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https://www.unlv.edu/studentconduct/misconduct/policy
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
UNLV is first and foremost an academic community, with its fundamental purpose the pursuit of learning and student development, and enabling all to reach their highest potential.
UNLV asserts that any instance of academic misconduct hurts the entire community, and that the values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism are paramount.
UNLV will uphold these standards through fair and objective procedures governing instances of alleged student academic misconduct.
ENTITIES AFFECTED BY THIS POLICY
All academic units, libraries, and/or units with teaching and research faculty.
WHO SHOULD READ THIS POLICY
Administrators, academic faculty, staff and students who would be affected by this policy.
POLICY
I. EXPECTATIONS
Integrity is a concern for every member of the campus community; all share in upholding the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism. By choosing to join the UNLV community, students accept the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and are expected to always engage in ethical decision-making. Students enrolling in UNLV assume the obligation to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with UNLV’s function as an educational institution.
HONESTY
Honesty is the foundation of teaching, learning, research and service; and the prerequisite for full realization of trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. Students and faculty alike must be honest with themselves and others.
TRUST
The UNLV community fosters a climate of mutual trust and encourages the free exchange of ideas. Only with trust can the public believe in the social value and meaning of an institution’s scholarship and degrees.
FAIRNESS
We strive to establish clear standards, practices, and procedures and expect fairness in the interactions of students, faculty and administrators. Important components of fairness are predictability, clear expectations, a predictable and transparent process, as well as consistent and just responses.
RESPECT
As an academic community of integrity, we recognize the participatory nature of the learning process and honor and respect a wide range of opinions and ideas. Students and faculty must respect themselves and each other as individuals. All must show respect for the contribution of others by acknowledging their intellectual debts.
RESPONSIBILITY
Every member of an academic community – each student, faculty member and administrator – is responsible for upholding the integrity of scholarship and research. Individuals must take responsibility for their own academic honesty and must not tolerate or ignore academic dishonesty on the part of others.
PROFESSIONALISM
Because students are aspiring professionals, our community expects them to exercise professional conduct during their career as students and uphold the core value of integrity.
II. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT VIOLATIONS - DEFINITIONS
Academic misconduct is intentional or unintentional occurrence of the following:
- Using the words or ideas of another, from the Internet or any source, without proper citation of the source(s), commonly called plagiarism.
- Receiving unauthorized external assistance during an examination or any academic exercise for credit. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Providing or receiving aid in connection with any academic assignment;
- Use or possession of camera telephones, text messages, computer disks, audio recorders, calculators, solution materials, photocopies, materials from previous classes, commercial research services, notes or other means to copy or photograph materials used or intended for academic evaluation for use during the academic evaluation or assignment;
- Communication in any manner with another student;
- Working with others on graded coursework, including in-class, on-line and take-home examinations; or
- Possessing, reading, buying, selling or using any materials intended for an academic evaluation or assignment in advance of its administration.
- Turning in the same work in more than one class (or when repeating a class), unless permission is received in advance from the instructor.
- Falsifying information for inclusion in an assigned paper, project or exercise; including inventing or altering data from a laboratory or field project, or creating fictional citations for a paper.
- Attempting to influence or change any academic evaluation, assignment or academic records for reasons having no relevance to academic achievement. This includes, but is not limited to, bribery, threats and making unauthorized changes to any academic record.
- Falsifying or misrepresenting attendance, hours, or activities in relationship to any class, internship, externship, field experience, clinical activity or similar activity.
- Acting or attempting to act as a substitute for another, or using or attempting to use a substitute, in any academic evaluation or assignment.
- Facilitating, permitting or tolerating any of the above-listed items.
III. PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING STUDENT ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
These procedures are designed to encourage a fair and appropriate response to allegations of student academic misconduct. They may be modified in individual cases, so long as the student agrees in writing to the proposed modifications, is provided an opportunity to respond to allegations of academic misconduct within a reasonable time after the allegations have been made, and the modifications do not violate fair process.
Anyone with a good faith basis for believing a student has violated this policy may report the alleged violation to the responsible instructor, chair/director, dean or appropriate designee within the academic unit. The person who pursues the allegation may be the responsible instructor or a designee appointed by the supervisor of the academic unit in which the course is located. It is expected that appropriate review and consultation with a supervisor or chair or dean is a part of this process.
A faculty member or primary course instructor who suspects that a student has committed an act of academic misconduct:
1. Shall notify the student of the nature of the allegation and offer the student an opportunity for an initial meeting to discuss the allegation and to present any relevant information. When possible, this initial meeting shall occur within five (5) college working days of discovery of the alleged violation.
