Academic Misconduct Policy
ESCC students are expected to maintain high standards of honor in their academic work. All forms of academic misconduct, including cheating and plagiarism, are prohibited.
Cheating may be generally defined as the giving or receiving of any help in fulfilling course requirements used to determine the grade except as prescribed by the instructor. Cheating can be done in many ways and it is not possible to name every situation which constitutes cheating. However, the following conduct is considered to be unacceptable:
- Copying from another student’s examination or test or using unauthorized materials during an examination or test without the express permission of the instructor or the proctor.
- Buying, selling (including offering to buy or sell), bribing, or stealing an assignment or examination or content thereof.
- Taking an examination for another person or posing as another student in a course or when taking an examination.
- Collaborating with other students in the completion of homework or other assignments for which the student receives a grade or credit unless such collaboration has the express permission of the instructor.
- Giving false reasons for missing tests or assignments.
While the conduct listed above is generally considered to constitute cheating, individual instructors may stipulate other behavior which is unacceptable in their courses. Such behavior will be stated in either the written course of study or in written handouts accompanying assignments in the course.
Plagiarism is defined as submitting as one’s own a work or an idea derived from existing sources without giving proper credit to the original by the use of quotation marks, footnotes, citations or other explanatory inserts. Students who are not familiar with the concept of plagiarism may obtain more information from the Learning Resources Center, which has publications on the topic. Students may also discuss the matter with individual instructors.
This policy applies to cheating and plagiarism detected by either the instructor or by students in a course. Whenever a student believes that cheating is occurring, he or she should report it to the course instructor.
Procedures
After making reasonable effort to discuss the matter with the student and hearing the student’s explanation of the situation, the instructor may find the explanation acceptable and determine that no penalty is necessary. The instructor may also determine a penalty is necessary. Penalty options include: grade of “F” for the specific assignment; a reduced grade for the course; or a failing grade for the course. The specific penalty depends upon the importance of the assignment in satisfying the requirements for the course.
Any penalty imposed by an instructor for academic misconduct must be reported in writing to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO), with a copy given to the student and a copy placed in the student’s permanent file.
Appeal Procedures
Students desiring to appeal the instructor’s decision must do so in writing to the Chief Academic Officer within 10 business days* following notification of the determination. The CAO will then refer the matter to the college’s President. The President shall appoint three faculty members unrelated to the matter to serve as members of an ad hoc Student Academic Misconduct Committee. The Chief Academic Officer will be a non-voting observer during the process.
Within 10 business days* following receipt of the student’s appeal, the Student Academic Misconduct Committee and CAO will schedule a hearing or oral proceeding at a time convenient to all parties unless there are extenuating circumstances which force an extension. When needed or requested, a phone conference may be arranged.
The following will be made available to the student involved prior to the hearing or oral proceeding:
- Published rules, regulations, and procedures (College Catalog or handout).
- Written notice of the charge(s) for violating rules and regulations.
At the hearing or oral proceeding, the following may be exercised:
- The opportunity to call witnesses on the student’s behalf, and/or to hear evidence from witnesses supporting the charge(s).
- The right for witnesses to be called by either the committee or the student to testify; the committee may cross- examine witnesses.
- The right to have an advisor or counsel at the hearing at the student’s expense to advise the student. Any attending counsel on the student’s behalf, however, may not participate in the hearing, address nor interrogate the committee or witnesses.
- The right for an un-emancipated juvenile to have his or her legal guardian present at the hearing.
- With the possible exception of un-emancipated juveniles, there is no right to have parental or “third party” interventions in any way concerning a student’s hearing. Students are considered adults and such interventions invade a student’s individual right to confidentiality during these procedures.
- A written, audio-taped, or video-taped record of the hearing.
The Student Academic Misconduct Committee will conduct a review of available evidence regarding the alleged violation and will vote on whether the student is guilty of the charge or charges. If a majority of the committee members vote that the student is guilty of the charge or charges, the committee will give the Chief Academic Officer a finding of facts and a recommendation as to any disciplinary action.
Within four business days of the hearing’s or conclusion, the Chief Academic Officer will communicate the disciplinary decision in writing to the student. A copy of the decision will be given to the instructor and a copy will be placed in the student’s permanent file.
Students receiving a penalty after his or her hearing may appeal such decision in writing to the college’s President within five business days* of the Chief Academic Officer’s notification. The President will render a final decision on the appeal within ten business days* of receipt of the appeal.
*Business days are defined as Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
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