Promoting And Sustaining An Institutional Climate of

Academic Integrity

Scott RosenScott Rosen

Phyllis UsinaPhyllis Usina

Barbara CroteauBarbara CroteauPDA Day Fall 2009 2/12/09

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY QUIZ

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A Culture of Academic Integrity

• The district need for a culture of academic integrity that enriches the educational experience of students and faculty and, indeed, all individuals associated with the college as employees or community members. (ASCCC p.1)

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Alliance rather than Compliance

• Academic integrity is not merely a product of dogmatic adherence to rigid rules but, rather, an expression of values embraced by the institution as a whole. (ASCCC p.2)

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Alliance rather than Compliance• “Promoting and sustaining an institutional

climate of academic integrity requires active participation by all members of a college community and is largely dependent on ongoing system-wide communications that are wedded more to principles of alliance than compliance.” (ASCCC p.2)

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Academic Integrity Involves all Institutional Members

• Involve all constituent groups, particularly student leaders, in developing and promoting polices and procedures supportive of a climate of academic integrity. (ASCCC p.1)

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Some Issues:• Faculty have indicated that they feel uncertain

about their rights and responsibilities as well as about those of their students.

• Students, though responsible for their actions, often receive ambiguous examples in today’s world, examples that result in their choosing behaviors which are rarely chastised or punished in the present social order.

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ASCCC Resolution 14.02Fall 2005, 14.02, Student Cheating

Whereas, When a student has engaged in any form of academic dishonesty, the array of penalties that the instructor may impose on a student has been limited in some districts but not in others; and

Whereas, A 1995 opinion by Ralph Black, then legal counsel in the System Office, holds that an instructor may fail a student for the assignment on which that student engaged in cheating or plagiarism, but not award a failing grade for the entire course for one incident of cheating or plagiarism;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges investigate whether or not the interpretation of Title 5 Regulations and Education Code that does not allow an instructor to fail a student for an entire course for one incident of academic dishonesty, no matter how egregious, is correct; and

Resolved, That if the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges finds this interpretation to be correct, then the Academic Senate pursue a change in regulation or law that gives full discretion to the instructor as to the penalty for a student engaging in any form of academic dishonesty.

Black Letter Handout

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Strategies for Developing Academic Integrity

• Discussions about academic integrity may begin with local academic senates and student governments and then evolve into broader deliberations that include staff training and professional development activities.

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Strategies for Developing Academic Integrity

• Educate and involve students in discussions about promoting and sustaining an institutional climate of academic integrity

• Develop and publish clear definitions and examples of academic dishonesty

• Formulate clear and consistent methods of communication about unacceptable behaviors and their consequences

• Establish clear processes for documenting infractions and providing due processes and clearly defined consequences for unacceptable behaviors

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Strategies• The course syllabus should operate as a contractual

agreement between a student and the teacher, and as such is the best document to communicate acceptable classroom behaviors and expectations.

• Assignments. Among the most constructive means to promote academic integrity is to introduce assignments in a manner that permit students to gradually develop academic skills and self-confidence in their abilities to produce effective work.

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Strategies• Grading of student work poses potential problems for

teachers. • Group work can be especially challenging for students

when expectations and criteria are fuzzy.

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Strategies• Distance education courses offer a unique set of

challenges when it comes to academic integrity, particularly with testing and the posting of assignments and chat room entries.

• Library reference guides can play an important role in teaching students about plagiarism and helping students learn how to appropriately cite references.

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Strategies• Library skills courses, taught on most college

campuses, provide further opportunities to embed information regarding academic honesty.

• Resources for faculty can be provided by librarians for accessing the most recent information about academic dishonesty and plagiarism.

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Strategies• Student Orientation Programs offered by the

counseling department for new matriculating students are available on nearly every campus and participation varies from college to college, with some students required to participate in an orientation program.

• College survival skills-type courses allow counselors and other faculty to help students to develop the requisite skills for academic work.

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Strategies• Test time is challenging for both teachers and students.

Faculty who monitor students consistently during exams have fewer incidents of dishonesty, and when it does occur, the careful observations by a faculty member will be an important part of deliberations should the alleged infraction have to be forwarded to the appropriate administrator and/or council for adjudication.

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SHORT DISCUSSION

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Policy 3.9 Faculty Member’s Obligation to Students – Article 7 of AFA Contract

1. Starting and ending classes on time giving a final exam during scheduled time.

2. Issue a syllabus for each class – course description and organization, reading/lecture schedule, assignment structure, and written grading policy.

Policy 3.9 Faculty Member’s Obligation to Students – Article 7 of AFA Contract3. Instruct/supervise students during all scheduled

lecture, lab, clinical, performance and coaching session.

