Policy on Academic Code of Conduct
麻豆视频直播 expects its students to perform their academic work honestly and fairly. Additionally, a 麻豆视频直播 student should neither hinder nor unfairly assist other students in efforts to complete their own work. This policy of academic conduct is the foundation on which learning at 麻豆视频直播 is built.
The institution's expectations and the consequences of failure to meet those expectations are outlined in the policy below. If a student is uncertain about their responsibility as a scholar or about the integrity and appropriateness of a particular action, the instructor should be consulted prior to the submission of any coursework or assignments in question.
The sections that follow outline key policies and regulations related to academic conduct. Please note that appeals of any academic policy or issue are reviewed/heard by the Academic Standards Committee. Decisions of the Academic Standards Committee can be appealed to the provost, in writing. The president of the University does not hear appeals except where (1) new evidence is uncovered after the review by the provost; or (2) where the student making the appeal has concerns about procedural issues during the appeals process. Appeals of academic policies and issues must be made by the student on their own behalf; appeals may not be submitted by a parent, legal guardian, or attorney on behalf of a student. Appeals to the president must be submitted in writing.
RECORDING IN CLASS
Students are not permitted to record a class by any means without prior written authorization of the faculty member or, in the case of a disability accommodation, written authorization from the Office of Disability and Accommodations. Unauthorized recording may be deemed a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, and/or a violation of Pennsylvania law.
ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
Students are expected to perform their academic work honestly and fairly. In addition, students should neither hinder nor unfairly assist the efforts of other students to complete their work successfully. Institutional expectations and the consequences of failure to meet those expectations are outlined below.
In the policy below, 鈥渢he Committee鈥 refers to the Academic Standards Committee for students and faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Health, and School of Professional Studies and Innovation; 鈥渢he Committee鈥 refers to the 鈥淎dmissions and Standing Committee鈥 for students and faculty in 麻豆视频直播 Theological Seminary and Lancaster Theological Seminary.
In an academic community, students are encouraged to help one another learn. Because no two students learn in exactly the same way or absorb the same things from a lecture, students are encouraged to study together. The boundaries on what is or is not acceptable work may not always be clear; thus, if at any point in academic work at 麻豆视频直播, students are uncertain about their responsibility as scholars or about the integrity of a particular action, the instructor should be consulted. Students can violate the academic code of conduct without intending to do so; it is therefore important that they familiarize themselves with both institutional definitions and expectations (defined below) as well as departmental, program, and instructor expectations. The Committee does not consider intent when reviewing suspected violations of policy.
RESPECT FOR ACADEMIC HONESTY
Failure to respect academic honesty includes but is not limited to:
This list is not to be considered all-inclusive but rather covers the most common areas of concern. In general, students should be guided by the principles as described here.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the use, deliberate or not, of any outside source without proper acknowledgment. While the work of others often constitutes a necessary resource for academic research, such work must be properly used and credited to the original author. This principle applies to professional scholars as well as to students.
An 鈥渙utside source鈥 is any work (published or unpublished) composed, written, or created by any person other than the student who submitted the work. This definition is adapted from Napolitano v. Princeton, which established the accepted legal standard.
All work that students submit or present as part of course assignments or requirements must be their own original work unless otherwise expressly permitted by the instructor. This includes any work presented, in written, oral, or electronic form or in any other technical or artistic medium. When students use the specific thoughts, ideas, writings, or expressions of others, they must accompany each instance of use with some form of attribution to the source. Direct quotes from any source (including the Internet) must be placed in quotation marks (or otherwise marked appropriately) and accompanied by proper citation, following the preferred bibliographic conventions of the department or instructor. It is the instructor's responsibility to make clear to all students in the class the preferred or required citation style for student work. A student鈥檚 lack of understanding of bibliographic convention and citation procedures is not considered a valid excuse for having committed plagiarism.
When writing creative or research papers in a foreign language, students may not use electronic translation services, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), without explicit permission from the course instructor. Utilizing such tools without express permission of the instructor constitutes plagiarism. The use of electronic dictionaries for single-word inquiries or short idiomatic expressions is permissible at the discretion of professors in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Students may not present oral or written reports written by others as their own work. This includes incorporating formal lecture notes written or dictated by someone other than the student.
