Academic integrity is the commitment to and demonstration of honest and moral behavior in an academic setting. This is most relevant at the university level as it relates to providing credit to other people when using their ideas. In simplest terms, it requires acknowledging the contributions of other people. Failure to provide such acknowledgment is considered plagiarism.
The university values responsible and ethical behavior in all academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Among the aims of education is the acquisition of knowledge and the development of the skills necessary for success in any profession. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes academic dishonesty. If students are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism or cheating, they should seek the instructor’s advice. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
- Plagiarizing or representing the words, ideas, or information of another person as one’s own and not offering proper documentation;
- Giving or receiving, prior to an examination, any unauthorized information concerning the content of that examination;
- Referring to or displaying any unauthorized materials inside or outside of the examination room during the course of an examination;
- Communicating during an examination in any manner with any unauthorized person concerning the examination or any part of it;
- Giving or receiving substantive aid during the course of an examination;
- Commencing an examination before the stipulated time or continuing to work on an examination after the announced conclusion of the examination period;
- Taking, converting, concealing, defacing, damaging, or destroying any property related to the preparation or completion of assignments, research, or examination;
- 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:
- The student may be assigned an F for the work in question.
- 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.
- 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.
UToledo Academic Dishonesty Policy
Please see the UToledo Academic Dishonesty Policy for complete policy information.