Southern Illinois University Edwardsville ("University") strives to provide students with a solid foundation for intellectual development and an ability and desire to make contributions to society. Students are encouraged to set the events of the world in a broad perspective, bringing a reasoned approach to the challenges they may face. A presumption of intellectual honesty is the foundation of all learning. This Code is administered with the intent that the process described below is fair or just and educational. The University reserves the right to deviate as necessary from strict compliance with provisions of this Student Academic Code at any time, if the Provost determines circumstances so warrant and the best interests of students and the University are protected. In cases where allegations against a student are directly related to a student's participation in an externally-funded project from a sponsor, such as the Public Health Service (PHS), that requires following the research misconduct procedure, the matter will be resolved through Policy 1Q5.
Academic Misconduct: Acts of academic misconduct for which students are subject to sanctions include, without limitation, plagiarism, cheating, failure or refusal to follow clinical practice standards, falsifying or manufacturing scientific or educational data and/or representing manufactured data to be the result of scientific or scholarly experiment or research, and soliciting, aiding, abetting, concealing, or attempting such acts. This definition applies to misconduct occurring online as well as in face-to-face interactions.
Plagiarism: Presenting another existing work, original ideas, or creative expressions as one's own without proper attribution. Any ideas or materials taken from another source, including one's own work, must be fully acknowledged unless the information is common knowledge. What is considered "common knowledge" may differ from subject to subject. To avoid plagiarizing, one must not adopt or reproduce material from existing work without acknowledging the original source. Existing work includes but is not limited to ideas, opinions, theories, formulas, graphics, and pictures. Examples of plagiarism, subject to interpretation, include but are not limited to directly quoting another's actual words, whether oral or written; using another's ideas, opinions, or theories; paraphrasing the words, ideas, opinions, or theories of others, whether oral or written; borrowing facts, statistics, or illustrative material; and offering materials assembled or collected by others in the form of projects or collections without acknowledgment. See the University's policy on Plagiarism 1I6 for information specific to plagiarism and Policy 1Q5 for information specific to allegations directly related to a student's participation in an externally-funded project from a sponsor, such as the Public Health Service (PHS), that requires following the research misconduct procedure.
Charge: The written allegations of academic misconduct by the complainant against a Student.
Clinical Practice Standards: The prescribed level of performance in a professional, clinical, or hospital setting under the supervision of, or pursuant to an agreement with, the School of Nursing, the School of Education, College of Arts and Sciences, or any other course, class, or program in which students perform assignments in the treatment of patients or clients, or undertake student teaching duties.
Complainant: The person who files a charge.
Days: Regular work days in the normal work week, Monday through Friday, exclusive of University holidays, days of administrative closure, and term breaks.
Faculty: Members of the University faculty including part-time and non-regular faculty.
Field Experience: For purposes of this policy, field experiences denote class experiences that take place outside the typical classroom. Field experiences can include such activities as: clinicals, field placements, travel studies, and/or semesters abroad.
Instructor: For purposes of this policy, an instructor includes anyone assigned the responsibility of teaching a class or anyone with administrative responsibility for a field experience.
Mediation: A process where the parties in disagreement resolve their differences by agreement with the assistance of an impartial mediator who facilitates a resolution in a private confidential setting. This agreement is reduced to writing and binding on the parties to the dispute.
Notice: Notice to any party shall be sent by certified mail to the party's last known address as recorded with the University, or by personal delivery to the party. As a supplemental form of notice, e-mail to the party's last known e-mail address may be used. However, notice by e-mail alone is insufficient. Failure to have one's current address on record with the University shall not invalidate notice and could result in a hearing or administrative review held in absentia. If personal delivery is used, a receipt of notice shall be signed by the party receiving such notice.
Professional Performance: Performance characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession.
Record: All materials related to a charge brought under this policy.
Respondent(s): The person(s) against whom a charge is brought.
Sanction: A penalty imposed upon a student after the student has either admitted guilt or been found guilty of having committed a violation of the Student Academic Code.
Staff: Any University employee other than faculty, student workers and graduate assistants.
Student: One who is registered, or enrolled, or who has paid tuition, fees, or other University costs for credit or non-credit instructional activities.
