Trinity Policy on Academic Honesty

Preamble
I. Definitions
II. Procedures for Reporting and Adjudicating Cases
III. Penalties
IV. Appeals
V. Confidentiality, False Claims, and Record Keeping

Preamble

Trinity is devoted to the highest standards of academic honesty and intellectual integrity.  As an institution of higher education founded in the Catholic intellectual tradition and rooted in liberal learning, Trinity challenges students to develop sound moral and ethical practices in their study, research, writing and presentations; in their examinations and portfolios; and in all of their relationships and actions as members of the academic community.

The values that are central to the Trinity experience animate the Honor System that has been a part of the Trinity College community since 1913.  All members of the Trinity community, students, faculty, and staff, are expected to uphold a way of life that embraces personal integrity and responsibility, the foundation of the Honor System.  The Honor System reflects a personal commitment on the part of all members of the community to individual integrity and shared trust, hence it also reflects a community commitment to abide by University policies, rules, and regulations.  Upon joining the Trinity community, each student and each member of the faculty and staff agrees to adhere to the following honor pledge:

"I realize the responsibility involved in membership in the Trinity College community.  I agree to abide by the rules and regulations of this community.  I also affirm my intention to live according to the standards of honor, to which lying, stealing, and cheating are opposed.  I will help others to maintain this responsibility in all matters essential to the common good of the community."

The Honor System is a way of life.  It is grounded in the conviction that each member of the community aspires to nurture and maintain mutual trust, honor, and respect.  The Honor System is present in all aspects of Trinity life, from academic integrity; to respect for others' opinions and ways of being; to fairness in play and sports; to adhering to codes of conduct, policies, and procedures; and to identifying and bringing to the forefront incidents or circumstances that may threaten the continuity of the community.

The Honor System applies to all students in all schools at all levels of education at Trinity. All members of the faculty are expected to take the time in each class to discuss the Honor System with their students, and to talk about particular ways in which the expectations of this policy apply to research, writing and assessment in each course and discipline.

The Honor System recognizes the fundamental role of academic honesty in the life of the Trinity community.  Cheating is an action that destroys the trust of the community and violates the most essential values of the liberal arts.  For that reason, any action that violates norms of academic honesty and intellectual integrity cannot be tolerated at Trinity.  This policy statement, grounded in the Honor System, is intended to provide guidance for students, faculty, and staff on matters related to academic honesty and actions that may constitute cheating, plagiarism, or other kinds of academic integrity problems.  This policy also sets forth procedures and consequences for cases of academic dishonesty.

All members of the Trinity community - students, faculty, and staff - are responsible for the enforcement of this policy.  The academic deans, under the supervision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and in consultation with the Dean of Students and Judicial Association, are responsible for the administration of the policy according to the disciplinary procedures outlined below.  Trinity may also take executive action under this policy as circumstances warrant.  From time to time, Trinity may publicize additional procedural guidelines to ensure due process for students, including clarity in definitions and procedures, as well as to ensure the effective oversight and administration of this policy.  On an annual basis, the academic deans will make a formal report to the Academic Vice President and the President concerning the number, type, and disposition of cases arising under this policy.

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I. Definitions

A. Cheating
B. Plagiarism
C. Falsifying Research Results
D. Presenting False Credentials
E. Cyber Fraud

This policy governs all actions by students of Trinity that violate norms of academic honesty and intellectual integrity.  This policy applies to all students in all schools at Trinity. Such actions include, but are not limited to those listed below.  Trinity reserves the right to take disciplinary action under this policy in any instance in which Trinity believes that student's action has violated norms of academic honesty and intellectual integrity.

A. Cheating

Cheating is an action that circumvents the learning process to gain grades and academic advantages without actually doing the intellectual work that merits the grades and rewards.  Cheating is fraud, a form of lying that misrepresents the academic work presented as if it were the student's own work legitimately prepared.

Examples of cheating include but are not limited to:

1. Copying another person's test answers during an examination;
2. Exchanging information about an examination during a test or test break;
3. Copying answers from illicit notes such as those scribbled on the body, clothing, small bits of papers, or recorded on listening devices, or on pocket computers, cell phones or other electronic devices;
4. Illicitly obtaining a copy of or information about an examination ahead of time;
5. Looking up an answer in a book when the exam is specifically a closed-book exam;
6. Submitting the same paper in two different courses (or more than two courses) without disclosure of the dual submission and approval from the affected faculty members.
7. Cooperation on class assignments when prohibited by the instructor.

