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Student Academic Integrity - Policy 000608

Introduction

Academic integrity, honesty, and a respect for knowledge and truth are fundamental to the University. These principles are the bases of all academic endeavours in teaching, learning and research. Dishonest practices contravene academic values of respect for knowledge, and respect for truth, scholarship and scholars. They devalue the quality of learning, both for the individual and for others enrolled in the course, program or University as a whole.

This policy is intended to reinforce the importance of integrity and honesty in an academic environment. (1)

Academic Dishonesty

Dishonesty in the preparation or presentation of any assessable work is regarded as misconduct, and the University imposes serious measures on students who are found to have acted in this way. There are two major categories of academic dishonesty:

Academic Fraud

Academic fraud: is making a false representation to gain an unjust advantage. Without limiting the generality of this definition, it can include:

• falsification of data;
• using a substitute to undertake, in full or part, an examination or other assessment item;
• reusing one's own work that has been submitted previously and counted towards another course (without permission);
• making contact with another person, contrary to instructions, during an examination or other assessment item;
• bringing material or device(s) into an examination or other assessment item other than such as may be specified for that assessment item;
• making use of computer software or other material and device(s) during an examination or other assessment item other than such as may be specified for that assessment item.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism: is the presentation of the thoughts or works of another as one's own. Without limiting the generality of this definition, it may include:

• copying or paraphrasing material from any source without due acknowledgment;
• using another's ideas without due acknowledgment;
• working with others without permission and presenting the resulting work as though it was completed independently.

Roles of Responsible Officers

The persons named below are all Responsible Officers in terms of this Policy.

1. Lecturers/tutors, assessment supervisors and markers are usually the first to become aware of possible acts of academic dishonesty. They are required to alert the Course Coordinator to any suspected cases of student academic dishonesty.
2. Course Coordinators must make a judgment as to whether a case of academic dishonesty exists and whether the case requires a remedial action or possible penalty.
3. Student Academic Conduct Officers (SACOs) are appointed by each Head of School to:
   1. Provide advice to students and staff on matters of student academic dishonesty within the School;
   2. Ensure that School staff are provided with appropriate training and induction on student academic integrity;
   3. Consider, in accord with the procedures set down in the accompanying Procedures for Dealing with Student Academic Dishonesty, reported instances of academic dishonesty within the School, make determinations and apply penalties, within the range of penalties available to the Student Academic Conduct Officer;
   4. If a penalty is imposed, record the student's name, offence and penalty on the central Student Academic Misconduct Register and inform the student;
   5. Refer more serious cases of academic dishonesty to the Head of School;
   6. Take responsibility for managing, at School level, any plagiarism detection system adopted by the University and monitor the extent and nature of students' plagiarism within the School;
   7. Provide annual reports to the Head of School on the cases of student academic dishonesty arising in the School and the action taken or penalties imposed;
   8. Provide advice to the Head of School on how to reduce the occurrence of academic dishonesty within the School.
4. Heads of Schools and Pro Vice-Chancellors:
   Heads of Schools shall refer serious cases of student academic dishonesty via the Pro Vice-Chancellor, to the Vice-Chancellor for consideration under the Student Discipline Rules.
5. The Vice-Chancellor shall consider any cases of student academic dishonesty referred by the Pro Vice-Chancellors and will take action under the Student Discipline Rules.

Actions and Penalties

If any form of academic dishonesty has occurred, one or more of the following actions may be taken or penalties imposed:

The Vice-Chancellor may direct that students under investigation for academic misconduct or other breaches of discipline will not be eligible to graduate until the matter is resolved.

Any cases referred to the Vice-Chancellor will be dealt with under the University's Student Discipline Rules. These Rules are available at:

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/policylibrary/000341.html

Criteria for Determining Penalties

Penalties will be imposed, taking into account the following criteria:

(i) the nature and extent of the dishonesty;

(ii) the level of the student;

(iii) the student's knowledge of academic regulations;

(iv) the Discipline's conventions.

Student Academic Misconduct Register

All students penalised as a result of a case of student academic dishonesty will have their name, the nature of the charge and the penalty recorded on a central Student Academic Misconduct Register, held by the University's Records Management Office. Other students who have been the subject of a remedial action may at the discretion of the Student Academic Conduct Officer be entered on the Student Academic Misconduct Register. All students entered on the Register will be notified.

Appeals

A penalty imposed by the Student Academic Conduct Officer may be appealed in writing by the student, to the Pro Vice-Chancellor within 14 days of the decision. 2

The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor on the appeal is final.

A decision of the Vice-Chancellor or Discipline Committee may be appealed using the appeal procedure outlined in the Student Discipline Rules.

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/policylibrary/000341.html

A student who has a complaint about the process of the investigation should follow the student grievance procedures.

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/complaints/

Student Support

The Dean of Students http://www.newcastle.edu.au/services/deanofstudents/, the Newcastle University Students' Association http://www.newcastle.edu.au/association/nusa/, the Newcastle University Postgraduate Students Association http://www.nupsa.org.au/ and the Central Coast Campus Union (CampusCentral) http://www.campuscentral.com.au/ are available to advise students alleged to have breached the Policy on Academic Integrity.

Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act

The University is bound by the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW).

notes:

• 1. For the purposes of this Policy, for students enrolled in enabling programs "Head of School" means the Director of the English Language and Foundation Studies Centre and "Pro Vice Chancellor" means the Deputy Vice Chancellor.
• 2. In the case of a matter where the Pro ViceChancellor has already been consulted, the Deputy Executive Dean will consider the appeal.