IV. Policies and Procedures Relating to Academic Misconduct
This policy was last updated 7/2005.
The extraordinary trust the public places in pharmacists has been earned through adherence to the highest standards of ethics and honesty for many years. Students are expected to uphold these standards during their academic (pre-pharmacy and pharmacy) careers. Policies and procedures as outlined below state minimal standards of behavior and are in accordance with the Faculty Senate Rules and Regulations of the University.
Each student shall complete all assignments, quizzes, exams, papers, and activities individually with no assistance from any other person or source unless otherwise instructed by the faculty member teaching that section.
Instructors shall make clear at the beginning of each course any specific rules for the preparation of classroom assignments, collateral reading, notebooks, or other outside work, in order that students may not, through ignorance, subject themselves to the charge of academic misconduct.
Definitions of Academic Misconduct
The School of Pharmacy defines (but does not limit to) the following activities, in either face-to-face or online courses, as Academic Misconduct:
a. Cheating:
• Possessing and/or using any unauthorized aid during an examination.
• Giving or receiving information during an examination.
• Obtaining quizzes or examinations before the exam period without the knowledge of the instructor.
• Using data from a previous lab (or fabricating data) and submitting it as if performed during the lab period.
• Misrepresenting your attendance or another’s in a course or activity.
• Using electronic devices to store or receive answers, notes or other materials that unfairly provide help on quizzes or examinations. Examples of these devices include but are not limited to calculators, pagers, telephones, and personal data assistants (PDA’s)
• Allowing others to see one’s work during quizzes and/or examinations.
• Altering answers on an exam or activity being submitted for re-grading after it has been returned to the student.
b. Plagiarism: submitting the work of another as one’s own or neglecting to provide proper credit for content or thoughts in a work submitted as one’s own.
c. Falsifying documents, reports, or records of any kind or providing false information to University personnel.
d. Theft or destruction of library materials, computer hardware or software, or other academic resources or University property.
e. Violation of patient confidentiality in any practice and/or learning setting.
f. Threatening or endangering patients, faculty, staff, or fellow students or damaging their property.
g. Harassment of fellow students or faculty, or disruptive behavior which inhibits the ability of others to participate in class.
h. Violation of regulations or ethical codes for the treatment of human and animal subjects or otherwise acting dishonestly in research.
i. Intentional false accusation of academic misconduct by a student.
j. Unprofessional conduct in any practice or learning setting.
Sabotage of experiments or other class related work.
Procedural Information
A student accused of misconduct shall be informed discreetly within 14 days of the discovery of the infraction. The charge will be documented on the School of Pharmacy Academic Misconduct Reporting Form. A copy of this form will be provided to the student at the time of notification. Copies of all such notices will be sent to the Academic Misconduct Committee, via the Dean’s office. Copies of all School of Pharmacy Academic Misconduct Reporting Forms for accusations resulting in sanctions, with supporting documentation and a written decision, will be maintained in the student’s record until such time as he/she graduates from the School of Pharmacy. Following graduation the notice will be removed from the student file and placed in a restricted archive.
One of the following sanctions will be applied pursuant to a charge of Academic Misconduct:
1. Admonition: An oral statement that the accused’s present actions constitute academic misconduct.
2. Censure: A written reprimand for actions, which constitute academic misconduct.
3. Grade Reduction for particular work: The grade for the course work in question may be reduced to a grade of no points if deemed appropriate by the faculty member.
4. Grade Reduction for course: The course grade may be reduced to a failing (F) grade if deemed appropriate by the faculty member.
5. Suspension from course: The student may be suspended from the course if deemed appropriate by the faculty member.
Serious or repeated academic misconduct sanctions may result in the following:
6. Probation recommended by Dean to the Provost.
7. Suspension from the University recommended by Dean to the Provost.
8. Expulsion from the University recommended by Dean to the Provost.
9. Other sanctions deemed appropriate by the Faculty, Dean and Provost may also be applied.
Appeal Procedures
Appeal procedures may be used when the accusation of academic misconduct or the proposed sanctions are disputed. The following guidelines apply to appeals:
A. Every effort should be made to resolve disputes at the earliest possible step in the appeal procedure.
C. Any appeal must be filed within thirty days of notification of the charge of academic misconduct.
D. All supporting documentation must be included in appeals. A written decision should be distributed to all persons involved in the appeal and should include the reason or basis for each decision. This written decision should be provided within 30 days of receiving the appeal.
Students who wish to appeal a decision or action concerning academic misconduct shall take the following steps:
Step One. The student should prepare a written appeal letter to, and seek an appointment with, the faculty member initiating the charge of academic misconduct to discuss the charge(s) and sanctions in an attempt to resolve the issue at this point. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome he/she can proceed to step two or elect not to pursue the appeal any farther.
Step Two. The student should prepare a written appeal letter to, and seek an appointment with, the chair of the department in which the initial charge of academic misconduct was filed to discuss the accusation. Following a thorough discussion of the issues with those involved the dispute may be resolved at this level. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome he/she can proceed to step three or elect not to pursue the appeal any farther.
Step Three. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of steps one and two, the student should prepare a written appeal letter to, and seek an appointment with, the Dean of the School to discuss the matter and schedule a hearing of the Academic Misconduct Committee
If the matter is referred to the Academic Misconduct Committee, the following procedures apply:
a) The Dean convenes and advises the Academic Misconduct Committee of the charges and the proceedings are turned over to the Chair of the committee. Members who consider themselves unable to objectively serve due to a close personal relationship with the student or faculty member shall be excused and the designated alternate member will be activated or an additional member will be appointed.
b) The committee meets with the student and faculty member separately to assess the charge of Academic Misconduct. At this point the committee may:
v Support fully the decision made in previous steps of the appeal
v Recommend that the Dean overturn the current decision
v Recommend to the Dean a compromise that is deemed fair and mutually acceptable
b. The Dean notifies the student of the decision made pursuant to the committee’s recommendations and notifies the Registrar and Provost if the sanctions are upheld or additional action is requested.
Step Four. If the above actions do not resolve the situation to both parties satisfaction the student has the right to have the matter referred to the Judicial Board of the University per the University Senate Rules and Regulations (Defined in Article II, Section 6, of the Rules and Regulations of the University Senate). The Judicial Board hears appeals based on failure to follow the approved school procedure as listed in this policy.
Composition and Appointment to the Academic Misconduct Committee
The Academic Standing and Misconduct Committee, hereafter called the Committee, shall consist of five (5) members. Four (4) of the members will be full time faculty members representing each of the four school departments and appointed by the Dean. The other member will be a student from either the 4P or 5P class. At the beginning of each year the student council will choose two students to serve. One student will be designated the “regular” member and the other will serve as the alternate, in the event the “regular” member is unable to serve. Students and Faculty both have full voting rights. The term of appointment shall be one (1) calendar year. Student and faculty members may be reappointed. A quorum of 75% of appointed and regular members must be present for a committee decision to be made. A simple majority of those attending a meeting is required to make a decision.