Students may not use writing or research obtained from a term-paper service or purchased from any person or entity, unless they fully disclose such activity to the instructor and are given express permission. They may not use writings or research obtained from any other student previously or currently enrolled at 麻豆视频直播 or elsewhere or from the files of any student organization unless expressly permitted to do so by the instructor.
Students may not submit or present work prepared in whole or in part to fulfill course requirements for more than one course, unless expressly permitted to do so by all instructors involved. This includes work submitted for courses at other institutions as well as in previous semesters at 麻豆视频直播.
Students must keep all notes, drafts, and materials used in preparing assignments until a final course grade is given. For work in electronic form, they may be asked to keep all intermediate drafts and notes electronically or in hard copy until final grades are given. All such materials must be available for inspection by the instructor at any time.
Cheating
Students may not submit homework, computer solutions, lab reports, or any other coursework prepared by, copied from, or dictated by others (either inside or outside of the institution). If the student is employing the services of a tutor (whether from the campus community or elsewhere), the tutor may not prepare the student's work for class.
Students may not provide or receive unauthorized help in taking examinations, tests, or quizzes, or in preparing any other requirements for a course. Such restrictions are illustrated by but not limited to the following:
Using unauthorized material in an examination, test, or quiz.
Using notes in any form, regardless of who prepared them, unless authorized by the instructor.
Using calculators or any other electronic devices unless authorized by the instructor. The instructor has the right to insist that electronic devices must be turned off, put away, or collected until the conclusion of the assessment.
Using e-mail or text-messaging during any exam without the permission of the instructor.
Stealing, using, or transmitting in writing, electronically, or verbally, actual examinations, tests, quizzes, quiz banks, or portions thereof prior to, during, or following an exam.
Reading or observing another student鈥檚 work without that student鈥檚 consent and the instructor鈥檚 consent, whether that work be on paper, in electronic form, or in any other medium.
Sharing of electronic documents or notes during the exam, including during take-home exams, without prior permission of the instructor.
Soliciting or using a proxy test-taker or acting in that capacity.
Posting to a public or private website any course materials without the instructor's permission.
Helping or Hindering Others
Students may not tamper with, damage, or otherwise hinder the work of others to complete their own assignments.
Students may not collaborate during an in-class examination, test, or quiz, or work with others on out-of-class assignments, exams, or projects unless expressly allowed or directed to do so by the instructor. If students have any reservation about their participation in any out-of-class assignments, they should consult with the instructor.
Falsification
Students may not falsify an excuse for an absence from an examination, test, quiz, or other course requirement. Students may not falsify an excuse for an absence from class, even when there is to be no graded assessment on that day. Students who do so may be subject to consequences through the Student Code of Conduct.
Students may not falsify laboratory results, research data, or results. They may not invent bibliographical entries for research papers or handouts. They may not falsify information about the date of submission for any coursework.
Violation of Copyright Law
In the preparation of course, program, or degree work, students are directed to comply with the copyright law of the United States (Title XVII, U.S. Code, available in Reeves Library). Violations of copyright law and of regulations regarding the use of copyrighted material for educational purposes are violations of this policy.
Students may not copy print or non-print media or download copyrighted files (including music) from the Internet beyond accepted norms. Reeves Library staff should be consulted concerning U.S. copyright policies on 鈥榝air use鈥 for educational purposes. Information is available at .
USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI):
Presently, 麻豆视频直播 has no institutional policy regarding the use of generative AI, ChatGPT, and other such resources by students in completion of their coursework. Thus, faculty should be as explicit as possible about their AI/ChatGPT policy in their syllabi, in assignment prompts, on Canvas, and should take time to discuss this in class with students. Instructors are strongly encouraged to remind students that all work submitted or presented as part of course assignments or requirements must be their own original work unless otherwise expressly permitted by the instructor; this acknowledgement extends to the use of AI, and students are expected to cite use of ChatGPT-generated text and/or other AI tools as they would webpages, scholarly texts, and other sources that inform their work. In short, instructors and students should come to an understanding about how AI tools can support learning while also following general principles of academic integrity. Students are expected to follow the instructor鈥檚 preferences and expectations regarding the use of AI in their class.
