Academic Integrity Policy

Policy Number: #200

Responsible Executive(s):

  • Provost

Responsible Office(s):

  • Provost Office

Date Revised: 07-31-2023

A. Purpose

Consistent with the Regis University Mission and Jesuit principles, each College within Regis University expects its students and faculty to conduct themselves and maintain relationships in a manner that is characterized by honesty, integrity, authenticity, and dignity as well as mutual respect for the contributions of all the members of the Regis community.

At Regis University, academic integrity is viewed and treated as an academic matter rather than an issue of student conduct.

To establish and foster an environment where incidents of misconduct are socially unacceptable, all students are expected to adhere to the Regis University Academic Integrity Policy. This Academic Integrity Policy is intended to support the shared responsibility of faculty and students in maintaining an academic environment in which the values of truth and justice prevail in all activities related to learning, teaching, research, scholarship, and practice.

B. Scope

The Academic Integrity Policy applies to any work performed by any current or former Regis University student, regardless of the student’s home college or program. All Regis University students and faculty will abide by the Academic Integrity Policy regardless of the program or College where the student is enrolled. All Colleges at the University will use and enforce this policy.

Students at Regis University are committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and assume full responsibility for maintaining those standards. All Regis University members are expected to show honesty, loyalty, and trustworthiness in all academic and clinical activities, holding themselves and each other accountable for the integrity of the learning community.

It is the responsibility of each student to review and abide by all aspects of the course syllabus and agree to familiarize and adhere to this Academic Integrity Policy. A lack of knowledge of the policy is not considered an excuse for not upholding the policy.

C. Policy

1. The Academic Integrity Policy prohibits cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, collusion, and other forms of academic misconduct.

2. Application of the Academic Integrity Policy is confidential. Each AIB and the Administrator of the University Academic Integrity Database are responsible for holding the confidentiality of student records in academic integrity policy violations. Except in cases of suspension or expulsion, such information does not become part of the permanent academic record.

3. All supporting documentation regarding Academic Integrity violations will be archived in the Office of the Provost. As allowed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, faculty with a legitimate educational interest may discuss the nature of academic integrity violations and observed trends; however, student identifiers should be withheld.

4. Reporting Violations. Each student, faculty member, and other Regis University employee must recognize and refrain from any violation of academic integrity and report observed violations. All faculty are expected to use the Academic Integrity Reporting Form to document incidents of cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, collusion, and other forms of academic misconduct.

All suspected violations, including first-time violations, will be reported via established University processes and will be recorded in the Academic Integrity Database. Reporting all offenses, regardless of the violation level, allows the University to identify repeat offenders. All faculty have access to plagiarism and artificial intelligence detection software, which can be used with or without a student’s knowledge in any Regis University course.

5. Violations of Academic Integrity. It is a violation of academic integrity to cheat, plagiarize, fabricate, collude, or otherwise misrepresent someone else’s work as your own. Academic integrity violations may occur within the context of any academic or co-curricular activity. Regis University takes very seriously violations of academic integrity, including but not limited to the following examples:

OFFENSE TYPE AND DEFINITIONS

 EXAMPLES

Cheating:

A form of academic dishonesty in which the person misrepresents his or her mastery of the course content or clinical experience. Cheating applies to examinations, labs, written assignments, clinical experiences, online discussions, and any other form of student assessment.

Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Using unauthorized materials such as a textbook, prepared notes, study aids or an electronic device during an examination
  • Unauthorized access to or use of someone else’s computer account or computer files to complete an assignment
  • Possessing or obtaining an examination without the instructor’s authority or prior knowledge
  • Submission of an assignment purchased from a commercial entity (e.g., term papers, software programs, etc.)
  • Unauthorized preprogramming of and/or access to electronic devices or learning management systems
  • Using materials passed down from previous students – solicited or unsolicited
  • Utilizing software or programs, recording/documenting, homework assistance websites, or artificial intelligence in any way that is not specifically authorized by the course instructor
  • Copying or recording material before, during, or after an assessment or assignment for personal usage or distribution

Plagiarism:

A form of dishonesty by which the person misrepresents words, ideas, phrases, sentences, code, data, or any media as his or her own or otherwise fails to properly acknowledge the source of such material

Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Directly quoting another person’s words without the use of quotation marks and/or acknowledging the source
  • Paraphrasing, or restating, another person's ideas, opinions, or theories without acknowledging the source
  • Using facts, statistics, code, media, or other material taken from a source without acknowledging the source – including materials provided by the instructor
  • Failing to properly cite a source when using a secondary source
  • Self-plagiarism occurs when a student uses his or her previous work to fulfill assignment(s) or parts of an assignment without permission or knowledge of the current instructor(s).
  • Utilizing artificial intelligence software in any way that is not authorized by the faculty.

