ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
All students are governed by the university's Academic Integrity Policy (Section 10.2.13) located in the Rutgers University Policy Library website.
The policy defines types of violations, levels of violations, and sanctions.
Academic Integrity Violations: Types of Violations:
This section describes various ways in which the principles of academic integrity can be violated. Examples of each type of violation are provided in this policy. However, neither the types of violations nor the lists of examples are exhaustive.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of another person's words, ideas, images, or results, no matter the form or media, without giving that person appropriate credit. To avoid plagiarism, a student must identify every direct quotation using quotation marks or appropriate indentation and cite both direct quotation and paraphrasing properly according to the accepted format for the particular discipline or as required by the instructor in a course. Some common examples of plagiarism are:
Copying word for word (i.e., quoting directly) from an oral, printed, or electronic source without proper attribution.
Paraphrasing without proper attribution, i.e., presenting in one's own words another person's written words or ideas as if they were one's own, regardless of the nature of the assignment.
Incorporating into one's work graphs, drawings, photographs, diagrams, tables, spreadsheets, computer programs, or other nontextual material from other sources, regardless of format, without proper attribution.
Cheating: Cheating is the use or possession of inappropriate or prohibited materials, information, sources, or aids in any academic exercise. Cheating also includes submitting papers, research results or reports, analyses, and other textual or visual material and media as one's own work when others prepared them. Some common examples are:
Prohibited collaboration: receiving research, programming, data collection, or analytical assistance from others or working with another student on an assignment where such help is not permitted.
Copying another student's work or answers on a quiz or examination.
Using or having access to books, notes, calculators, cell phones, technology, or other prohibited devices or materials during a quiz or examination.
Submitting the same work or major portions thereof to satisfy the requirements of more than one course without permission from the instructors involved.
Preprogramming a calculator or other device to contain answers, formulas, or other unauthorized information for use during a quiz or examination.
Acquiring a copy of an examination from an unauthorized source before the examination.
Having a substitute take an examination in one's place.
Submitting a purchased or downloaded term paper or other materials to satisfy a course requirement.
Submitting as one's own work a term paper or other assignment prepared, in whole or in part, by someone else.
Fabrication: Fabrication is the invention or falsification of sources, citations, data, or results, and recording or reporting them in any academic exercise. Some examples include the following:
Citing a source that does not exist.
Making up or falsifying evidence or data or other source materials.
Falsifying research papers, reports, or other documents by selectively omitting or altering data that do not support one's conclusions or claimed experimental precision.
Falsifying patient or client records.
Falsely documenting experiential and/or internship opportunities that did not occur.
Providing falsified excuses, documents, or other information to excuse late or missed assignments, or to justify regrading.
Facilitation of Dishonesty: Facilitation of dishonesty is deliberately or carelessly allowing one's work to be used by other students without prior approval of the instructor or otherwise aiding others in committing violations of academic integrity. A student who deliberately facilitates a violation of academic integrity can be subject to the same sanctions as the student who receives the impermissible assistance, even if the facilitator does not benefit personally from the violation. Some examples are:
Collaborating before a quiz or examination to develop methods of exchanging information.
Knowingly allowing others to copy answers to complete a quiz or examination or assisting others to do so.
Distributing an examination from an unauthorized source before the examination.
Distributing or selling a term paper to other students.
Taking an examination for another student.
Allowing other students access to your work in violation of course policies.
Academic Sabotage: Academic sabotage is deliberately impeding the academic progress of others. Some examples are:
Intentionally destroying or obstructing another student's work.
Stealing or defacing books, journals, or other library or university materials.
Altering computer files that contain data, reports, or assignments belonging to another student.
Removing posted or reserve material or otherwise preventing other students' access to it.
Misrepresenting the contributions of others in the group to give more credit to one particular student for one's gain.
Violation of Research or Professional Ethics: Violations in this category include both violations of the code of ethics specific to a particular profession and violations of more generally applicable ethical requirements for the acquisition, analysis, and reporting of research data and the preparation and submission of scholarly work for publication. Some examples are:
Violating a canon of the ethical code of the profession for which a student is preparing.
Using unethical or improper means of acquiring, analyzing, or reporting data in a course research project, a senior thesis project, a master's or doctoral research project, grant-funded research, or research submitted for publication.
Misuse of grant or institutional funds.
Violating professional ethics in performing one's duties as a Teaching Assistant or Graduate Assistant.
Violations Involving Potentially Criminal Activity: Violations in this category include theft, fraud, forgery, or distribution of illicitly obtained materials committed as part of an act of academic dishonesty. Some examples are:
Unauthorized acquisition of an examination from a faculty member or electronic files.
Selling, buying, or distributing an examination.
Forging a change-of-grade form.
Falsifying a university transcript.
Academic Integrity Violations: Levels of Violations
Violations of academic integrity are generally divided into three categories: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.
Level 1 violations may occur as a result of inexperience or lack of malicious intent by the person committing the violation.
Level 2 violations include misconduct of a more serious character or misconduct that affects a major, significant, or essential portion of work done to meet course requirements. These violations demonstrate premeditation or may have posed harm to others. The student alleged to have committed the violation may have one or more previous violations.
Level 3 violations represent the most serious breaches of conduct. They may involve a serious violation of a professional code of conduct; may include extreme cases of dishonesty and maliciousness or violations of law; and/or are likely to cause direct harm to others.
The procedures for adjudicating alleged violations of academic integrity are different for Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 violations. The following examples of violations are not exhaustive. Classification of a given violation is heavily dependent on the exact facts and circumstances of the violation as determined by the Academic Integrity Facilitator (who is appointed in each school to investigate and adjudicate alleged academic integrity) in consultation with the campus Office of Student Conduct or equivalent.