FILING SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
Any student currently enrolled at the institution may be charged with a suspected violation of the academic code of conduct, even where the violation is not tied to a specific course. Suspected violations of the academic code of conduct are normally submitted by a faculty member and are generally tied to a specific course. However, the initial suspicion of a violation may be identified by anyone on campus; such suspicions should be brought to the course instructor or associate provost. When charges are tied to a specific course, the initial consequence is decided by the instructor, in accordance with the consequences listed below. When the student is charged without tied to a specific course, the Academic Standards Committee can determine the consequence or may refer the case to Student Development for potential adjudication in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Students, faculty, or staff who bring forth charges may not do so anonymously if they wish for the charge to be processed and potentially adjudicated, though they may make their initial conversation with a faculty member private and confidential.
PROCEDURES FOR AND CONSEQUENCES OF SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
An instructor who suspects a student of violating the academic code of conduct will consult with the department chair or another full-time faculty member in the department, using a blind copy of the work in question, to confirm the suspected violation. If they find the agree that the student appears to have violated the academic code of conduct, the instructor will, in almost all cases, assign a preliminary grade of 0 to the work in question or a failing grade in the course in which the suspected violation occurred. In cases of plagiarism, the instructor can request to the Academic Standards Committee that the student be allowed to redo an assignment for a lesser grade (but not zero), as an educational consequence for the suspected violation. The Committee can decline to allow a recommended consequence without disclosing their reasons. This path does not prevent the student from submitting an appeal of the charge through the normal processes.
The instructor may recommend that the Academic Standards Committee consider suspension or expulsion, if the instructor and the chair feel that the circumstances of the suspected violation are particularly egregious or if professional standards in a program leading to licensure or other professional credentials have been violated. The Academic Standards Committee is not bound by this recommendation, but will take it under advisement and require a hearing with the student who has been charged.
The student must be informed by the course instructor in writing (which may be via email) of the suspected violation and initial consequence; a copy of this memo will normally be sent to the appropriate associate provost or to the Dean of the Seminaries (for students in 麻豆视频直播 Theological Seminary or Lancaster Theological Seminary). A message within the course management system is not sufficient. Instructors may not log a suspected violation with the Academic Standards Committee without first notifying the student in question. A record of the suspected violation will be kept in the Office of the Provost (or Seminary Dean鈥檚 Office, with a copy in the record of the Office of Vocation and Enrollment). In alignment with the Student Code of Conduct, these records are considered part of a student鈥檚 educational record as defined by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and may be released in certain circumstances as allowed by that law. The University will comply with requests for release of these records in accordance with FERPA when a current or former student seeks admission to another institution of higher education or for employment for a period of seven years following a student's last date of attendance for most cases and indefinitely in cases involving suspension or expulsion. Students may petition the Academic Standards Committee to have their records sealed, so that a prior violation is not reported to prospective employers or graduate/professional schools; however, the decision as to whether or not to seal such records lies with the Academic Standards Committee. Requests to have records sealed will not be accepted until at least one calendar year has passed since the incident has been reported (exceptions for graduating students can be made by the Academic Standards Committee or the provost); requests to seal records will not be granted where the resulting consequence was suspension or expulsion. Students may request to have a single violation sealed, but requests involving multiple violations will not be granted. Although a student鈥檚 records would be effectively sealed, the student needs to be aware that there are some situations where the student might apply for a job or for admission for additional education (e.g., grad school, law school) and that institution requires records be shared, even these sealed ones. In these cases, 麻豆视频直播 will not share said records without the student's permission, but the student or alum must realize that they may not be eligible for that position without allowing that institution access to these records. In other words, if they don鈥檛 give permission in those cases where the institution or employer requires access to these records, the student may need to rescind their application to that institution or could expect that their application for admission or employment might be denied.
The institution strongly recommends that any finding of academic dishonesty be disclosed to the student鈥檚 faculty advisor, to assist the student in understanding the implications of the finding and to assist the advisor in counseling the student. The associate provost or Seminary dean may notify the advisor without specific permission from the student, in compliance with FERPA.
