26 Academic Integrity Statement

A growing number of students seem unaware of what constitutes academic misconduct for many reasons, including a surge in the use of digital technology, the prevalence, and availability of electronic and non-electronic sources, and the sometimes lack of earlier educational training in what constitutes plagiarism and misrepresentation.  Students practicing integrity will implement honesty and make socially acceptable choices in creating any academic work. This involves purposefully avoiding such actions as lying, stealing, cheating, or plagiarizing when it comes to any class assignment or project.

Listed below are examples of, but not limited to what constitutes academic misconduct within Murray State College classes:

1. Plagiarism, intentional, or unintentional. It is the student’s responsibility to understand what constitutes plagiarism and take steps to prevent plagiarism in classwork.  (see below for specifics)
2. Cheating and the use of unauthorized outside sources or unauthorized materials on tests, exams, or any assigned writing or class project.
3. Improper collaboration between students and unauthorized persons.
4. Submitting the same assignment for more than one class without express permission from the instructor(s).
5. Lying, fabrication, forgery or alteration of documents, etc. to gain academic advantage. This deals with but is not limited to obtaining an excused absence, gaining additional time to make up or complete an assignment, forging drop slips, falsifying diplomas, and transcripts, fabricating data or sources for research papers or lab work, assisting others with perpetrating academic misconduct, destroying or stealing another’s information or work assignments, computer manipulation (hacking) to access tests, change grades or interfering with or intimidating someone reporting academic misconduct.

Plagiarizing someone else’s words, facts or images does more than break Murray State College code; it is also illegal, words and items are property, have value, and are protected by copyright law.  The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines plagiarism as stealing and passing off the ideas or words of another as one’s own to using another’s production without crediting the source (May 2012).  Be mindful that plagiarism does not apply only to text; it can also apply to obscure facts or data, photos and graphics, maps, charts, drawings, or other images, and even unfounded opinions.  If words and ideas presented in class work cannot state originally, it should be cited.  Specifically, plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Copying and presenting others’ words as one’s own writing.
2. Copying exact wordage, even if the source is listed, if the wording is not indicated with quotation marks, as being someone else’s wording arrangement.
3. Copying exact wordage and making small, minimal changes (“patchwork” plagiarism), even if the source is listed. The student should paraphrase, which means coming up with his/her own interpretation and a complete rewriting of the quoted material.
4. Presenting another’s ideas as one’s own, even if they are paraphrased.
5. Pleading ignorance as to what constitutes plagiarism is not a defense. It is the student’s responsibility to understand what constitutes plagiarism as well as other forms of academic misconduct.

Plagiarism must be avoided in all classwork.  Academic integrity is of pivotal concern to all students and faculty.  Students who participate in academic misconduct not only denote baser character traits among themselves but also mar the reputation of the College.  Therefore, all reports of academic misconduct are treated as serious offenses and should be reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs using the Maxient Reporting Form.

How an academic misconduct incident is handled rests first and primarily with the faculty member overseeing the work assignment or project and details and severity should be addressed in the class syllabus.  Penalties include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Admonition (warning) and Possible Assignment Grade Reduction

The instructor may admonish the student in various ways.  This may result in a grade reduction that does not exceed the value of the assignment, requiring the assignment to be redone and resubmitted or simply assigning a zero (0) or failing (F) score to the particular assignment.  Admonishment is for lesser offenses only.

2. Failure In and/or Withdrawal from the Class

The instructor may drop the student immediately from class with a failing (“F”) or administrative withdrawal (“AW”) grade.  This action should be accompanied by a written detailed account to the  Division Chair, including supporting document(s) if possible, and the instructor’s recommendation of action.

3. Administrative Suspension from College

In the case of a second misconduct incident and other mitigating circumstances, the instructor may choose to take the issue to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and request the student be withdrawn from college with a failing (“F’) grade.  This action should be accompanied by a detailed written account of the incident, including supporting documents, and the instructor’s recommendation of action.

4. Incidents of Academic Dishonesty Should be Reported to the Vice President of Academic Affairs

It is the responsibility of the faculty member to submit an Academic Integrity Violation form immediately regardless of the incident resolution.  A student accused of academic misconduct may choose to appeal the decision of their instructor by going to the Vice President of Academic Affairs to rescind the instructor’s decision or to validate that decision.  The student has ten (10) days to appeal the instructor’s decision as announced to the student through the Complaint Resolution using the Academic Integrity Decision Appeal form.  An appeal committee will be formed, consisting of MSC employees, students, and the Dean of Learning and Student Success or a designee.

A short version of the Academic Integrity Statement is located in the Syllabus Template:

Academic dishonesty is never condoned by Murray State College. Penalties for such acts may range from admonishment to being dismissed from the College, depending on the degree of an infraction and instructor’s stated policy.

A complete Academic Integrity Statement, including penalties and appeal, can be reviewed in the Student and Faculty Handbooks as well as on the MSC website under Academics (www.mscok.edu).