Academic Dishonesty

Students have a responsibility to maintain the highest level of academic integrity. They are expected to perform educational tasks with the highest moral and ethical conduct. Academic dishonesty, intentional or unintentional, is grounds for failure on any assignment or failure in the course, at the instructor's discretion. Academic dishonesty is also grounds for suspension or dismissal from the University at the discretion of the Dean of Student Success and may be subject to appropriate legal investigation and prosecution. Helping another student in an act of academic dishonesty constitutes an act of academic dishonesty.

Academic dishonesty may take the following forms

Plagiarism

The act of taking or passing off another's ideas, or writing, as one's own; copying or paraphrasing another's words without credit; buying or accepting work and presenting it as one's own. Students bear the responsibility for demonstrating the evolution of original work.

Copyright violations

The Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S. Code) protects electronic, print, and other copyrighted materials. Any infringement of copyright is a violation of academic integrity. This policy encompasses electronic copyright infringement involving video, audio, computer materials, and other electronically distributed materials. 

Prohibited Actions 

·       Unauthorized Copying and Distribution: Copying or distributing videos, software, or other copyrighted materials without the owner's permission. 

·       Software Piracy: Installing or using pirated software on University computers or personal devices. 

·       Sharing Electronic Course Materials: Sharing or distributing e-books, articles, lecture videos, or other course materials without proper authorization. 

 Acceptable Use 

·       Fair Use: Making a copy of a small portion of a book or an article for academic assignments is generally acceptable under the fair use provision, provided appropriate credit is given.  

·       Citation Requirements: Proper citation methods for sources of ideas and information obtained electronically or in print. 

 Consequences of Violation 

Violations of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the University's Code of Conduct. This may include academic penalties, suspension, or legal action. 

Students and staff are encouraged to consult with the library or the University's legal office if they have any questions regarding the appropriate use of copyrighted materials. By adhering to these guidelines, we maintain academic integrity and respect for intellectual property. 

Cheating

Cheating involves being dishonest or deceptive to obtain some advantage or gain. Examples of cheating include, but are not limited to: 

·       Stealing or receiving stolen examinations. 

·       Submitting work produced for one course to fulfill the requirements in another, unless approved by the current instructor. 

·       Submitting work that is or has been submitted by another student in the same or different course, unless approved by the current instructor. 

·       Using generative AI tools or other technologies to produce academic work, unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. This includes generating essays, solving problems, creating projects, or any other form of assessment. 

·       Plagiarizing or presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own, whether from fellow students, published sources, or unauthorized online resources. 

Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in all their work. Violations of this policy will result in disciplinary action by the university. 

Theft/Vandalism 

Taking or defacing library materials or educational equipment such as a DVD, computer or software. Cutting pages out of a book or magazine or taking material out of the library and not checking it out is stealing and will result in disciplinary action taken by the university. 

Forgery 

Signing another's name to exams, forms, or other institutional documents is not permitted and if discovered will result in disciplinary action taken by the university.  

Disciplinary Action 

Students who violate the Academic Dishonesty policy will be subject to one or more of the following disciplinary actions. 

·       Warning 

·       Temporary or permanent suspension of computer, network and/or library privileges 

·       Academic suspension 

·       Investigation and action taken in accordance with the appropriate student, faculty, or staff handbook 

·       Investigation and/or prosecution by state or federal law enforcement agencies 

The procedures to be followed in cases of suspected violations of the Academic Dishonesty Policy are described below. 

1. If the faculty member suspects that a student has violated the Lasell University Academic Dishonesty Policy, they will meet privately with the student within five business days of the alleged violation. During the meeting the faculty member will discuss the violation and possible sanctions with the student and present the evidence if applicable. Within 48 hours of the initial meeting, the student may seek advice from an individual within the academic community before meeting a second time with the faculty to resolve the issue. One of several outcomes may result:

2. Both parties agree that the alleged violation did not occur. No further action is taken.

   • The student admits to the integrity violation, and both parties agree on an appropriate sanction in keeping with the severity of the incident. The faculty member and the student complete the Academic Dishonesty Incident Report Form, which is sent to the Dean of Student Success, who forwards a copy to the student’s program coordinator. If the Assistant Provost believes the incident is a potential repeated offense, they will submit the case to a committee for review.

   • The student does not agree that a violation has occurred or disagrees with the sanction and decides to appeal. The faculty member and the student complete the Academic Dishonesty Incident Report Form, which the faculty submits to the Dean of Student Success, who then forwards it to a committee for review. The chair of the committee contacts the faculty member and the student in writing to set up separate meeting times for each party and requests that the student submit a written appeal to the committee chair prior to the meeting.

3. If the student fails to respond to the faculty member within the 48-hour deadline, the faculty’s sanction will be imposed, and the student will forfeit their right to appeal.

4. In the case of an appeal, a committee will be convened by the Dean of Student Success to make a recommendation to reject or uphold the student’s appeal and forwards its decision in writing, along with sanction recommendations in the case of a rejection, to the Dean of Student Success. The Dean of Student Success takes the Committee’s recommendations under advisement and makes the final decision regarding the student’s appeal. If the Dean of Student Success upholds the appeal, no sanctions are imposed. In the case of a rejected appeal, the Dean makes a final decision regarding sanctions in consultation with the faculty member. In the case of a repeated offense, the Dean's recommended sanctions may include dismissal from the University. In the case of a potential dismissal, the final decision rests with the Provost in consultation with the President and/or legal counsel for the University. A completed copy of the Academic Dishonesty Incident Report Form is sent to the student’s program coordinator and to the Dean of the school in which the violation occurred.