Suspected violations of the academic code of conduct must be presented to the Committee by within 30 calendar days of the last day of the term in question. In the event where a suspected violation was discovered when a student was initially awarded a grade of incomplete, suspected violation must be submitted to the Academic Standards Committee within 30 days after all work for the course has been submitted. No charges may be brought after that date.
For students in accelerated or cohort-based programs, faculty members have three weeks from the end of a term to present charges of code of conduct violations. Students have 30 days from the time of notification by the Academic Standards Committee (that the violation was submitted) to file an appeal. Students in these situations may continue in their program until the appeal has been reviewed and a course of action determined by the Academic Standards Committee. Subsequently, should the student wish to appeal decisions of the Academic Standards Committee, the student may continue in the program until the appeal has been heard by the Provost and the student has been notified of the decision. Students who are subject to program dismissal, institutional suspension, or expulsion may remain in the program until they are notified that their appeals are complete. Students in this situation are not eligible for refunds of any tuition paid up to the date of their separation from the institution.
If a student is suspected of violating the academic code of conduct in the last term of study and faces possible course failure, suspension, or expulsion as a result, the Academic Standards Committee may instruct the registrar to withhold the student鈥檚 diploma and delay conferral of the degree until the case is adjudicated. The Academic Standards Committee will make every attempt to resolve the situation prior to graduation, or as soon as otherwise possible.
A faculty member who wishes to impose a consequence other than course failure or assignment failure/zero must confer with the appropriate associate provost or Seminary dean before notifying the student of the consequence.
Graduate students who are notified of a suspected violation of the academic code of conduct may face suspension or expulsion for a single offense. The decision to expel will be made by the Academic Standards Committee, but will be informed in part by a recommendation by the appropriate graduate program director.
Students wishing to appeal either the suspected violation of the academic code of conduct or the initial consequence are encouraged to first consult with the faculty member in order to understand the situation; please note that the instructor may not grant an appeal of the suspected violation, but may choose to withdraw the submitted violation. If the student then wishes to pursue an appeal, students must do so in writing to the Committee. Student appeals must be filed within 30 days of the instructor鈥檚 filing of the violation. The faculty member will be asked to explain in writing the charge and circumstances surrounding it. Letters from material witnesses may be submitted by either the faculty member or the student, but letters in support of the student鈥檚 character will not be accepted or considered by the Committee. Students may request to meet with the Committee in person, but are still required to submit an appeal in writing for the Committee鈥檚 records.
Students charged with a second suspected violation of the academic code of conduct will be referred automatically to the Committee after the faculty member assigns the initial consequence. As with student appeals of charges or consequences, the faculty member and the student in question will submit a written explanation of the situation. If the charge is found to be valid, the committee will determine whether the consequence was sufficient and reasonable. At this point, the student could be suspended or expelled.
If the Committee determines that suspension or expulsion is reasonable and advisable, the student will be informed of this action in writing. If an appeal is requested, a formal hearing will be held. No parents or friends may be present. Material witnesses will be asked to submit testimony in writing and may be asked to testify in person. No character witnesses or written statements from such parties are permitted. Students may consult with their academic advisor in preparing an appeal or defense before the Committee. The provost may elect to hear appeals of suspensions or expulsions. Once the process (including appeals) for suspension or expulsion is finalized, the student鈥檚 transcript is updated to show suspended or expelled, as appropriate.
In the event of a third charge, the case will be automatically referred to the Committee for a formal hearing, following the procedure described above. Should the committee determine that a student has violated this code of conduct for the third time, the result is typically immediate expulsion; for students at 麻豆视频直播 Theological Seminary, this action occurs without the necessity of a Seminary faculty vote. Students wishing to appeal must make their request in writing. Appeals of an expulsion or suspension must be received by the provost within five class days of receipt of the original hearing verdict. The provost shall evaluate the written appeal so as to determine whether grounds exist for expulsion or suspension. Once the process (including appeals) for suspension or expulsion is finalized, the student鈥檚 transcript is updated to show suspended or expelled, as appropriate.
