Western Oklahoma State College

August 6, 2024

POLICY

1.0 Purpose

Western Oklahoma State College is committed to instilling and upholding integrity as a core value. All members of the Western Oklahoma State College community are expected to act with academic integrity, which encompasses the fundamental values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, and responsibility. Western is devoted to maintaining an honest academic environment and ensure a fair resolution of alleged violations of academic integrity.

2.0 Standards of Academic Integrity

Due to the wide range of teaching environments and platforms, it is not possible to describe every potential violation, therefore, the intent of this policy is to broadly outline categories of behavior that violates the standards of academic integrity. Behaviors that violate the academic integrity may include, but are not limited to:

2.1 Cheating – the attempt to gain undeserved academic credit for oneself or another, including:

• Copying (or allowing another person to copy) from an assignment, quiz or test, lab work, presentation, or other academic work, including modifying another’s work;
• Using an electronic device to access or share information during a quiz or test;
• Obtaining or providing other with unapproved copies of course material, including, but not limited to, quiz/exam question or answers, homework responses, etc.;
• Tampering with or submitting fraudulent experimental data or lab results;
• Using unapproved materials during any graded activity, such as electronic devices, notes, textbooks, etc.; 
• Unauthorized collaboration on an assignment, quiz or exam, or presentation without the permission of the instructor to do so;
• Unauthorized or inappropriate use of AI resources, per instructor guidelines for the course (see Use of Artificial Intelligence statement below);
• Having another person take a quiz/exam for you or complete work on your behalf

2.2 Plagiarism: Presenting another’s written, published, or creative work as the student’s own work without properly attributing and citing the source. This includes making slight modifications to another’s work without disclosing, falsifying references or a bibliography, and copying from a source without citation. 

2.3 Other Academic Misconduct: other behavior that violates, or attempts to violate, the academic integrity of the curriculum, including, but not limited to:

• Attempting to bribe faculty or staff to alter a grade, signature, or other official document;
• Accessing another student’s online classroom with or without their consent;
• Providing login credentials to another student to access your MyWestern or other digital source to share your work;
• Lying or misrepresenting the student’s involvement with academic integrity violations;
• Altering or destroying the work of others;
• submitting false information to an instructor;
• using a false excuse to obtain an approved absence or deadline extension;
• altering official college documents, such as transcripts, signatures, and forms.

2.4 Use of Artificial Intelligence

Western acknowledges that there are legitimate uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI, ChatBots, or other software) that can generate text or suggest replacements for text beyond individual words.

Instructors at Western have the discretion to set guidelines for AI use in their classes, which may involve requiring proper citation and acknowledgment. Undocumented use of AI constitutes academic dishonesty (plagiarism). Alternatively, instructors may choose to prohibit the use of AI entirely for assignments or the entire course. Students should familiarize themselves with these guidelines and adhere to their instructor's instructions. Students should assume that AI use is not allowed if no specific guidance is provided.

In any case, students are fully responsible for the content of any assignment they submit, regardless of whether they use an AI in any way.

3.0 Authority

3.1 Any person with knowledge of an academic integrity violation may report the alleged violation to the appropriate instructor, Division Director over the department, Academic Dean, or supervisor of the area.

3.2 Whenever possible, violations should be resolved at the level of instructor and student, with assistance of the Division Director, if necessary. If the instructor is no longer available, the Division Director will assume the authority of the instructor.

3.3 If the student disagrees with the instructor’s resolution, he or she may file an appeal with the Academic Dean.

3.4 The Academic Dean may submit charges to the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee if an alleged violation of academic integrity is particularly egregious or if the student has more than one violation on file.

3.5 If the student disagrees with the resolution, he or she may file an appeal with the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee.

3.5.1 Hearings of the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee will consist of 3 faculty members, 1 staff member, and 1 student, in addition to the Vice President for Student Affairs who serves as the chair.

3.5.2 The Vice President for Student Affairs will appoint the members ad hoc, as needed, all of whom are not associated with the alleged incident(s) under review.

