topic, and b. identify and summarize recent cases of academic dishonest in the business and professional worlds, noting especially the types and consequences. (A detailed description of this project is available from the Learning Resources Director.)

3. Academic suspension of the student, effective either immediately or at the end of the semester, normally for a period of at least one semester, or,

4. Immediate and permanent academic dismissal of the student.

5. Removal of instructor-imposed penalties. If it is the opinion of the Academic Standards and Admissions Committee that no academic dishonest occurred, they may recommend that no penalties should be imposed.

The Academic Standards Committee then sends a written statement regarding its decision to the student(s), to the person(s) making the allegation, to the advisor(s), and to the Dean of the College.

Decisions made by the Academic Standards Committee concerning cases of academic dishonesty may be appealed to the Dean of the College. The appeal must be in writing and submitted to the Dean within two weeks of being notified of the Committee’s decision. The appeal must clearly state the reason for appeal. Decisions made by the Dean are not subject to appeal.

Suspension or dismissal for academic dishonesty is recorded on the student’s transcript. The sanction of academic suspension or dismissal can be assessed on the first offense if deemed appropriate. The process for appeal of grade is separate from the process outlined above. The grade appeal process may be used by a student who believes the final grade for a course is not appropriate based on the grades assigned by the instructor for all work in the course.

Back to top