Academic Integrity

Cheating, Plagiarism, or Other Forms of Academic Dishonesty

The university will inform a student in writing when a decision constitutes the university's final decision in any review procedure. Where applicable, the notification of final decision will also state that further redress on the issue may be had only by filing an appeal with the Superior Court of Alaska; that, in accordance with Alaska Appellate Rule 602(a)(2) regarding appeals from administrative agencies, the student has thirty (30) calendar days after the university has mailed or otherwise distributed the final decision to file an appeal; and that failure to file an appeal constitutes acceptance of the decision and a waiver of any further legal rights.

Academic dishonesty applies to examinations, assignments, laboratory reports, fieldwork, practicums, creative projects, or other academic activities. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. presenting as their own the ideas or works of others without proper citation of sources;
2. utilizing devices not authorized by the faculty member;
3. using sources (including but not limited to text, images, computer code, and audio/video files) not authorized by the faculty member;
4. providing assistance without the faculty member's permission to another student, or receiving assistance not authorized by the faculty member from anyone (with or without their knowledge);
5. submitting work done for academic credit in previous classes, without the knowledge and advance permission of the current faculty member;
6. acting as a substitute or utilizing a substitute;
7. deceiving faculty members or other representatives of the university to affect a grade or to gain admission to a program or course;
8. fabricating or misrepresenting data;
9. possessing, buying, selling, obtaining, or using a copy of any material intended to be used as an instrument of assessment in advance of its administration;
10. altering grade records of their own or another student's work;
11. offering a monetary payment or other remuneration in exchange for a grade; or
12. violating the ethical guidelines or professional standards of a given program.

In addition to any adverse academic action, which may result from engaging in academically dishonest behavior, the University specifically reserves the right to address and sanction the conduct involved through the Student Conduct Review Procedures outlined on this website in the Student Conduct section. Academic actions are reviewable under the Academic Dispute Resolution Procedure.

University of Alaska Board of Regents Regulation R09.02.020

Reporting Process

Suspicion of Academic Dishonesty

The concerning party, whether it be an instructor, staff member, or a fellow student, reports the incident to the Dean of Students Office using the online reporting form. All instructors are required to report all instances of suspected academic dishonesty to the Dean of Students Office.

A student conduct administrator in the Dean of Students Office will review the report and notify the reporting party that the report was received. In some instances, the student conduct administrator may have follow-up questions or ask for more information.

The student conduct administrator (with input from the instructor) will determine whether the suspected academic dishonesty should be addressed through the formal notation process or through the formal student conduct process. Factors that assist in making this decision may include: the student's history with academic dishonesty, the severity of the alleged dishonesty, and the student's education level.

Sample Syllabus Statement

The faculty, staff, administration, and students of the University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) consider academic honesty and integrity fundamental to the mission of higher education and promote the highest ethical and professional standards of behavior in the classroom. Accordingly, UAS has developed procedures that address academic misconduct. Students who violate these standards commit academic misconduct and shall be subject to academic and/or disciplinary sanctions.

UAS defines academic misconduct as attempting or helping another to obtain grades, grants, or class credit through fraudulent means. Broad categories of misconduct include cheating, plagiarizing, committing forgery or falsification, facilitating or aiding academic dishonesty, submitting duplicate assignments without the express permission of both instructors, stealing instructional materials or tests, altering grades or files and misusing research data in reporting results. An instructor may create special rules for a class and list them in the syllabus and/or in directions for assignments. Violation of class-specific rules also constitutes academic misconduct.

Additionally, University Regulation identifies the following as academic misconduct under R09.02.020[1]:

Academic dishonesty applies to examinations, assignments, laboratory reports, fieldwork, practicums, creative projects, or other academic activities. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. presenting as their own the ideas or works of others without proper citation of sources;
2. utilizing devices not authorized by the faculty member;
3. using sources (including but not limited to text, images, computer code, and audio/video files) not authorized by the faculty member;
4. providing assistance without the faculty member’s permission to another student, or receiving assistance not authorized by the faculty member from anyone (with or without their knowledge); 09.02 7 Student Rights and Responsibilities
5. submitting work done for academic credit in previous classes, without the knowledge and advance permission of the current faculty member;
6. acting as a substitute or utilizing a substitute;
7. deceiving faculty members or other representatives of the university to affect a grade or to gain admission to a program or course;
8. fabricating or misrepresenting data;
9. possessing, buying, selling, obtaining, or using a copy of any material intended to be used as an instrument of assessment in advance of its administration;
10. altering grade records of their own or another student’s work;
11. offering a monetary payment or other remuneration in exchange for a grade; or
12. violating the ethical guidelines or professional standards of a given program.