Fabrication:

A form of dishonesty by which the person deliberately invents or falsifies information or research findings with the intent to deceive.

Examples of fabrication include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Citing information not taken from the source indicated
  • Citing a source that does not exist
  • Intentionally distorting the meaning or applicability of data
  • Listing sources in a bibliography or reference list that were not used in the project
  • Inventing or falsifying data or source information in experiments, research projects, or other academic assignments
  • Listing hours worked or activities performed during a clinical or service-learning experience that did not occur
  • Misrepresentation (your own or for others) to avoid academic work by fabricating an otherwise justifiable excuse such as illness, injury, accident, personal emergency, etc. to avoid or delay timely submission of academic work, attendance, or the taking of an examination, or to request an incomplete or administrative drop in the course
  • Misrepresenting one’s contribution to scholarly research and/or publication
  • Misrepresenting or falsifying a resume or curriculum vitae

Collusion:

A form of dishonesty involving two or more persons acting in a manner intended to misrepresent individual effort, learning, and/or contributions to course assignments.

Examples of collusion include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Allowing another student to copy work or complete work that is not their own
  • Completing an assignment for another student or sharing completed work
  • Searching, requesting, or sharing answers/solutions with others or online
  • Unauthorized sharing of material and/or answers before or after an assessment
  • Unauthorized collaboration with another person during an examination or other assignment

Other Examples of Academic Integrity Violations:

Other examples include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Sharing academic work on the internet without explicit permission from the instructor (own work or otherwise)
  • Unauthorized or inappropriate access to use of another’s computer account, access codes, or electronic files
  • Encouraging any person to engage in academic dishonesty or misconduct
  • Aiding or being complicit to any person engaged in academic dishonesty or 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
  • Denying access to scholarly resources or otherwise deliberately impeding the progress of another student or scholar. Violations in this category include but are not limited to giving other students false or misleading information; making library materials unavailable through stealing or defacement; deliberately misplacing or destroying reserve materials or altering and/or destroying someone else’s computer files.

6. Levels and Sanctions. An offense level is first assigned by the faculty member based on the assessment of the offense and surrounding circumstances. Faculty may consult with the Chair of the College Academic Integrity Board (AIB) or a representative within the College, School, or Division to assessthe level of any academic integrity violation. For violations that occur outside of an individual course, the faculty or dean receiving the report may determine the level of the offense, which may include retroactive course failure or other sanctions.

The following serves as a guideline for offense level. The circumstances of a given occurrence may escalate any offense to the next level as determined by the course faculty and/or the College AIB.

LEVELS OF OFFENSE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS AND/OR POTENTIAL SANCTIONS

Level I:

  • Unintentional violations of the academic integrity policy
  • Offenses in which there are considered to be mitigating circumstances
  • Course penalties including resubmission of work with a penalty, failure of the assignment/assessment, OR failure of the course
  • Completion of University and/or College academic integrity training modules and quiz, with a passing score of 90% or higher
  • Written reflection
  • Submission of assignments to the Learning Commons for review
Level II:
  • Deliberate violations of the academic integrity policy
  • Subsequent Level I violations will be considered at least Level II
  • In addition to course penalties identified above, sanctions for Level II may include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, or other appropriate remedial action as directed by the course instructor.
  • Instructional units may impose additional programmatic sanctions such as loss of leadership roles.
Level III:
  • Flagrant disregard for academic integrity policy, or egregious violations of the policy
  • Subsequent Level II violations may be considered Level III violations.
  • In addition to course penalties identified above, sanctions for Level III violations may include institutional sanctions such as course failure; grade changes; program suspension; academic dismissal from a Program, School, or College; denied entry into another program, School, or College; expulsion from the University; or retraction/withholding of degrees or certificates awarded by the University.

 

7. Investigation & Reporting Process

  1. When a faculty suspects a violation, the faculty informs the student of the suspected violation.
      (1) If the faculty determines ther is no violation, the process ends.
      (2) If the faculty determines there is a more likely than not a violation, the faculty proceeds with the next steps.
  2. The faculty determines the type of offense and sanction in alignment with the Level and Sanctions guidelines under this Policy.
         The faculty may confer with their department chair and/or representative or chair of the College Academic Integrity Board (AIB) to determine the level and sanction for the violation.
  3. The faculty completes the Academic Integrity Reporting Form; including a description of the violation, the determined level & sanctions, a record of communication with the student, and any additional supporting documentation (i.e., Turn-it-in report, assignment instructions, syllabus, etc.).
  4. The chair of the College AIB in which the violation occurred will review the submission and check the Academic Integrity Database for prior violations. If there are prior violations, the chair of the College AIB may consult with the reporting faculty, degree program chair, and/or College AIB to determine the appropriate level of violation and sanctions.
  5. For Level 1 Violations
  6. (1) The College AIB notifies the student of the violation and sanctions; including the information on the appeal process.
  7. For Subsequent Level I, Level II, or Level III Violations:
      (1) The chair of the College AIB notifies the student of the charge, provides, or summarizes the evidence that substantiates the charge and informs the student that he/she may provide any relevant documentation in their defense before the AIB's review. The AIB will return a decision within 10 business days.
      (2) The College AIB in which the violation occurred may include a representative from the student’s home college (if applicable).
      (3) The College AIB reviews the evidence. If the preponderance of evidence supports the fact that a violation occurred, the College AIB will recommend appropriate sanctions. The chair of the College AIB communicates with all relevant parties (student, student’s advisor, dean, etc. if necessary).
  8.  The violation and summary sanction are communicated to the student in writing by the College AIB and the documentation is added to the Academic Integrity Reporting Form.
  9. The student has the right to appeal to the College AIB.