4. Prepare materials for instructional use and update materials in response to changes in the field.

5. Confer with students on academic matters and advise on career goals as related to the discipline.

Policy 3.9 Faculty Member’s Obligation to Students – Article 7 of AFA Contract6. Solicit and evaluate students’ feedback.7. Refer students to counselors and other campus

resources as appropriate.8. Assist in providing authorized accommodations

for students with disabilities9. Maintain office sessions as posted.10. Assess student work and provide evaluation in

a timely manner.

Policy 3.9 Faculty Member’s Obligation to Students – Article 7 of AFA Contract

11. Determine all grades according to the grading policy.

These are the major responsibilities of teaching faculty but the policy includes a section for

Non-teaching faculty.

Policy 3.11 Academic Integrity

1. SRJC holds that is primary function is the development of intellectual curiosity, integrity, and accomplishment in an atmosphere that upholds the principles of academic freedom.

2. All members of the academic community – student, faculty, staff, and administrator – must assume responsibility for providing an environment of the highest standards, characterized by academic honesty and mutual respect.

Policy 3.11 Academic Integrity

3. Academic dishonesty is regarded as any act of deception, benign or malicious in nature, in the completion of any academic exercise – cheating, plagiarism, impersonation, misrepresentation of idea or fact for the purpose of defrauding, use of unauthorized aids or devices, falsifying attendance records, violation of testing protocol, inappropriate course assignment collaboration, and any other acts prohibited by the instructor.

Procedure 3.11P Academic Integrity• Faculty Responsibilities:

1. Conduct your classroom in a manner that encourages mutual respect, honorable behavior, and learning.

2. Inform students of the course requirements, grading procedures, and rules and expectations for acceptable conduct and behavior.

Procedure 3.11P Academic Integrity

3. Inform students of the SRJC policy 3.11 on Academic Integrity and the Student Conduct Code which is in the SRJC Catalog and part of Policy 8.2.8 Student Discipline

4. Inform students of their rights to due process should they wish to contest an allegation or penalty defined in Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaint/Grievance.

Procedure 3.11P Academic Integrity• Student Responsibilities:1. Conduct yourself in a manner that encourages

mutual respect, honorable behavior, and learning.

2. Learn and understand the course requirements, grading procedures, and rules and expectations for acceptable conduct and behavior in each of your classes.

Procedure 3.11P Academic Integrity3. Learn and understand SRJC policy 3.11 on

Academic Integrity and the Student Conduct Code, which is in the SRJC Catalog and part of Policy 8.2.8 Student Discipline.

4. Learn and understand your rights to due process should you wish to contest an allegation or penalty made by an instructor or other representative of the college – Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaint/Grievance.

Policy 8.2.2 Student Complaints/Grievances

• Sonoma County Junior College District shall provide a means by which student complaints and grievances may be heard.

• At SRJC, students who feel their rights as a student have been violated may take their complaint to the appropriate department chair or administrator.

Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaints/Grievances There are three types of complaints which

are handled differently:

Section I – Grades and Academic Evaluations

Section II – Harassment or Discrimination

Section III – Financial Aid Appeals

Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaints/GrievancesThe procedure has an Informal Process that identifies

two steps for Grading and Academic Evaluation complaints:

1. Student meets with the faculty member in a good faith effort to resolve the problem – Step A.

2. If the matter is not resolved in Step A, Step B is to meet with the Department Chair/Supervisor (when no chair exists).

Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaints/Grievances• An optional Step C is to meet with an

Ombudsman to enlist assistance with the complaint/grievance process at any point in the process.

• The Ombudsman may facilitate conflict mediation.

• If not resolved with the Informal Process, the matter then becomes a Formal Grievance.

Procedure 8.2.2P Student Complaints/GrievancesThe Formal Process consists of four steps:Step 1 – Contact is made with the Dean/Supervising

Administrator.Step 2 – Contact is with the appropriate Vice PresidentStep 3 – The grievance form is given to the Vice President

of Student Services.Step 4 – Hearing before the Board of Review. Appeals to the Superintendent/President can be made by

either party for rendering of a final decision.

Policy 8.2.8 Student Discipline

The District shall maintain standards of conduct for students and due process procedure related to

student discipline:

Policy 3.11 and Procedure 3.11P Academic Integrity

Policy 8.2.2 and Procedure 8.2.2P

Student Complaints/Grievances

References• Promoting and Sustaining an Institutional Climate of Academic

Integrity – 2007, Education Policies Committee 2006-07 The Academic Senate for California Community Collegeshttp://www.asccc.org/Publications/Papers/downloads/PDFs/academic-integrity-2007.pdf

• The Center for Academic Integrity (http://www.academicintegrity.org) Donald l. McCabe. In “Ten Principles of Academic Integrity: How Faculty Can Foster Student Honesty” (http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1254/is_3_36/ai_n6153013/print)

Santa Rosa Junior College Policy Manual

• http://www.santarosa.edu/polmanPDA Day Fall 2009 2/12/09

SHORT DISCUSSION

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