1. Level 1 Violations: Level 1 violations are less serious violations of academic integrity. They may occur because of inexperience or lack of understanding of the principles of academic integrity and are often characterized by a relatively low degree of premeditation or planning on the part of the student committing the violation. These violations are generally quite limited in extent, occur on a minor assignment or quiz, or constitute a small portion of a major assignment and/or represent a small percentage of the total course work. Below are a few examples of violations that are most often considered Level 1, at least when committed by an undergraduate student as a first-time offense.
Plagiarism on a minor assignment or a very limited portion of a major assignment.
Unpremeditated cheating on a quiz or minor examination.
Prohibited collaboration with another student on a homework assignment.
Unauthorized sharing of course materials.
Citing a source that does not exist or that one has not read on a minor assignment.
Signing in for another student via attendance sheet or clicker in a course where attendance is graded.
2. Level 2 Violations: Level 2 violations are serious violations of academic integrity that affect a more significant portion of the coursework compared to Level 1 violations or are an alleged second violation of this policy. Level 2 violations are often characterized by substantial premeditation or planning and clearly dishonest or malicious intent on the part of the student committing the violation. Below are some examples of violations that are most often considered Level 2.
A second violation.
Substantial plagiarism on a major assignment.
Copying or using unauthorized materials, devices, or collaboration on a major exam.
Making up or falsifying evidence or data or other source materials for a major assignment, including falsification by selectively omitting or altering data that do not support one's claims or conclusions.
Distribution of course materials for financial gain.
Facilitating dishonesty by another student on a major exam or assignment.
Intentionally obstructing another student's work.
Participating in an organized cheating scheme.
3. Level 3 Violations: Level 3 violations are serious breaches of conduct, may involve a serious violation of a professional code of conduct, may include extreme cases of dishonesty and maliciousness, violation of law, and/or are likely to cause direct harm to others. Below are some examples of violations that are most often considered Level 3.
Any violation involving potentially criminal activity.
Coordinating an organized cheating scheme.
Having a substitute take an examination.
Cheating and/or plagiarism on a capstone project, thesis, or dissertation.
Intentionally destroying another student's work.
Falsifying patient or client records.
When a student is accused of one or more Level 3 violations that include alleged violations of law or a professional code of conduct, or when it is reasonable to believe that the student is likely to cause direct harm to others, they may be removed from a course, clinical, or internship setting on an interim basis, with the approval of the dean of the school. The student shall be immediately informed in writing of any interim removal and has the right to appeal to the campus Chief Academic Integrity Officer (who is responsible for administering the Academic Integrity Policy on each campus).
Sanctions and Policies for Addressing Alleged Violations of Academic Integrity
Any violation of academic integrity is a serious offense subject to appropriate sanctions or penalties. Violations of academic integrity may result in academic penalties, educational sanctions, and/or disciplinary sanctions, and are not limited to the examples below.
A. Academic Penalties
Requirement to resubmit the assignment or complete an alternate assignment.
A grade reduction for assignment or course.
A failing grade for the assignment.
A grade of F in the course.
A grade of XF in the course, where applicable.
B. Educational Sanctions
An assigned paper or research project related to ethics or academic integrity.
Participation in a workshop or seminar.
Service to the university community.
C. Disciplinary Sanctions
Disciplinary reprimand.
Disciplinary probation.
Dismissal from a departmental or school program.
Denial of access to internships or research programs.
Loss of appointment to academic positions.
Loss of departmental/graduate program/school endorsements for internal and external fellowship support and employment opportunities.
Removal of fellowship or assistantship support.
Suspension for one or more semesters.
Requiring a delay in the completion of a professional program.
Dismissal from a graduate or professional program.
Expulsion from the university with a permanent notation of disciplinary expulsion on the student's transcript.
Degree or certificate revocation.
Note: Any of these sanctions may have an impact on financial aid, scholarship, or fellowship eligibility, or scholastic standing.
Policies for Addressing Alleged Violations of Academic Integrity
A. Standard of Proof: The standard of proof in academic integrity cases is by the preponderance of the evidence, which means that the person or hearing panel deciding the case finds that it is more likely than not that the accused student is responsible for the alleged violation.
B. Reporting and Adjudicating Alleged Violations: Procedures for adjudicating alleged violations of academic integrity are described at academicintegrity.rutgers.edu.
C. Withdrawal and Assignment of Grades during the Disciplinary Process: Once a student has been notified of an alleged violation of academic integrity related to a course, the student may not drop the course until the disciplinary process is completed. Students may request permission to withdraw retroactively from the course after the disciplinary process is completed unless the sanction issued includes an F or XF grade in the course, or a C grade for graduate students.
If the student wishes to withdraw from all courses while a case is pending, that request must be approved by the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled, in consultation with the Academic Integrity Facilitator.
If a faculty member must submit a final course grade before the disciplinary process for an alleged violation of academic integrity is completed, the accused student shall be given a TZ grade or similar (e.g., Incomplete) until the disciplinary process is completed.
D. Removal of an XF Grade: Requests for removal of the X from an XF grade must be submitted in writing to the appropriate Campus Appeals Committee. Such requests will not be considered until at least 18 months from the time of the violation that resulted in the XF. In order for the request to be granted, the student, at a minimum, following the original violation, must have an exemplary record with respect to academic integrity, must have completed a Rutgers academic integrity workshop or seminar, and must satisfactorily answer a required series of essay questions on why the X should be removed. The Campus Appeals Committee shall make the final decision concerning the request. If the request is denied, the student must wait another year to submit another request.
The Procedures for Adjudicating Alleged Academic Integrity Violations, the Procedures for Adjudicating Alleged Violations of Academic Integrity for RBHS Schools, and the Academic Integrity Education Recommendations can be found here.