3.5.3 In the hearing, the student and the faculty member, Division Director, and/or Academic Dean will both have the opportunity to present their cases, relevant evidence, and witnesses.

3.5.4 At the level of the hearing, legal counsel shall not be permitted.

4.0 Sanctions for Academic Integrity Violations

4.1 In administering sanctions, the severity and circumstances should be considered (i.e. if the student is a repeat offender).

4.2 Per the discretion of the individual instructor, these behaviors may subject the student to disciplinary sanctions. Instructors may assign one or more of the following sanctions for violations of academic integrity within a class:

• Reduction of points up the full point value for the quiz/exam/assignment
• Requiring the student to redo the assignment
• Assignment of a failing grade for the course (F)
• Assignment of a failing grade due to academic integrity violation, notated on the transcript, for the course (F!)

4.3 The Academic Dean or the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee may assign any of the sanctions above, in addition to the following sanctions:

• Suspension for one regular semester
• Suspension for multiple semesters
• Expulsion
• Serious violations discovered after a student graduates may lead to revocation of a degree.
• Additional sanctions as determined by the Academic Dean or Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee

5.0 Withdrawals related to Academic Integrity Violations

5.1 Once an instructor has initiated an allegation of an academic integrity violation, the student may not drop or withdraw from the course. A student who drops the course in question will be re-enrolled by the Registrar. In the event an incident is not resolved by the time grade reports are due to the registrar, an incomplete grade will be assigned until the allegation is resolved.

5.2 The instructor or committee may permit a student to withdraw from a course with a grade of “W” if the allegation is dismissed or if the student admits responsibility; 4 however, the student must meet the deadline to drop the course or withdraw from the College.

5.3 A Student may not drop a course in which the “F!” grade was assigned.

PROCEDURES

Steps for Resolution at the Level of Instructor and/or Division Director:

1. Upon observing or receiving evidence of an academic integrity violation within his or her class, the instructor will inform the student in writing that he or she has been charged with an academic integrity violation within 10 business days. The notification shall include the opportunity for the student to respond and/or schedule an appointment to discuss the allegation, review supporting evidence, and offer relevant information, within a reasonable timeframe (usually 5-10 business days). Failure of the student to respond to the instructor before the deadline will result in them forfeiting the right to challenge the allegation. The student is permitted to review and respond to documentary evidence during the appointment. As a result, the instructor may dismiss the allegation or make a determination that a violation has occurred.
2. Certain violations (e.g., theft of an examination, breaking into an office) may also violate the Student Code of Conduct. Instructors should contact the Vice President for Student Affairs to report such violations.
3. If a violation is found, the instructor assigns a sanction and completes the Academic Integrity Violation form and files it with the Academic Dean.
4. If the student disagrees with the resolution, he or she may file an appeal with the Academic Dean.

Steps for Resolution at the Level of Academic Dean:

1. The Academic Dean will review the Academic Integrity Violation form, relevant evidence, and provide the opportunity for discussions with the instructor/Division Director and student regarding the appeal.
2. If a violation is found to be true, the Academic Dean may uphold, decrease or increase sanction(s). If the violation is overturned, the Academic Dean may remove sanctions. Notice of the outcome will be provided in writing to the student and filed in the Academic Dean’s office.
3. If either the student or the instructor/Division Director disagrees with the resolution, he or she may file an appeal with the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee.

Steps for Resolution at the Level of Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee:

1. The Chair of the Academic Integrity & Appeals Committee will set a date and location for a hearing and assemble a committee comprised of the chair, 3 faculty, 2 staff, and 1 student within 10 days of receiving the appeal.
2. The committee will review all previous documentation and provide the opportunity for discussion and presentations of the case with the instructor/Division Director and student regarding the appeal.
3. If a violation is found to be true, the committee may uphold, decrease or increase sanction(s). If the violation is overturned, the committee may remove sanctions. Notice of the outcome will be provided in writing to the student within 10 business days and filed in the Academic Dean’s office and the Vice President for Student Affairs office.
4. The decision of the committee is final and no other appeals may take place.