TWU Home > Student Life > Student Life Office

Academic Dishonesty

The Disciplinary Process for Academic Dishonesty
Academic integrity is the foundation of the academic community. Because each student has the primary responsibility for being academically honest, students are responsible for reading and understanding all sections in the Student Handbook relating to standards of conduct and academic life. Students who violate University rules on academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure or removal from a course, disciplinary probation, and/or dismissal from the University.

Definitions
Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism, collusion, fabrication, falsification, and falsifying academic records, and other acts intentionally designed to provide unfair advantage to the student, and/ or the attempt to commit such acts.

Cheating includes, but is not limited to, intentionally giving or receiving unauthorized aid or notes on examinations, papers, or class assignments intended to be individually completed. Cheating also includes the unauthorized copying of tests or any other deceit or fraud related to the student's academic conduct. Dual submission of a paper or project, or resubmission of a paper or project to a different class without express permission from the instructor(s) also constitutes cheating.

Plagiarism occurs when a student obtains portions or elements of someone else's work, including materials prepared by another person or agency, and presents those ideas or words as her or his own academic work. The intentional or unintentional use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published work of another person without full and clear acknowledgement shall constitute plagiarism. Students are responsible for following guidelines of the appropriate course or discipline (ie; MLA, APA).

Collusion occurs when a student collaborates with another person without authorization when preparing an assignment.

Fabrication occurs when a student makes up data or results and records or reports them.

Falsification occurs when a student manipulates research materials, equipment or processes or changes or omits results such that the research is not accurately reflected in the research record.

Falsifying academic records includes, but is not limited to, altering grades or other academic records. Altering or assisting in the altering of any official record of the University, and/or submitting false information or omitting requested information that is required for or related to any academic record of the University. Academic records include, but are not limited to, applications for admission, the awarding of a degree, grade reports, test papers, registration materials, grade change forms, and reporting forms used by the Office of the Registrar. Forgery allegations, such as forging a signature on add/drop forms, may be separate from academic dishonesty. Forgery charges are adjudicated following the Student Code of Conduct procedures in the Student Handbook .

Procedures
Texas Woman's University makes every effort to preserve the faculty/student relationship.  The following procedure has been developed with this relationship in mind. Faculty members should clearly identify course specific standards which interpret University, college, and or departmental policies related to academic integrity. These should appear in the course syllabus.  

In the event of alleged academic dishonesty, the faculty member who discovers evidence or receives reports of academic dishonesty should first check with the Student Life office to determine if there has been a previous violation of academic dishonesty. If there has been a previous violation, the matter is referred to the Conduct Review Officer in the office of Student Life.  

If this is an alleged first violation, then the faculty member will arrange to meet with the student(s) accused of the alleged infraction.  

1. If the student(s) acknowledges the act of academic dishonesty, and the faculty member is satisfied that the incident can be effectively resolved with a grade sanction, the faculty member will assign a reasonable penalty such as:
   • Written reprimand
   • Assignment of a 0 on an assignment
   • Assignment of a lower grade on the test/paper/project in question, with an explanation from the instructor.
   • Assignment of a grade of F in the course.

If the faculty member determines that the violation is a severe case, referral may be made to the Conduct Review Committee for action by reporting to the Conduct Review Officer using the Academic Dishonesty Report Form .

2.  If the student denies the allegation of academic dishonesty, if the case is a second violation, or if the faculty member believes the severity of the incident may warrant a sanction more severe than is available to faculty, the faculty member will forward a written summary (Academic Dishonesty Report Form) of the incident to the Conduct Review Officer, which is usually the Associate Vice President for Student Life. The summary must include relevant evidence. The Student Life Conduct Review Officer will institute disciplinary proceedings listed in the Student Code of Conduct in Chapter 4 of the Student Handbook . In all cases, the disciplinary proceedings will begin with a pre-hearing conference between the Conduct Review Officer and the accused student. During the pre-hearing conference, the accused student(s) will have the opportunity to discuss and review all evidence as well as ask questions about the charges and the options available for resolution. During the pre-hearing conference the student will be presented with the following options:

• To plead responsible for the charge of academic dishonesty, which indicates that the student does not contest the charge of academic dishonesty, waives all rights to a formal hearing, and accepts a sanction imposed by the Conduct Review officer; or
• To request a formal hearing with the Code of Conduct Review Committee

The formal hearing process is outlined in Chapter 4 of the Student Handbook. Pending the outcome of an investigation that is not resolved at the end of a semester or summer session, the faculty member must assign a grade of NC (no credit) to the student.  

The following sanctions may be imposed for academic dishonesty:

• Written reprimand
• Assignment of a 0 on an assignment
• Assignment of a lower grade on the test/paper/project in question, with an explanation from the instructor.
• Assignment of a grade of F in the course.
• Removal from the course with the assignment of a failing grade (WF)
• Disciplinary Probation
• Suspension from the University
• Expulsion from the University
• Withholding of a degree
• Revocation of a degree

The faculty member may recommend a sanction to the Committee during the hearing process. If the assigned sanction involves an action involving a grade and the Committee upholds the recommendation of the faculty member, the faculty member will assign that final grade. Whether the matter is resolved administratively or thru a formal hearing, the student may appeal by delivering a written notice of appeal to the Vice President for Student Life within 72 hours following the receipt of the decision. The decision of the Vice President for Student Life is final.

Student Records
Records of scholastic dishonesty are retained in the Student Life Office and are kept separate from the student's academic record or transcript. Disciplinary records including academic dishonesty may be released to persons outside of the university only with consent of the student, or by exceptions described in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act including: 1) other school officials who have been determined to have a legitimate educational interest; 2) federal, state and/or local officials to whom such information is specifically allowed; and/or 3) a court order or subpoena.