2. Shall notify the student of the nature of the allegation and schedule an initial meeting with the student within five (5) college working days of discovery of the alleged violation. The message shall contain the following: “This message concerns the _________________ (paper, report, assignment, etc) that you submitted in partial fulfillment of the course requirement in your ______________ (course number and section) class on _____________ (date). My initial examination of that (paper, report, and assignment) reveals that you may have violated the UNLV Student Academic Misconduct Policy. I request that you meet with me on _______ (date of initial meeting) at ________ (time) in _________ (location).” (parenthetical material deleted)
Proceedings in case discussions are informal and non-adversarial. The responsible instructor/designee may make a verbal agreement on, or provide the student with a written or electronic notice of, a scheduled meeting. The responsible instructor/designee may request a witness to be present for this meeting. In compelling circumstances, this initial meeting may also be referred to the appropriate Office of Student Conduct (OSC) officer or designee. This option shall occur only after consultation with OSC.
The purpose of this initial meeting will be to review and discuss the charges before a decision is reached. The responsible instructor/designee may use documentary evidence, provided the student is allowed to respond to it at the meeting. At the sole discretion of the responsible instructor/designee, a student may bring relevant witnesses and/or an advisor. Neither the responsible instructor/designee nor the student may have legal counsel as their advisor at an initial meeting. An advisor is not permitted to participate directly or speak for the student, but only may be present during initial meetings or any subsequent university hearings.
At this initial meeting, the following results may occur:
- The allegations are dismissed.
- The student accepts responsibility for the violation and accepts the academic sanction(s).
- The responsible instructor/designee believes a violation occurred with the student not admitting responsibility and requesting a hearing.
- The student accepts responsibility for the violation but does not accept the academic sanction(s) and requests a hearing.
In any of the above circumstances, the “UNLV Alleged Academic Misconduct Report” form shall be completed with a signed copy being provided to the student. Authority and jurisdiction for actual determination of academic misconduct and appropriate academic sanctions are with the primary instructor of the class and/or assignment or the approved departmental process in accordance with the academic unit chair’s/director’s/supervisor’s/ dean’s approval. If the responsible instructor/designee facilitating the initial meeting is not the primary instructor, appropriate communication regarding such sanctions is necessary before signing the UNLV Alleged Academic Misconduct Report form.
Upon completion of this initial meeting/approved departmental process, if the responsible instructor/designee believes academic misconduct has occurred at any level, he or she shall notify the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) for resolution of a UNLV Student Conduct Code violation. Notification to OSC shall include a copy of the signed UNLV Alleged Academic Misconduct Report form and copies of any relevant documentation used in determining the violation. The responsible instructor/designee shall forward the Alleged Academic Misconduct Report and copies of relevant documentation within ten (10) college working days of discovery and/or the initial meeting with the student.
OSC will notify the charged student per notification procedures specified in the UNLV Student Conduct Code, which can be found on the Student Conduct Page. The student will be informed of his or her applicable rights and the process(es) for accepting the academic and conduct sanctions and/or appealing the academic decision and sanctions.
If the student does not attend the initial meeting, the instructor shall forward the charge to the Office of Student Conduct.
IV. HEARING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
In any case where a student requests a hearing beyond the initial meeting, it shall occur in the following order:
If the student wishes to appeal the findings of the responsible instructor or department chair/director/designee/committee, he/she must file the appeal of the decision and any sanctions to the UNLV Academic Integrity Appeal Board. This appeal must be filed within five (5) college working days of the student’s initial meeting with the Office of Student Conduct. The Academic Integrity Appeal Board will meet and all parties will be notified within fifteen (15) college working days of the outcome of the appeal; sending their decision to the student, instructor, department/unit and Office of Student Conduct. The decision of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board will serve as the final place of appeal.
The UNLV Academic Integrity Appeal Board shall have the option of inviting the student and responsible instructor or department designee, and allow for witnesses of each party. If the Academic Integrity Appeal Board invites either party of the allegation to the hearing, both parties shall be invited.
When a student is appealing the academic sanctions given as a result of an allegation of academic misconduct, and when such sanctions are provided in departmental publications and/or in the responsible instructor’s class syllabus, close consideration of materials will be given based on the clarity of the publication.
In cases involving suspension, the Academic Integrity Appeal Board’s decision shall constitute a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs (VPSA), who shall have final authority. In case involving expulsion, the Academic Integrity Appeal Board’s decision shall constitute a recommendation to the President, who shall have final authority.
A student alleged to have committed academic misconduct is not permitted to withdraw from the class in question unless the matter is resolved in the student’s favor, without the responsible instructor’s expressed permission, and may not be permitted to do so if withdrawing from the class would negate the academic sanction.
V. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS
All records in relation to a student misconduct case will be maintained in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 and the U.S. Department of Education guidelines for implementation. Transcripts of academic records shall contain information about academic status, including disqualification for academic or conduct reasons, and expulsion, suspension and revocation of admission for disciplinary reasons. In accordance with UNLV policy and the U.S. Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), UNLV vigorously protects the privacy of student education records. UNLV’s FERPA policy.
VI. SANCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
Potential sanctions for academic misconduct may include, but are not limited to, any one of the sanctions listed below singularly or in combination with each other:
Note: Each of the above may be agreed upon at the initial meeting.