8. Appeal Process. Students have the right to appeal findings of academic dishonesty, or the sanction for violations at any level. The following process will be followed:

  1. The student submits a written request for appeal to the AIB of the College in which the alleged violation occurred within five working days of receiving notification that there was a finding that they violated the Academic Integrity Policy.
    1. It is the student's responsibility to provide information and data supporting their appeal. The appeal must focus on the current issue as extraneous circumstances will not be considered within the appeal process.
  2. Appeals may be based only on the following grounds:
    1. A procedural error occurred that significantly impacted the outcome of the initial review, such as substantiated bias, conflict of interest, or a deviation from established procedures; or
    2. The outcomes imposed are grossly disproportionate to the offense (including any consideration of the student’s prior offenses); or
    3. New information not presented during the initial review exists:
      1. New evidence may be considered, but only if that evidence was unavailable previously and if it could substantially impact the original decision or sanction.
      2. A summary of this new evidence and its potential impact must be included in the appeal and submitted by the appeal deadline indicated previous.
  3. The College AIB convenes to consider the appeal within ten working days of receiving the student’s written appeal, unless an alternate date is agreed upon by the parties involved.
    1. The College AIB solicits at least one faculty representative from another College’s AIB and student representation if desired to compose the Appeals Board. Members 6 of the Appeals Board may recuse themselves if they are the course faculty or directly involved in the circumstances of the violation.
    2. The Appeals Board may gather relevant facts and evidence from the students, witnesses, faculty, staff and submitted documentation from all parties.
    3. The Chair of the Appeals Board will be from the College where the violation occurred.
  4. The Appeals Board renders a decision within five working days of convening
    1. If the student appeal is successful, the charge, violation, and/or sanction can be modified or reversed. If a violation is deemed not to have occurred, this information is recorded in the database or student’s record/file.
    2. If the student appeal is denied, the charge, the violation, and/or the sanction are upheld.

       i. A decision letter is sent to the student and advisor, and other parties as appropriate.

  5. An individual may appeal the finding of the AIB’s appeal decision to the University Provost within five working days of the Appeals Board’s written decision only if the process was not followed or new evidence is available that would nullify the finding of the Appeals Board. The decision of the Provost is final and may not be appealed.

D. Definitions

1. Academic Integrity means that each student acknowledges that the work represented in all assignments, assessments, and examinations is their own or is properly cited, and that they have neither given nor received unauthorized information. Furthermore, each current or former student agrees not to divulge the contents of any assignment, assessment, or examination to another student or to alter or impede the work or progress of another student.

2. Cheating: A form of academic dishonesty in which the person misrepresents his or her mastery of the course content or clinical experience. Cheating applies to examinations, labs, written assignment, clinical experiences, online discussions, and any other form of student assessment.

3. Collusion: A form of dishonesty involving two or more persons acting in a manner intended to misrepresent individual effort, learning and/or contributions to course assignments.

4. Fabrication: A form of dishonesty by which the person deliberately invents or falsifies information or research findings with the intent to deceive.

5. Plagiarism: A form of dishonesty by which the person misrepresents words, ideas, phrases, sentences, code, data or any media as his or her own or otherwise fails to properly acknowledge the source of such material through complete and accurate citations and reference lists. Both the intentional and unintentional use of another’s work constitutes plagiarism.

6. University Academic Integrity Officer: The University Academic Integrity Officer serves at the pleasure of the Provost, and is responsible for:

  1. Convening Academic Integrity Board Chairs from the Colleges as needed to review process and policy issues.
  2. Collecting and dispersing as appropriate records of reported academic integrity violations.
  3. Recommending revisions to this policy as needed, in collaboration with University Counsel and Academic Integrity Officer.
  4. Collaborating on the creation and maintenance of educational resources for students and faculty related to academic integrity.

E. Related Policies, Procedures, Forms, and Other Resources

F. End Notes