|
Home > College Offices > Dean of Students > Student Handbook > Honor Code & Community Responsibility > Academic Responsibility
Academic Responsibility
Principles of Academic Responsibility
Students and faculty members assume a commitment to the academic community that supports teaching and learning in an open environment based on mutual trust, respect, and concern. All members of the community have the right to careful and constructive analysis of their work, and they have the responsibility to provide a serious response to the work of others.
Each member of the academic community has the right to benefit from its collective knowledge and resources as well as the responsibility to contribute to them. Plagiarism or other forms of scholarly misconduct can have no purpose or place in the academic life of the College.
It is the responsibility of each student to read A Guide to the Uses and Acknowledgment of Sources and the Student Handbook, which define the standards adopted by the College; to observe the established procedures in preparing assignments and writing papers and examinations, and to submit as one’s own only that work that she or he has originated. Each instructor is responsible for making clear acceptable procedures for course work and for guiding students in those research methods and standards relevant to a particular discipline. It is everyone’s responsibility to observe those procedures publicized by campus announcements, such as the procedures to be followed in preparing for and writing final examinations.
A carefully maintained library collection is central to any academic effort; it is built over a long period of years and must be preserved for the benefit of future students and faculty members, as well as for those currently here. The open stacks and reserve-book privileges of the library require that all members of the community accept responsibility for the current use of library materials and for following established borrowing procedures. Students should be aware that reserved and limited materials must be shared; instructors should allow sufficient time and adequate copies when making assignments in such materials. Specific information relating to use of the library is published in library handbooks for students and faculty members.
Electronic media now provide a major intellectual resource in the academic community. The principles adopted by Mount Holyoke College for the responsible use of these resources are found in the Software Rights Code from EDUCOM, which is as follows:
Respect for intellectual labor and creativity is vital to academic discourse and enterprise. This principle applies to works of all authors and publishers in media. It encompasses respect for the right to acknowledgment, right to privacy, and right to determine the form, manner, and terms of publication and distribution. Because electronic information is volatile and easily reproduced, respect for the work and personal expression of others is especially critical in computer environments. Violations of authorial integrity, including plagiarism, invasion of privacy, unauthorized access, and trade secret and copyright violations, may be grounds for sanctions against members of the academic community.
Publications from the Office of Computing and Information Systems in 108 Dwight Hall provide guidelines and information about the legal and ethical use of computer software.
Violations of Academic Responsibility
Infractions of the academic regulations include, but are not limited to:
- all forms of plagiarism- the unauthorized or unacknowledged use of material that is not one's own
- cheating in any form in preparing assignments, classroom work, and/or taking an examination
- theft, mutilation, and unlawful or improper use of library materials
- unlawful or improper use of computer materials
Violations of academic responsibility in preparing course work include, but are not limited to:
- using quotes without appropriate quotation marks and citation
- paraphrasing from a source without appropriate citation
- using unacknowledged or unauthorized outside sources including that of a fellow student or colleague
- misrepresenting the actual source from which material is cited
- failing to acknowledge a coauthor
- using a purchased term paper
- submitting the same or similar papers in two courses without prior permission
- submitting in whole or in part the work of another student as one's own
- falsifying data
Violations of academic responsibility related to examinations include, but are not limited to:
- using notes, books, or other sources during examinations without prior approval by the instructor
- receiving help from, or giving help to, another student during an examination
- revealing the content of an examination before all students have completed the examination
- exceeding the allotted time for an examination without prior authorization
- failing to follow examination procedures as published by the registrar and printed on the examination envelopes
Violations of academic responsibility in using the library include, but are not limited to:
- failing to check out properly a book that is removed from the library
- keeping a reserve book beyond the specified time limit
- marking, defacing, or destroying library materials
Violations of academic responsibility in using computer resources include, but are not limited to:
- using unauthorized or unacknowledged computer programs
- plagiarizing in any of its forms
Procedures Addressing Alleged Violations of Academic Responsibility
The principle governing the handling of all matters in which academic responsibility is questioned is concern for the privacy of the individual and protection of her or his rights. The faculty member or student who suspects a violation of the honor code may consult with a faculty member or the dean of the College with questions as to what constitutes a violation of academic responsibility, or about procedures.
In these consultations and the following procedures, the name of the suspected individual shall not be revealed except to the faculty member directly involved with the violation, the dean of the College, and such members of the College community as named in the procedures. The record of reports to the dean of the College and of the disposition of cases is to be held in confidence, available only to authorized administrative personnel of the College. Information from this record may be revealed only by the principal administrative officers who have been expressly delegated the authority and have been instructed what part of the information may be appropriately revealed. When a penalty of suspension or withdrawal is imposed, such records are kept indefinitely. In all other cases, the dean of the College destroys the records when the student graduates.
Faculty Procedures for Reporting Suspected Violations of Academic Responsibility
Every case of dishonesty by a student in academic work should be reported in writing to the dean of the College.
When an instructor suspects a violation, it is recommended that she or he discuss the situation with the student. If the student accepts responsibility for the violation, the instructor should submit in writing a report to the dean of the College containing details of the circumstances and documenting evidence if available. After consulting with the dean of the College, the instructor may assign the penalty in the case of a first or minor offense.
When an instructor suspects a violation but the student does not accept responsibility for it, the instructor should submit in writing a report to the dean of the College containing details of the circumstances and documenting evidence if available. The dean of the College will inform the student of the allegation of an honor code violation and discuss it with her. The dean of the College, faculty member, or student may ask that the case be referred to the dean of the faculty or the Academic Administrative Board for adjudication.
In cases of repeated or major offenses (in the opinion of the dean of the College), a student has the choice to have her case judged by either the dean of the faculty or the Academic Administrative Board.
Student Procedures for Reporting Suspected Violations of Academic Responsibility
A student who observes another student in a clear violation of academic responsibility is obligated to maintain the integrity of the honor system by making the violation known to the instructor or the dean of the College.
When a student suspects another student of a violation of the academic honor code, she should speak to the student and encourage her to report herself to the instructor or to the dean of the College. The student alleging the violation should also inform the instructor, who will then discuss the circumstances with the student being charged and, if appropriate, report the violation to the dean of the College. Alternatively, the student alleging the violation may make her report directly to the dean of the College, who will contact the student and the instructor. If it is determined that a violation has occurred, the dean will advise the student of the adjudicating procedures.
Possible Penalties for Violations of Academic Responsibility
The penalties for first and minor offenses are:
- loss of credit, or failure, for the piece of work; and
- loss of credit, or failure, in the course.
The penalties for repeated or major offenses are:
- suspension from the College with notation on the transcript until reinstated as a Mount Holyoke degree candidate, "Suspended by the dean of the College (for specified period of time)," and notation in the permanent file; or
- required withdrawal from the College with notation on the transcript until reinstated as a Mount Holyoke degree candidate, "Required to withdraw by the dean of the College," and notation in the permanent file.
Procedures Addressing Alleged Violations of Academic Responsibility by Faculty Members Every case questioning the academic responsibility of a faculty member must be reported in writing to the dean of the faculty. Academic responsibility is here understood to include the observance of academic regulations established by the faculty and the treatment of students in their work and in other academic matters. A student contemplating questioning the academic responsibility of a faculty member should discuss it first with the faculty member and/or the dean of the College. If the student then chooses to report the case formally, the dean of the faculty will discuss it fully with the faculty member and the student, and possibly also with the president, before taking what action seems appropriate.
|