In order to prevent cheating, Trinity may require students to leave all books, bags, electronic devices including cell phones and PDAs, and other materials at the front of the room or in other areas not accessible to students during examinations, and Trinity may choose to take such other steps as may be necessary to ensure the integrity of test-taking and assessment environments.

B. Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a special form of cheating.  Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else's words and ideas as if they were the student's own words and ideas.  Plagiarism is a very grave offense against intellectual integrity because it is an attempt to profit by stealing someone else's work and using that work to gain an unfair advantage, e.g. a good grade.

Some forms of plagiarism include but are not limited to:

1. Copying quotations, paragraphs, and/or whole pages from any source and presenting them in a paper as if the student wrote them herself;
2. Copying the structure and style of someone else's work or failing to restate the meaning of such material in the student's own words;
3. Using someone else's paper or portions of a paper and presenting it as the student's own work product;
4. Downloading a paper from the internet or buying a paper from a company and presenting all or part of that paper as the student's own work;
5. Failing to cite or inappropriately citing words, information, or ideas from any source as though the material represents the students' own work.

Plagiarism can occur through improper and sloppy citation practices and inattention to source material. A charge of plagiarism may be proven by the existence in a student paper of material copied or paraphrased from another source that is not properly cited regardless of the student’s intention. Plagiarism does not require proof of intent, only proof that the copied material was presented in a way that leads the reader to believe it is the student’s own work.

Plagiarism may also be found in cases in which the substantial majority of an assignment is taken from another source, regardless of citation, either directly copied or paraphrased, when presented in a way that suggests that the student is presenting the material in substantial fulfillment of an assignment that should have been a product of the student’s own intellectual analysis and writing. Students should note that endnotes, footnotes or citations in parentheses in the text do not necessarily mitigate the existence of plagiarism in cases where the material taken from other sources is presented as substantial fulfillment of an assignment.

C. Falsifying Research Results

Falsifying research results is also academic dishonesty.  Examples include:

1. Deliberately misreporting the results of laboratory or field research;
2. Inventing data and sources for written, oral, or other presentations;
3. Inventing case studies and relevant facts in reports, papers, or presentations that purport to be about real people and real cases.

D. Presenting False Credentials

Presenting false or misleading credentials on applications, resumes, and any other documents presented as part of the student's life at Trinity College constitutes academic dishonesty.  Examples of such actions include:

1. Claiming prior degrees where none was earned;
2. Failing to report prior college and universities attended;
3. Presenting falsified transcripts;
4. Presenting falsified information;
5. Misrepresenting immigration status;
6. Using fake ID cards.

E. Cyber Fraud

The growing presence of online communication in academic life also presents opportunities for academic dishonesty.  All of the same kinds of instances of academic dishonesty that can occur with paper and pencil can also appear via the internet and online communications, with some additional dimensions because of the nature of the technology (refer also to the Trinity College Technology and Telecommunications Policy Guide for additional guidelines about the use of technology).  Examples include:

1. Pretending to be another individual in an online environment;
2. Failure to give appropriate attribution to online sources;
3. Downloading papers or portions of papers from online sources and presenting the paper as the student's own work.

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II. Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

A. Undergraduate Students Prior to Senior Status
B. Senior Status Students and Graduate Students

Students who engage in academic dishonesty are liable for severe penalties.  Few circumstances can mitigate the effects of cheating, plagiarism, and other forms of dishonesty, so students who engage in such activities should expect to have to bear the consequences.

The following sections set forth penalties for academic dishonesty, and these penalties must be imposed upon a finding of academic dishonesty.  Trinity College may also impose these penalties directly through administrative action.  In individual cases for good cause, the Academic Vice President may approve an alternative course of action after consultation with the academic dean.  The Academic Vice President is responsible to provide the President of Trinity with a written explanation of any cases in which penalties assessed for academic dishonesty deviate from the policies set forth below.  In cases that normally incur expulsion, the President must give final approval to any alternative penalty.

