Student Academic Integrity Policy
Absolute integrity is expected of every Winona State University student in all academic undertakings.
Integrity means closely adhering to a set of values. The values most essential to an academic community are grounded on the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and others.
Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of University resources.
While both students and faculty of WSU assume the responsibility of maintaining and furthering these values, this information is specific to the academic conduct of students.
A WSU student’s submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the student’s own. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic position truthfully reported at all times.
In addition, WSU students have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.
Academic Integrity Reporting FormAcademic Integrity at WSU is based on honesty. The University requires that work produced by students represents their personal efforts and requires that they properly acknowledge the intellectual contributions of others.
WSU students are required to adhere to the University’s standards of academic integrity.
Examples of Violations
Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials in any academic exercise or having someone else do work for you.
Examples of cheating include looking at another student’s work, bringing an unauthorized “crib sheet” to a test, obtaining a copy of a test prior to the test date, or submitting homework borrowed from another student.
Lying about or misrepresenting your work, academic records, or credentials.
Examples of deception and misrepresentation include forging signatures, falsifying application credentials or transcripts, and misrepresenting group participation.
Helping someone else to commit an act of academic dishonesty.
This would include giving someone else an academic assignment with the intent of allowing that person to copy it or allowing someone else to cheat from your test papers, quizzes, assessments, or other course materials.
Refers to inventing or falsifying information.
Examples of fabrication include inventing data for an experiment you did not do or did not do correctly or making references to sources you did not use in academic assignments.
Submitting work you have done in previous classes as if it were new and original work.
While faculty may be willing to let you use previous work as the basis of new work, they expect you to do new work for the class.
If you want to submit a piece of work to more than one class, ask for permission from both instructors.
Using the words or ideas of another writer without proper acknowledgment, so that they seem as if they are your own.
Plagiarism includes behavior such as copying someone else’s work word for word, rewriting someone else’s work with only minor word changes, and/or summarizing someone else’s work without acknowledging the source.
Consequences for Academic Violations
Consequences for academic violations are most often addressed by the instructor and the student at the time of the violation. The instructor’s determination is final unless appealed to the dean of the college.
Possible consequences at the discretion of:
- Faculty: Re-do the exam or assignment, award a lower or failing grade on an assignment and/or the course, or allow the student to withdraw from the course.
- Department: Dismissal from a program or major
- Dean: Administrative withdrawal of the student from a course after consultation with the instructor
- Vice President for Student Life and Development: Disciplinary probation or suspension
There may be circumstances where the Dean of the College, in collaboration with the WSU Director of Student Conduct and Citizenship, will determine that the case will be heard as a student conduct issue.
Students found culpable of a violation(s) will face disciplinary consequences as defined in the Student Conduct Code.
If a student is accused of violating academic policy, they are entitled to a set of rights to ensure a fair case.
In addition, students can submit an appeal to the party that accused them of violating academic policy.
Student rights include:
- Oral or written notice of the charges from the faculty member is required even though an immediate consequence may be imposed.
- An explanation of the evidence against the student. Evidence may be physical or in the form of witnesses or observers.
- An opportunity for the student to present their side of the story
- Notice of the decision(s)
- An opportunity to appeal the decision(s)
How to Submit an Appeal
A student appealing a faculty, department, or dean’s decision should meet within 14 calendar days on an informal basis with the faculty member, department chair, or dean directly involved in the situation in an attempt to address the matter and resolve the issue(s).
If the student is not comfortable working with the faculty member or if the student is not able to get a response within this period of time, they may appeal to the next higher level of authority.
A student may appeal the decision in Step 1 and has 14 calendar days to meet with and present a dated, signed, and written account of the circumstances to the appropriate college dean.
The appeal shall contain a statement indicating the reason for the appeal and the relief requested.
The academic dean (or higher authority) shall respond to the student and faculty member with a written decision within 14 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.
Written appeals must be based on one or more of the following reasons:
- The evidence presented at the meeting between the faculty and the student does not support the outcome
- There are facts not brought out in the original meeting which may affect the outcome
- There was a procedural error which could have affected the outcome of the meeting
- The consequences were perceived as excessively severe
If the issue is not resolved in Step 2, the student has 14 calendar days to appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
This appeal should be a dated, signed, and written account of the situation.
The vice president shall respond to the student, faculty member and dean with a written decision within 14 calendar days of receipt of the appeal.
The decision of the vice president is final.
The 14-day response period does not include breaks and holidays. A time extension may be granted upon request to the dean (Step 2) or academic vice president (Step 3).
Failure to submit a timely appeal, or request for extension, constitutes a waiver of any right to request an appeal.
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