Academic Dishonesty

Monmouth College's Scots Guide has a thorough discussion of "ademic dishonesty" which we reproduce here in toto:

Academic dishonesty may result not only in failure in the course, but in suspension or dismissal from the College. The following areas are violations and subject to the dishonesty charge:

• Cheating on tests, labs, etc.
• Plagiarism, i.e., using the words, ideas, writing, or work of another without giving appropriate credit.
• Improper collaboration between students, i.e., not doing one’s own work on outside assignments specified as group projects by the instructor.

Any incident of academic dishonesty is to be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs by the faulty member. The student’s name, a brief description of the infraction, and the penalty imposed should be included in the report to the VPAA.

Instances involving academic dishonesty by a student are handled immediately by the faculty member instructing the class, usually after conferring with the department chair and/or other faulty members within the department.

The incident should be properly investigated by the instructor before it is reported. The VPAA is notified and maintains a record of such dishonesty reports. The VPAA will inform the student(s) involved of any infractions that have been reported and will also inform the Office of Student Affairs, so that the student’s need for counseling may be considered.

In the case of an unusually flagrant and premeditated violation or repeated violations, the dean will ask the Admissions and Academic Status Committee to convene a hearing to consider the dismissal or expulsion of the student. Only committee members, the VPAA, the involved faculty member, and the student may participate at the hearing. The student may request that another faculty member or student be present, but that individual may not participate in the deliberations of the committee unless invited to so by that group.

The committee then makes its recommendation to the dean of the faculty, who then notifies the student of the action taken. Students have the right to appeal to the president any actions taken by the instructor, the committee or the dean of the faculty for either a first or subsequent offenses.

The Monmouth College catalogue supplements this discussion:

Academic dishonesty may result not only in failure in the course, but in dismissal or expulsion from the College. If a student receives a course grade of F anytime during a semester due to an incident of academic dishonesty, the F will stand as the grade of record. Incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

If students feel that their work was inappropriately labeled academically dishonest, they are encouraged first to take up the case with the professor of the course, then the Chair of the professor's department and, finally, with the Vice President for Academic Affairs Office (particularly the Associate Dean, who oversees disciplinary matters).  This policy is pursuant to catalogue regulations:

A student has the right of appeal regarding any academic regulation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. A student wishing to appeal a grade should first consult the instructor awarding the grade, then the chair of the department. Further appeal can be made by petitioning the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who may act or send the petition to the Admissions and Academic Status Committee of the faculty for its consideration and advice. A separate grievance procedure applies on matters related to teacher education and certification issues and the procedure in such situations is governed by the statement of Teacher Education Program Procedures.