A. Undergraduate Students Prior to Senior Status

For undergraduate students prior to the achievement of senior status, the penalties for engaging in any form of academic dishonesty are as follows:

1. In the first instance, the student will get an "F" grade in the course and the student will receive counseling concerning her or his conduct. No refunds are available for courses in which a student receives an “F” grade for cheating.

(NOTE: First year students in CAS only may receive an "F" grade on the assignment for their first offense if the faculty member and dean of CAS agree that the student truly did not understand that her action constituted cheating or plagiarism.  All other students, however, are expected to know how to act honestly and responsibly in academic situations.)

1. In the second instance, the student will get an "F" grade for the course and will be suspended from school for the balance of the semester in which she or he is enrolled and the subsequent semester.  No refunds are available under these circumstances.

3. In the third instance, the student will get an "F" grade for the course and will be expelled from Trinity College with no opportunity to return.

B. Senior Status Students and Graduate Students

Students who have achieved senior status and all graduate students are expected to be at a stage of their academic careers in which they understand the moral issues at stake in academic honesty and integrity, both for their lives at Trinity as well as for their future careers.  For this reason, Trinity believes that students at this level of education must know that the consequences are serious and permanent for any instance of academic dishonesty. Accordingly, senior students and graduate students who are found guilty of academic dishonesty are expelled from Trinity.

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III. Procedures for Reports and Adjudicating Cases of Academic Dishonesty

A. Reporting
B. Investigation, Due Process and Case Adjudication

The general rules of procedure set forth in the Student Handbook apply to cases arising under this policy.  This section is intended to provide more detail about the management of such cases.

The principle of honor and the shared values central to the mission of Trinity College obligates all members of the Trinity community to report violations of academic honesty.  Trinity is committed to adjudicating matters of academic dishonesty with equity, fairness, and justice.  The following sections set forth the processes and procedures for reporting and resolving occurrences of academic dishonesty.

A. Reporting

Following the principle of honor, all members of the Trinity community - including students, faculty, and staff - are obligated to report any instance of academic dishonesty.  Students are first expected to report their own violations of this policy to the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled (also referred to as the ‘home’ school), that is, the dean of CAS, SPS or EDU. Students in CAS may also report their violations to the president of the Judicial Association or to the Dean of Students.

Students who observe or are aware of any breach of academic honesty on the part of another student are encouraged to confront the violator and ask her or him to report the infraction, and if the violator refuses, then the student witness should make the report directly to the academic dean of their school or, in the case of CAS students, to the president of the Judicial Association or the Dean of Students.. 

Faculty and staff members should also follow the principle of first confronting the violator and asking that person to self-report, and then the faculty member should follow-up with a report to the respective dean.

B. Investigation, Due Process and Case Adjudication

This section describes the roles of various Trinity personnel, processes and timelines for action in cases in which a student is accused of violations of the Academic Honesty Policy. Trinity reserves the right to make adaptations to this general process statement if the facts and circumstances of an individual case require a variance, for example, if one of the deans is not available then Trinity may assign a designee for the role of the Dean of Students or academic deans, or Trinity may decide that a particular case needs a special timeline tailored to its own facts and circumstances. In all cases, Trinity will make a good faith effort to inform the accused of variances from this recommended process in advance. Variances from this process do not nullify the case, and the case may go forward even if a step in the process does not occur according to this guidance.

The Dean of Student Services, in consultation with the deans of the three schools and the vice president for academic affairs, supervises the first level of investigation, due process and adjudication of any case of academic dishonesty.

1) Timetable for Action

The process described below includes recommended timetables for the various stages of the process. Trinity reserves the right to manage the process outside of the time guidelines stated in this policy if circumstances require an adjustment to the timeline, but in most circumstances all cases of academic dishonesty should be resolved within one month, and no later than the start of the subsequent semester, unless Trinity determines that another timeframe is necessary due to the facts of the case or other circumstances that require an adjustment to the recommended timeframe.

