The University of Toledo

Health Science Campus Graduate Student Handbook 2009-2010

 

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Standards of Conduct Fall 2009		Policy Statement on Academic Dishonesty
		Appeal Process

  

GRADUATE STUDENT CODE OF ETHICS

Standards of Conduct

The University of Toledo Health Science Campus (UTHSC) graduate students are expected to maintain the ethical and moral values consistent with professional behavior. It is implicit in the purpose of the University that high standards of professional and academic honesty and integrity govern a student’s behavior throughout the years of her/his education. Further, students are obligated to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other persons at all times and to act to protect the well-being of others.

Policy Statement on Academic Dishonesty     (top of page)

Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Among the aims of education are the acquisition of knowledge and development of the skills necessary for success as an educator or in another profession. Activities inconsistent with these aims will not be permitted. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes academic dishonesty; if students are uncertain, for example about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating, they should seek the instructor’s advice.
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

1. Plagiarism, which is representing the words, ideas, or information of another person as one’s own and not offering proper documentation.
2. Giving or receiving, prior to an examination, any unauthorized information concerning the content of that examination.
3. Referring to or displaying any unauthorized materials inside or outside of the examination room during the course of an examination.
4. Communicating during an examination in any manner with any unauthorized materials inside or outside of the examination room during the course of an examination.
5. Giving or receiving substantive aid during the course of an examination.
6. Commencing an examination before the stipulated time or continuing to work on an examination after the announced conclusion of the examination period.
7. Taking, converting, concealing, defacing, damaging or destroying any property related to the preparation or completion of assignments, research or examination.
8. Submitting the same written work to fulfill the requirements for more than one course.
   

While academic integrity is particularly the responsibility of the student, the faculty members also have a responsibility. Assignments and tests should be constructed and proctored so as to discourage academic dishonesty. Faculty members are expected to inform their students explicitly as to what materials and procedures are authorized for use in the preparation of assignments or in examinations (e.g., the use of a calculator, computer, text materials, etc.) Should cases of academic dishonesty be found among students, the instructor may choose to counsel the student, or the following sanctions may be imposed:

1. The student may be assigned an F for the work in question
2. The student may be assigned an F for the course. In this case the instructor should inform the dean and the student of this action. The dean will make certain that the student receives the F grade and is not permitted to withdraw from the course.
3. The student may be placed on probation or suspended for some definite period of time, dismissed or expelled by the dean if either the seriousness of the offense or a record of repeated offenses warrants it. A notation that such a sanction has been imposed will be made part of the student’s permanent record. It is expected that the dean will consult with the instructor and the student in making such a judgment, and that the dean will notify the student of the sanction imposed and of the appeals procedure.

A student found to be academically dishonest by a faculty member may appeal according to the Academic Dishonesty Appeal Procedure.

Academic Dishonesty Appeal Procedure     (top of page)


In cases that involve academic dishonesty, including, but not limited to, cheating and plagiarism, the student may appeal the violation and/or sanction imposed by the professor by filing a written statement of the specific grounds for appeal with the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, with copies to the Dean of the College, the Chair of the Department in which the alleged violation occurred and the professor who found the violation. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies shall call the Committee on Academic Standing into session to hear the appeal no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the written appeal. A quorum of one-half of the members of the Committee must be present to hear the appeal. Any member of the committee must be present to hear the appeal. Any member of the Committee who has first-hand knowledge of the alleged violation will be excused from the hearing panel.

The student shall be given a minimum of seven (7) days written notice of the date, time and place of the hearing. He or she is entitled to have counsel present for advisory purposes only; the appeal will be presented by the student, who shall have the burden of establishing that the charge of dishonesty is without factual basis. He or she may call witnesses on their behalf and may question witnesses of the University. Likewise, the faculty member who is presenting the Charge may question witnesses testifying on the student’s behalf. The Committee may question any witness and request relevant documentation which is not otherwise provided.

At the conclusion of the hearing or within fourteen (14) days thereafter, the Committee shall issue its decision and state the grounds therefore. Both the student and the faculty member shall receive a copy of the decision, and a copy should be lodged with the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

If either the student or faculty member believes the decision was a result of procedural error, he or she may appeal, in writing to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies within ten (10) days of receiving the Committee’s decision. If no appeal is taken, the Committee’s decision is final and will be implemented by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

If an appeal is timely presented to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, he or she shall review all documentation and proceedings from the prior hearing solely for procedural error and either affirm or reverse the Committee’s decision or remand the decision to the Committee for the purpose of obtaining further relevant evidence. The Dean’s decision, which shall be issued within fourteen (14) days of receipt of the decision from the Committee on Academic Standing and his/her decisions shall be final.

In cases where the charge is misconduct in research the University policy and procedure for scientific misconduct shall apply.