Any member of the Committee who feels they have a conflict of interest in reviewing the case must be recused from discussion and voting. For a case to be reviewed, a simple quorum is required. If more than two faculty or administrative members of the committee recuse themselves from deliberations, the Provost or Seminary dean will appoint ad hoc replacements from the faculty to review the case.
Undergraduate students may not withdraw from a course in which they have been charged with a breach of this policy, except with the instructor鈥檚 written permission, and only if the charge has been filed prior to the last day to withdraw from any course. Dropping the class does not invalidate the charge of misconduct. If the charge is overturned by the Committee, the student may choose to withdraw with a W from the course without assessment of a late fee. In this event, no refunds of tuition and/or fees are granted.
CONSEQUENCES OF CHARGES AFTER CONFERRAL OF THE DEGREE
If a faculty member uncovers evidence of academic dishonesty committed by a student who has already received a degree, the student will be marked as ineligible for admission to any graduate programs offered by the institution, pending a review of the case. The charge is kept in the records of the Academic Standards Committee and may be reported to employers or other higher education programs, as per policy above. Students will be notified by the associate provost of the charge so that they have the right to appeal.
STUDENT RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
Students have the right:
To have the suspected violation described in writing by the instructor prior to submission of the allegation to the Academic Standards Committee..
To see the evidence of the charge collected by the faculty member.
To discuss with the instructor the suspected violation, though official appeals of charges may only be reviewed and granted by the Academic Standards Committee.
To know all of the names of the persons accusing them of suspected violations of the academic code of conduct.
To review all material submitted to the Academic Standards Committee before it makes its determination. Response to the material may be made orally or in writing. If the instructor provides a written response to the student鈥檚 appeal, the student may view that response and provide one additional submission to the committee, if the student chooses to do so.
Within one month of the filing of the suspected violation, to appeal in writing the suspected violation or consequence to the Committee.
To receive assistance from the academic advisor in preparing an appeal to the Committee. In addition, members of the current student body, and current full-time faculty or staff may assist the student in preparing an appeal.
To receive a decision from the Committee within a reasonable time.
To have all records of the suspected violation removed from the student's file in the event that the suspected violations are dropped or withdrawn.
To have at the hearing a member of the faculty, administration, or student body to provide support to the student but not participate in the proceedings. Individuals other than those listed above (including but not limited to family members and attorneys) will not be admitted.
To appear in person and present information on their own behalf, to call witnesses, and to ask questions of anyone present at a hearing. In determining the validity of and responsibility for the suspected violation, the Committee will permit witnesses of fact but not character.
To refuse to answer or make a statement. Decisions will be based on the available evidence.
To elect not to attend a hearing, without further consequence, in which case the hearing will be conducted in students鈥 absence with the evidence available, and decisions will be based on that evidence.
To request that a previous record of a charge be sealed; for legal reasons, however, the institution may be obligated to report sealed charges.
To receive written documentation of the outcome of a hearing and any resulting consequences.
To request an appeal of the process of any hearing by the Committee. Appeals will be heard by the provost, who will determine whether proper procedures have been followed and return the case to the Committee if appropriate. Appeals to the provost must be submitted in writing within 2 weeks of receipt of the decision of the Academic Standards Committee.
FACULTY RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO ALLEGATIONS OF VIOLATIONS OF THE ACADEMIC CODE OF CONDUCT
The faculty member filing the violation has the right:
To have the chair, program director, dean, or other faculty member present in meetings with the student.
To confer with the appropriate associate provost or Seminary dean on an appropriate consequence for the alleged violation.
To negotiate with the associate provost or Seminary dean an alternative consequence if the instructor feels there are mitigating circumstances.
To submit to the Committee any materials relevant to the decision.
To review in a timely fashion the student鈥檚 written appeal and respond in writing to the Committee before the case is reviewed, as well as to review any subsequent response provided by the student to the instructor鈥檚 response cited above. (At this point, there is no further 鈥渂ack-and-forth鈥 with review of materials between the instructor and student.)
To be apprised of the Committee's decision in writing in a timely manner.