Below are specific examples for some of the aforementioned categories. A given activity may fall under several different categories.

• Cheating: attempting to give or use materials, information, notes, study aids, or other devices not authorized by the course instructor. Examples of cheating include copying from another student's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance during a quiz, test or examination; taking an examination or test for another student; using books, notes, or other devices, such as calculators, during a quiz or test, unless authorized by the instructor; acquiring or distributing without authorization copies of tests or examinations before the scheduled exercise; and copying reports, laboratory work, or computer programs or files from other students.
• Plagiarism: presenting the work of another as one's own. Examples of plagiarism include submitting as one's own work that of another student, a ghostwriter, or a commercial writing service; directly quoting from a source without acknowledgment; paraphrasing or summarizing another's work without acknowledging the source; using facts, figures, graphs, charts, or other information without acknowledging the source. Plagiarism may be verbal or written and may include computer programs and files, research designs, distinctive figures of speech, ideas and images or any other information that belongs to another person and is not acknowledged as such.
• Falsification: inventing or unauthorized altering of any information or citation in an academic work. Examples of falsification include inventing or counterfeiting data or research procedures; falsely citing a source of information; altering the record of, or reporting false information about, practicum or clinical experiences; altering grade reports or other academic records; submitting a false excuse for absence or tardiness; altering a returned examination paper to obtain a better grade.
• Tampering: interfering with, altering or attempting to alter academic records, grades, assignments, laboratory experiments, or class-related documents without authorization. Examples of tampering include using a computer or false-written document to change or affect the grade recorded for a student and forging the signature of a University official on a drop/add sheet or other official University records.Below are specific examples for some of the aforementioned categories. A given activity may fall under several different categories.
• Cheating: attempting to give or use materials, information, notes, study aids, or other devices not authorized by the course instructor. Examples of cheating include copying from another student's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance during a quiz, test or examination; taking an examination or test for another student; using books, notes, or other devices, such as calculators, during a quiz or test, unless authorized by the instructor; acquiring or distributing without authorization copies of tests or examinations before the scheduled exercise; and copying reports, laboratory work, or computer programs or files from other students.
• Plagiarism: presenting the work of another as one's own. Examples of plagiarism include submitting as one's own work that of another student, a ghostwriter, or a commercial writing service; directly quoting from a source without acknowledgment; paraphrasing or summarizing another's work without acknowledging the source; using facts, figures, graphs, charts, or other information without acknowledging the source. Plagiarism may be verbal or written and may include computer programs and files, research designs, distinctive figures of speech, ideas and images or any other information that belongs to another person and is not acknowledged as such.
• Falsification: inventing or unauthorized altering of any information or citation in an academic work. Examples of falsification include inventing or counterfeiting data or research procedures; falsely citing a source of information; altering the record of, or reporting false information about, practicum or clinical experiences; altering grade reports or other academic records; submitting a false excuse for absence or tardiness; altering a returned examination paper to obtain a better grade.
• Tampering: interfering with, altering or attempting to alter academic records, grades, assignments, laboratory experiments, or class-related documents without authorization. Examples of tampering include using a computer or false-written document to change or affect the grade recorded for a student and forging the signature of a University official on a drop/add sheet or other official University records.

Sample Classroom Rules

Example 1: Cell phone use is not allowed in class. If an emergency requires you to have your cell phone with you, you may not use your phone in class. You must step outside the fitness facility to use your phone. You may not, under any circumstances, use your phone while exercising. This includes phone, text and email functions. You may use the music function-with earphones only-in class. Instructor will carry a cell phone at all times in case of emergency.

Resources