2) Initial Consultation About the Complaint

When an academic dean receives a complaint of academic dishonesty, the dean should consult with the Dean of Student Services immediately concerning the complaint. If the Dean of Student Services receives the complaint first, she will consult with the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled. If the president of the Judicial Association receives the complaint first, she will consult with the Dean of Student Services who will then consult with the appropriate academic dean. If the course in which the student is accused of dishonesty is given through a school that is not the home school, the Dean of Students will consult with both academic deans initially, but normally the dean of the accused’s home school is involved in the subsequent process.

This consultation should take place within 24 hours of the complaint during a regular semester. Complaints received during holiday periods or after the end of academic terms may take longer to process, but all complaints should be handled in an expeditious manner.

3) Written Notification to the Student

After receiving notice of the complaint, and within 48 hours unless the facts or circumstances require a longer period of time, the Dean of Student Services writes a letter to the accused student informing him or her of the charge, inviting a written response, and establishing a date for a hearing on the charge. Copies of this letter should go to the dean of the school involved, the faculty member involved, and the vice president for academic affairs.

4) Written Reply by the Student

The student who is accused of academic dishonesty must make a reply in writing within five days of the receipt of the notice letter from the Dean of Students. The reply letter must be from the student and in her or his own words.

Students should be aware that the sole question for consideration in any case of academic dishonesty is whether plagiarism or cheating or some other dishonest act occurred. Extraneous information will not be considered in determining whether a student committed the alleged dishonest act.

Students also need to be aware that they are obliged to be honest in all communications and testimony about the accusation. If a student lies during the investigation and hearing process, the dishonesty will be considered to be an additional violation of the Academic Honesty Policy and may result in suspension or expulsion.

5) Hearing About the Accusation

Within ten days of the date of the Dean of Students’ notice letter, a hearing will be held to give the accused an opportunity to state her or his side of the case, and to put forth any other facts or circumstances that may be relevant.

If the student admits the violation of the Academic Honesty Policy, then the hearing becomes a meeting during which the deans and faculty member talk with the student about the case, and the student is informed of the penalty. The meeting should occur whether or not the student admits guilt, because if the student admits the violation she or he needs further advising and counseling about the dishonest action.

If the student does not admit to the violation, then the hearing becomes a formal part of the investigation into the accusation.

The hearing panel includes these individuals:

• The Dean of Students, who is the chair of the hearing
• The President of the Judicial Association, if the case involves a CAS student
• The Dean of the school in which the infraction occurred
• The faculty member for the course in which the infraction occurred
• The accused student

The accused student may bring another person for support, but the other person may not testify in the hearing.

Because Trinity’s internal proceedings are not adversarial processes governed by the kinds of rules of evidence and procedure that govern the American legal system, Trinity does not permit legal counsel to participate in Academic Honesty hearings.

At the hearing, the Dean of Students should review the accusations. The accused student should then have an opportunity to state his or her case, and to present whatever material might be relevant. The faculty member may wish to speak about the assignment and the methodology used to establish the accusation of cheating or plagiarism.

All parties are reminded that the sole question for the hearing is whether the alleged act of academic dishonesty occurred. Extraneous testimony about issues that do not go to the proof or disproof of the act of dishonesty is irrelevant and will not be permitted.

The hearing is solely for the purpose of giving the student an opportunity to present his or her case. The hearing is not adversarial, and the student should not be subjected to interrogation or berating. Also, it is not necessary for the faculty member or deans to argue the merits of the case with the student. All commentary should be directed to the chair, who should ensure that the parties stick to the facts of the case, refrain from personal characterizations, prohibit extraneous considerations, and avoid confrontation.

The Dean of Students, as chair, may choose to suspend or terminate the hearing at any time.

6) Findings and Notification of Decision and Penalty

Following the hearing, the Dean of Students, Dean of the respective school and faculty member should confer to determine their decision in the case.  If the student is judged guilty, then the Dean of Students should so notify the student in writing, along with the penalty. The Dean of Students should copy the Dean of the school in which the student is registered, the faculty member, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

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IV. Appeals

A. Appeals Not Involving Expulsion
B. Appeals Involving the Penalty of Expulsion

A. Appeals Not Involving Expulsion

Within five days of the date of the letter from the Dean of Students notifying the student of the finding of the hearing panel, the student may send a letter to the Vice President for Academic Affairs requesting a review of the finding. The letter should state the reasons why the student believes that the finding of the hearing panel is incorrect. The letter must come from the student, not from an advocate.

