AP 5540 Academic Integrity

Honesty in all academic work is an essential element in a learning environment. Attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage by cheating or presenting another’s work as one’s own are violations of OCCC’s Guidelines for Student Conduct. The descriptions below outline unacceptable academic conduct that may lead to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the college. 

Learning is built on the fundamental qualities of honesty, fairness, respect and trust. At Oregon Coast Community College, academic integrity is a shared endeavor characterized by truth, personal responsibility, and high academic standards. Any violation of academic integrity devalues the individual and the community as a whole. One important aspect of academic integrity is academic honesty.

Academic Misconduct is defined as the actual or attempted, fraud, deceit, or unauthorized use of materials prohibited or inappropriate in the context of the academic assignment. Unless otherwise specified by the faculty member, all submissions, whether in draft or final form, must either be the student’s own work, or must clearly acknowledge the source(s).

Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

1. 1. Cheating is an act defined as presenting examinations, assignments, materials, projects, or other work which was completed, created, and/or assembled from sources or activities forbidden by the faculty. Cheating includes giving information, materials, or work to another person in order to help that person cheat. Cheating is an act in which a student gains unfair academic advantage through duplicity, deception, or dishonesty of any kind. which occurs when a student uses unauthorized notes to complete an exam, takes an examination for another student, copies answers from other students’ examinations or engages in similar conduct intended to falsely represent, or that results in falsely representing, their academic capabilities.
   2. Fraud.
   3. Plagiarism is an act defined as presenting academic work, term papers, essays, projects, experiments, examinations, or other assignments which are not entirely the student’s work. Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to, quoting sources without giving appropriate credit, building upon the work of another without giving proper credit, taking and presenting as one’s own work actual articles or documents or any portion of actual articles or documents from any source, including print, computer and electronic media, or directly using another person’s ideas or concepts rather than words without crediting the source;
   4. Copyright Policy Violations are the unauthorized use of copyrighted materials from any source, including but not limited to, print and electronic media, is an act of academic dishonesty. Copyright violators are subject to legal penalty. (https://www.oregoncoast.edu/copyright/)
   5. Buying or selling of all or any portion of course assignments and research papers, knowingly providing material to another student for the purpose of committing, or assisting other students to commit an offense of academic dishonesty or performing academic assignments (including tests and examinations) in another person’s stead;
   6. Unauthorized disclosure or receipt of academic information.
   7. Falsification of research data.
   8. Unauthorized collaboration (e.g. working together on an individual assignment);
   9. Using the same paper or data for several assignments or courses without proper documentation or authorization (e.g. using the same paper in different classes);
   10. Unauthorized alteration of student materials;
   11. Academic sabotage, including destroying or obstructing another student’s work.

A student who violates academic integrity may be subject to disciplinary action according to Students Rights and Responsibilities and Student Code of Conduct.

Procedures of Academic Integrity Inquiry Process Action/Steps by Faculty:

1. The faculty member observing or investigating an apparent violation of academic honesty meets with the student and shares the Oregon Coast Community College Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures. The faculty member explains to the student the procedures and penalties for violation of academic honesty.
2. The faculty member provides the student with an opportunity to explain the incident.
3. If, after initial investigation and conference with the student, the faculty member resolves the issue informally with the student and determines that there was no violation of academic honesty, the process is concluded and there is no need to complete the Academic Integrity Concern Form.
4. If, after initial investigation and conference with the student, the faculty member finds that there has been some violation of academic honesty, the violation is documented, using the Academic Integrity Concern Form.
5. The faculty member collects evidence by assembling all relevant documentary evidence and creating a paper trail of all that occurs after the alleged act of academic dishonesty. Often the evidence will include various samples of the student’s work showing a radical disparity in style or ability.
6. If the faculty member finds the student to have been dishonest, the faculty member may resolve the matter by determining an appropriate course of action. The faculty member may: (a) issue to the student an oral or written warning; (b) require the assignment be redone; (c) issue a grade of “F” or zero on an assignment, project, or examination on which the academic misconduct occurred; (d) issue a lower grade or grade of “F” or “No Pass” for the course for repeated violations; and/or (e) initiate the student conduct and disciplinary process.
7. The decision of the faculty member is recorded on the Academic Integrity Concern Form which is sent to the faculty member’s supervisor and the Chief Academic Officer.
8. In the event the faculty member’s investigation is pending at the time course grades are due, the faculty member may elect to submit a mark of “I” (Incomplete), with the student informed in writing by the faculty for the reason for the investigation and the incomplete mark via the Academic Integrity Concern form.
9. The student may appeal the faculty member’s decision within five (5) business days of receiving the faculty member’s decision. The student may submit the appeal in writing to the Chief Academic Officer or designee with the rational for why the faculty member’s decision is being contested.

Student Appeal of Faculty Decision to the Chief Academic Officer or Designee:

1. If the accused student contests the faculty member’s decision, a meeting with the Chief Academic Officer or designee may be requested.
2. If the faculty member wishes to initiate further disciplinary action (e.g., place the student on program-based academic probation), the student is entitled to the rights and process afforded in the Student Code of Conduct policy.
3. Within ten (10) working days of receiving the student appeal, the Chief Academic Officer or designee meets with all parties regarding the alleged incident of academic dishonesty. Official notification of meetings will be in writing. The purpose of the meeting is for the student to hear the charges and present his/her side of the case. The Chief Academic Officer or designee will consider all relevant evidence submitted within seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The Chief Academic Officer or designee determines if the action recommended by the faculty member is appropriate. If the student misses the meeting, the Chief Academic Officer or designee may proceed with the process to completion.
4. Within five (5) working days of the meeting, the Chief Academic Officer or designee sends written notification of the results of the inquiry to the student and faculty member. The decision of the Chief Academic Officer or designee is final.
5. Further consequences may be imposed by the Chief Academic Officer or designee in cases of grievous violations of academic honesty or for a continued pattern of violations. Additional sanctions may range from a written warning to expulsion from the college.

Approved: 4-1-25