Graduate Academic Integrity Policy

Clarke University’s mission and Catholic tradition call us to act in ways that foster a more just world.  Thus, we recognize academic integrity is fundamental to our work together. As a “caring, learning community committed to academic excellence,” we cannot tolerate academic dishonesty because:

1. A community is built on personal relationships. Any breach of trust disrupts these relationships and weakens our community.
2. When caring individuals recognize value in another’s work or ideas, their choice is to acknowledge and even celebrate it, rather than misrepresenting ownership of the work.
3. Academic excellence depends on a commitment to follow through on our learning. We cannot pretend to be excellent. We must work hard to achieve excellence, and we must assume responsibility to do so.
4. At the graduate level, the ethics of each professional program demand the student be held to a higher standard.  Quality in one’s professional life stems from the integrity of each person.

Students are expected to be aware of and abide by specific principles of academic honesty.

Academic integrity specifically prohibits the following forms of academic misconduct:

Cheating

• Giving or receiving unauthorized assistance (e.g., copying another student’s work or using unauthorized notes during an exam; communicating during exams, either face to face or for an online course; sharing one’s work with another student; presenting work done in cooperation as an individual’s own work).
• Consulting another student’s work from previous semesters, or checking homework or test answers from previous semesters.
• Using unauthorized materials, such as hidden notes, tape recorders, cell phones, cameras, text messages, computers and other equipment.

Plagiarism

• Using another person’s exact language without the use of quotation marks or proper citation.
• Re-arranging another’s ideas or material and presenting them as original work without providing proper citation.
• Submitting another’s work as one’s own; this includes purchasing work from other sources, including the internet.
• Submitting a translation of someone else’s original words claiming them as one’s own.

Other forms of academic misconduct

• Submitting a previously graded assignment without the current instructor’s permission.
• Falsifying, fabricating, or distorting information (e.g., providing an erroneous source, taking a test for another student, altering college documents, forging an instructor’s signature).
• Engaging in misrepresentation (e.g., lying to improve one’s grade; turning in another student’s work as one’s own; falsely claiming to have attended an assigned function such as a theatrical performance, a public speech, a job interview, a home visit, etc.).
• Seeking unfair advantage (e.g., requesting an extension by using a falsified excuse, obtaining an exam prior to its administration).
• Denying access to information or material to others (e.g. stealing or defacing print or non-print materials).
• Stealing, abusing, or destroying academic property (e.g., stealing library materials, vandalism of academic property).
• Bribing, (e.g., offering materials or services of value to gain academic advantage for oneself or another).
• Engaging in misconduct in research and creative endeavors (e.g., failure to adhere to federal, state, municipal, or university regulations for the protection of human and other subjects).
• Making unauthorized copies of copyrighted materials including software and any other non-print media.

In addition, students are expected to act with civility and professional behavior.

• Students are expected to act as ethical individuals.
• Exhibit appropriate professional conduct and represent the profession effectively.
• Accept responsibility for personal and professional growth.  Students will fulfill commitments and be accountable for their own actions.
• Interact effectively and respectfully with peers, faculty, and staff.

Any violation of this policy will be treated as a serious matter. Penalties ranging from failure of the assignment or exam to failure of the course will be enforced. In cases of repeated or flagrant violations, a student may be dismissed from the university. A repeat offense of a serious nature will likely result in dismissal from the program.  Faculty members will report cases of academic dishonesty to the academic affairs office. If applicable, the student life office will be notified as well for additional disciplinary action.

Students facing allegations of academic dishonesty may not withdraw from the course or courses where the alleged violations occurred. Students should continue to attend classes and meet course requirements at least until a final sanction has been determined. Unauthorized withdrawals, or those posted before the violation is discovered, will be reversed. If in a particular situation the appropriate bodies decide there was no violation of the policy or the sanction was unwarranted, the student will have the option of withdrawing from the course.

Academic Integrity Reporting and Appeal Process

Faculty members report cases of academic dishonesty to the academic affairs office. Cases will be brought to and decided by the Academic Integrity Board (AIB).  At the graduate level, members of the AIB will include representatives from each graduate program, serving on the Graduate Policy Council.  A graduate student from a different discipline than the accused will also sit on the Board. A department may recommend a course of action or consequence, but ultimately, the decision rests with the AIB.

This board is also charged with resolving student appeals of academic integrity violations.

Student Appeal of Charge

1. The faculty member reports the violation to the graduate dean or designated official and to the student within 7 business days of discovering the offense.
2. The student has 5 business days from the day of being informed of the alleged violation to contact the chair of the board expressing the intent to appeal the charge. The chair will then supply the student with a copy of the appeal form. The student must complete and submit the form to the AIB chair within the next 2 business days.
3. The chair and the vice chair of the Academic Integrity Board will receive paperwork and, within 3 business days of receipt, determine a date and time of the appeal meeting and the composition of the board. The official meeting will occur within 10 business days of the date when the chair and vice chair receive this paperwork.
4. If the student has materials for the board to review, they must be presented to the chair at least 24 hours before the AIB meeting.
5. Students called before the board may ask one support person to accompany them; however, this person will not be involved in the conversation and will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to the meeting.
6. The faculty member who made the initial charge may be required by the AIB to attend the meeting.
7. The student will be notified by the board of its determination/findings within 7 business days of the AIB meeting.

