Academic Integrity
Only when these values are widely respected and practiced by all members of the University (students, faculty, administrators and staff) can the University maintain a culture that promotes free exploration of knowledge, constructive debate, genuine learning, effective research, fair assessment of student progress and development of members’ characters. These aims of the University require that its members exercise mutual responsibilities. At its core, academic integrity is secured by a principled commitment to carry out these responsibilities, not by rules and penalties. Students and faculty should strive to create an academic environment that is honest, fair and respectful of all. They do this by evaluating others’ work fairly, by responding to others’ ideas critically yet courteously, by respecting others’ intellectual and physical property, and by nurturing the values of academic integrity in all contexts of University life. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken for violations of academic integrity, including plagiarism, cheating, any use of materials for an assignment or exam that is not permitted by the instructor, and theft or mutilation of intellectual materials or other University equipment. Faculty will assign failing grades for violations of the University’s policy on academic integrity and students may immediately receive an F for a course in which they commit a violation. Violations of academic integrity are kept on file; second violations will bring additional sanctions, up to dismissal from the University. For any disciplinary action, the University affords the student the right of due process in an appeals procedure. All matriculated students will be provided with a full description of the University’s standards for academic integrity, consequences for violations, and the appeals procedure.
All Sacred Heart University students, in all degree programs, are prohibited from engaging in any of the following types of behavior: Cheating, Plagiarism, Theft.
Course-Based Sanctions for Violations of Academic Integrity
When a faculty member encounters a suspected case of academic dishonesty, he or she should address the matter with the student, after collecting whatever evidence may be available and relevant. The faculty member has the right to ask the student to provide evidence about sources used or other reasonable requests to establish the work the student did. If the faculty member discovers that the student did act dishonestly, he or she will assign a penalty of a failing grade for the assignment; and may immediately assign the student a grade of F for the course. Cases of improper citation are a matter of faculty discretion. Faculty will report in writing the incident of academic dishonesty and the sanction imposed to the faculty’s chair or program director, dean of the college in which the course was taken, and dean of the student’s college. The faculty member will provide all parties with appropriate documentation of the incident. The dean of the student’s college will inform the student in writing of the accusation, instructor’s course-based sanction, and appeals process available to the student.