Students should be aware that extraneous information will not be considered. The sole question for consideration is whether plagiarism or cheating or some other form of academic dishonesty occurred.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs reviews the materials previously submitted to the hearing panel and the rationale for the panel’s decision. The Vice President has discretion to interview the members of the panel or to request additional written explanations from the student.

Within ten days of the date of the student’s appeal letter, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will notify the student in writing of her decision in the appeal.

The Vice President for Academic Affairs may uphold the finding of the hearing panel, may overturn the hearing panel’s finding, or may direct a new hearing. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is final in all appeals except appeals of decisions that result in expulsion.

B. Appeals Involving the Penalty of Expulsion

A student who is expelled under this policy should follow the same appeals process described above.

After reviewing the case, the Vice President for Academic Affairs sends a written recommendation to the President of Trinity. The President reviews the entire case file and the Vice President's recommendation, and makes a final decision.

Within ten days of receipt of the Vice President’s recommendation, the President sends the student a letter stating her final decision. The President may uphold the original decision and the penalty, may return the case for further review, or may impose an alternative penalty.  The decision of the President is final.

The President’s decision is final and not appealable.

In rare cases, at the sole discretion of the President of Trinity, and where an expelled undergraduate senior student has no prior disciplinary infractions under this or any other Trinity policy, the President may invite the student to apply for readmission to Trinity after at least one year, and with preconditions that must be met before the application may be considered. This invitation is not a student right, and will be exercised only at the President’s option if the facts and circumstances of the case warrant granting the option of an application for readmission in the future. Granting the option to reapply does not guarantee readmission, and Trinity reserves the right to deny the application after examination of the student’s performance according to the conditions established for readmission and all other intervening academic performance.

The clause above applies only to expelled undergraduate senior students in CAS and SPS who had no prior infractions. Other undergraduates expelled as a result of third offenses will not have any opportunity to reapply under any circumstances.

Similarly, the clause above does not apply to graduate students. A student in any graduate program at Trinity who engages in any form of academic dishonesty will be expelled from Trinity College with no opportunity to return.

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V. Confidentiality, False Claims, & Record Keeping

A. Confidentiality
B. False Claims
C. Record Keeping

The management of cases under this policy requires great discretion.  Students, faculty, and staff all have obligations to respect confidentiality, to refrain from spreading rumors about persons under investigation, to respect individual reputations, and to come forward with correct information if false claims arise.

A. Confidentiality

All persons who have responsibility for cases under this policy have a strict duty to maintain confidentiality about cases under investigation and the names and circumstances of the parties to the case.  Confidentiality does not prohibit the persons responsible for conducting investigations or taking actions to speak with each other, to confer with other responsible parties, or to consult other persons according to a reasonable assessment of the need to consult and investigate.  All persons involved in cases under this policy are reminded of the strict obligation to respect the reputations of persons involved and to refrain from discussing cases or individual students outside of the scope of the investigation and deliberations, including beyond the closure of the case.

B. False Claims

Any person who, with knowledge and intent,  falsely accuses a student of academic dishonesty under this policy is liable for severe penalties.  The dean may take action in the case of any student who makes false claims against another student.  The President and Academic Vice President will determine appropriate disciplinary action in cases involving faculty or staff who make false claims under this policy.

C. Record Keeping

The Dean of Students is responsible for maintaining student disciplinary records for cases that arise under this policy.  The Dean of Students is responsible for tracking the number of offenses that a student may commit during her time at Trinity and to inform the Academic Vice President and the President of the possibility of second and third offenses as the accusations arise.  Records maintained under this policy are separate from the student's academic file, which is maintained by the Office of the Registrar.

In cases involving expulsion, the decision whether to record the reason for the expulsion on the student's transcript is a matter for the President's discretion based upon the facts and circumstances of the case.  In all other cases, the reasons for grades of "F" or suspension under this policy will not be recorded on the transcript.

The Dean of Students will maintain active files on cases brought under this policy until one year from the student's departure from Trinity.  After that time, the case files should be placed in temporary storage for an additional three years, after which time the files should be destroyed.

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