Multiple Offenses and Board-Initiated Meetings

1. The faculty member reports the violation to the appropriate dean or designated official and to the student within 7 business days of discovering offense.
2. Multiple offenses: The graduate dean will notify the chair and vice chair of the AIB in cases of multiple offenses within 3 business days after receiving notification from the faculty member. The chair and the vice chair will receive all pertinent documentation and within 3 business days of receipt will notify the student, determine the composition of the board, and communicate the date and time of the meeting. The official meeting will occur within 10 business days of the date when the chair and the vice chair receive this paperwork.
3. Board initiated: After the graduate dean shares information with the chair and the vice chair on each student violation of the academic integrity policy reported by faculty, the chair and the vice chair will determine whether or not a meeting should be held. Within 3 business days of receipt, they will notify the student, determine the composition of the board, and communicate the date and time of the meeting. The official meeting will occur within 10 business days of the date when the chair and the vice chair receive this paperwork.
4. In either multiple offenses or board-initiated cases, the student may provide additional material for the board to review. This information must be presented to the chair at least 24 hours before the AIB meeting.
5. In either multiple offenses or board-initiated cases, the faculty member who made the initial charge may choose to attend or not to attend the AIB meeting.
6. Students called before the board may ask one support person to accompany them; however, this person will not be involved in the conversation and will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to the meeting.
7. The faculty member who made the initial charge may be required by the AIB to attend the meeting.
8. After reaching a decision, the AIB makes a recommendation to the vice president of academic affairs. The Academic Affairs Office notifies the student of the final decision within 7 business days of the AIB meeting.

Academic Progression

Students must maintain a 3.00 GPA in graduate work. Grades of less than C (including C-) are not acceptable. No more than two courses with a grade of C or C+ may be applied toward degree requirements. Students with three (3) or more C grades in required courses will be required to retake one or more courses and are ineligible for candidacy. In such cases, graduation may be delayed. Consult department handbooks for additional discipline-specific policies governing progression and dismissal.

Academic Standing

There are three categories of academic standing for students enrolled in graduate programs at Clarke University.

• Good standing: The student maintains a cumulative 3.00 GPA or above.
• Probation: The student’s GPA is below 3.00.
• Dismissed: The student’s GPA remains below 3.00 following nine successive credits of graduate course work taken after being placed on probationary status. A student may also be dismissed for violations of academic integrity or professional ethics.

Credit Hour Policy

Academic credit is awarded based on student achievement resulting from instruction and out-of-class student work. For every credit received in a semester (fifteen weeks or the equivalent), the graduate student should expect to participate in at least one hour of direct instruction (face-to-face or online) and to complete a minimum of three additional hours of student work per week. The Federal government requires this minimum standard for instruction and corresponding student work be used in awarding Federal financial aid (34 CFR 600.2).

Example: A three-credit hour course would require a minimum of 12 hours of student work (instruction and homework) weekly.

Credit Load

Students may be full-time, half-time or less-than-half-time. Full-time graduate students, except those in the physical therapy program, enroll in nine semester hours each semester. Non-degree students may not take more than six hours. Enrollment in more than nine hours in a semester must be approved by the advisor and dean of adult and graduate studies. Half-time graduate students carry five to eight semester hours each semester. Less-than-half-time graduate students carry from one to four semester hours each semester.

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed for:

• Less than satisfactory academic performance. Graduates students must maintain a 3.00 GPA to be granted candidacy, to apply for graduation and/or to be awarded a graduate degree. Consult department handbooks for additional discipline-specific policies governing progression and dismissal.
• Violations of academic integrity, professional ethics, or departmental or university standards for behavior.

In extreme situations, students may be dismissed from the university after their first semester or after an unsuccessful semester with academic warning.

In the event that a student is dismissed from a Clarke University graduate program for academic difficulty, professional/ethical behavior difficulty, or other appropriate reason/s, ordinarily the student will not be permitted to return to the program.

Students who wish to appeal the decision regarding dismissal must file a letter with the vice president for academic affairs within 10 days of receipt of the letter of dismissal. The letter of appeal must clearly state the reasons for the student’s poor academic standing or designated reason for dismissal as well as a detailed plan of action to remedy the situation.

Two letters of recommendation from Clarke graduate faculty in the student’s program of studies must accompany the letter of appeal. The vice president for academic affairs will review the student’s petition and then decide whether or not to allow the student an additional probationary period. The decision of the vice president for academic affairs in this matter is final.