Students enrolled in online as well as face-to-face and blended courses at SIUE have the responsibility to be good citizens of the University and the community, to pursue their educational goals with honesty and integrity, to contribute to an environment which encourages free inquiry and expression, to abide by all applicable laws and SIUE policies and procedures, and to respect the rights and responsibilities of fellow students, faculty and staff. In particular, it is expected that students will:
In response to a student's academic misconduct, instructors may give the student a failing grade on the individual assignment, a failing grade for the course, or may remove the student from a field experience without filing charges pursuant to this Code. However, for any other sanction, instructors must follow the procedures outlined in the Code.
Any member of the University community may bring charges against a student for alleged acts of academic misconduct using the procedures of this policy. Charges of academic misconduct must be filed within twenty (20) working days of the actual occurrence, or the discovery of the occurrence, which forms the basis of the charge.
Charges of academic misconduct shall be submitted in writing by the complaining party to the Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs ("Provost") using the Academic Misconduct/Plagiarism Incident Report (see Appendix A). The charge shall contain the following information.
If the Provost deems it appropriate, mediation may be suggested to the parties involved in the dispute at any time in the process. If all parties agree, a mediation effort will be attempted. If successful, the agreement must be reduced to writing. Such agreement signifies that the dispute is terminated and no further action or appeal may be granted. If unsuccessful, the Provost will proceed as described in this policy.
The Provost shall, within five (5) days of the receipt of a complaint, notify in writing the student of the charges made and provide a copy of all the information that has been received. The student will be asked to admit or deny the charges.
If a student admits to a charge of academic misconduct, the hearing shall be waived. The admission shall be made in writing to the Provost who will decide on the appropriate sanction. The Provost will inform all parties involved of the sanction in writing.
If a student denies the charge of academic misconduct, a Faculty Hearing Panel will be formed according to the procedures below. The student may continue attending class while the charge is pending.
The Faculty Hearing Panel members shall be selected by lot from full-time faculty on continuing or tenured appointments by the Provost as follows: College of Arts and Sciences---3; School of Education, Health and Human Behavior---1; School of Business---1; School of Engineering---1; School of Nursing---1; School of Pharmacy---1. From the eight names, three will be drawn by lot to hear each academic misconduct case. A separate Hearing Panel will be formed for each complaint. However, if more than one student is charged with academic misconduct arising out of the same operative facts, the charges may be heard together by one Hearing Panel. The Faculty Hearing Panel shall not include faculty from the department represented by the faculty member involved in the charges. The Provost will appoint a Chair for each Faculty Hearing Panel.
Students charged with academic misconduct shall have the allegations reviewed by a Faculty Hearing Panel formed as described above. The Panel shall collect, review, determine facts, and recommend a sanction.
Every reasonable effort will be made to provide procedural rights under this Code. The precise format of a hearing may vary depending upon the circumstances of the particular case.
The following procedural rights are assured to all parties:
Upon filing charges pursuant to this Code, the Provost may, at the request of the instructor, take interim measures to protect the integrity of the grading system used by the University. When a final resolution has been reached, the interim measures may be rescinded. Those interim measures are as follows:
This section defines sanctions which may be imposed by the Provost for academic misconduct. The appropriate dean may provide to the Provost a written recommendation for sanctions pursuant to this Code. University sanctions are independent of other sanctions that may be imposed as a result of civil or criminal prosecution. The sanctions listed in this section are not inclusive, but merely serve as guidelines and may be imposed in any combination. Sanctions provided for under this section may be accompanied by additional conditions of appropriate counseling and participation in University or community service activities. Prior determinations of academic misconduct under this Code or other student conduct policies may be considered in determining sanctions for present violations.
The following sanctions may be imposed with regard to a student's academic misconduct.
Either party to a decision may appeal the decision of the Provost by filing a written appeal to the Chancellor, or the Chancellor's designee ("Chancellor"), within five (5) days of receipt of the decision.
Academic Misconduct/Plagiarism Incident Report
Approved by President effective 8/13/19
This policy was issued on August 16, 2019, replacing the March 22, 2017 version.
Document Reference: 3C2
Origin: OC 1/8/90; OC 11/14/90; OC 5/14/91; OC 3/19/92; OC 2/25/94; OC 5/4/94; OP 10/26/98; WC 04-08/09; CC 25-05/06; CC 15-16/17; GR 18/19-09