- Academic Sanctions
- Resubmitting an assignment
- Reduction of points/letter grade for the assignment
- Dropping a class
- Reduction of points/letter grade for class
- Failing grade for assignment
- Failing grade for class
- Conduct Sanctions
- Reflection Letter of Understanding
- Skill Remediation
- Academic Integrity Seminar
- Conduct Warning or Probation
- Loss of Privileges*
- Transcript notation (approved by Dean/Academic Unit Equivalent)
- Suspension or Removal from program, school or college (approved by Dean/Academic Unit Equivalent)
- Suspension
- Expulsion
- Withdrawal of credit for previously accepted course or requirement
- Revocation of a degree or certificate
- Referral to the appropriate legal authorities
*In instances where it is determined that the academic misconduct is of both an intentional and egregious nature, and the resulting academic sanction is a failing grade in the course, the student may lose the privilege of evaluating a course instructor.
VII. GENERAL POINTS
All time limits specified in this policy should be extended for good cause.
This policy is not intended to address differences of opinion over grades issued by an instructor exercising good faith and professional judgment regarding a student’s work.
Before any action is taken under this policy that may result in the withdrawal, suspension or expulsion of an international student; both the student and the academic program are advised to consult with the UNLV Office of International Students and Scholars.
VIII. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY APPEAL BOARD
1. The Academic Integrity Appeal Board members will come from a variety of areas on campus and will serve a two-year term, with the exception of the members from the UNLV Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee. To create the overall campus-wide pool of Academic Integrity Appeal Board members:
- The faculty of each college/school shall designate:
- Each Dean’s Office/Academic Unit Equivalent shall designate:
- Two (2) administrative faculty
- Two (2) undergraduate students
- Two (2) graduate students
- In addition, the following will be members of the pool:
- All members of the UNLV Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee, during their term on the Committee (see VIII.B. below)When an appeal of an academic misconduct case is forwarded to the Academic Integrity Appeal Board, the hearing panel for each case will consist of the following, drawn from the pool:
2. When an appeal of an academic misconduct case is forwarded to the Academic Integrity Appeal Board, the hearing panel for each case will consist of the following, drawn from the pool:
- One (1) academic faculty member
- One (1) student
- One (1) administrative faculty or Academic Standards Committee Member
3. Any member of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board pool may serve on a hearing panel unless there are compelling academic discipline issues to be addressed at such hearing. In such cases, specifically designated pool members may be assigned from the college/school in which the alleged academic misconduct occurred. All efforts to eliminate or avoid conflict of interest and bias will be given in each case.
4. Before serving on an Academic Integrity Appeal Board hearing, members shall receive an orientation and training on academic integrity and misconduct.
5. Recruitment, training and facilitation of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board will be the responsibility of the Office of Student Conduct, in collaboration with the UNLV Faculty Senate; and with appropriate authority and jurisdiction being afforded to university designees as dictated in the NSHE and UNLV Student Conduct Codes.
IX. TRANSCRIPT NOTATION FOR ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT
1. In instances where it is determined that the academic misconduct is of both an intentional and egregious nature, the conduct sanction shall be recorded on the student’s official and unofficial transcript with a transcript notation. The transcript of the student shall be marked “Disciplinary Notation due to Academic Dishonesty in (class) during (semester).” The transcript notation shall occur only upon completion of the student conduct proceedings. The conduct sanction notation shall not affect the grade point average, course repeatability or determination of academic standing. This conduct sanction notation is intended to denote a failure to accept and exhibit the fundamental value of academic honesty.
2. Once a conduct sanction notation is made, the student may file a written petition to the Academic Integrity Appeal Board to have the notation removed. The decision to remove the conduct sanction notation shall rest in the discretion and judgment of a majority of a quorum of the Board; provided that:
- At the time the petition is received, at least 180 calendar days shall have elapsed since the conduct sanction notation was recorded.
- At the time the petition is received, the student shall have successfully completed the designated non-credit Academic Integrity Seminar, as administered by the Office of Student Conduct; or, for the person no longer enrolled at the University, an equivalent activity as determined by the Office of Student Conduct.
- The Office of Student Conduct certifies that to the best of its knowledge the student has not been found responsible for any other act of academic misconduct or similar disciplinary offense at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas or another institution.
3. Prior to deciding a petition, the Academic Integrity Appeal Board will review the record of the case and consult with the Office of Student Conduct and responsible instructor or appropriate chair/director/supervisor. The decision of the Appeal Board shall not be subject to subsequent Appeal Board reconsideration for at least 180 calendar days, unless the Appeal Board specifies an earlier date on which the petition may be reconsidered. Subsequent Appeal Board determinations pertaining to the removal of the conduct sanction notation may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Life. If the Vice President removes the conduct sanction notation from the student’s transcript, the Vice President shall provide a written rationale to the Appeal Board.
4. No student with a student conduct notation on the student’s transcript shall be permitted to represent the University in any extracurricular activity, or run for or hold an executive office in any student organization which is allowed to use University facilities, or which receives University funds.
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