Academic Standards

Academic Integrity Statement

The strength of Wilson College lies in the integrity and honesty of all its members. Being honest at Wilson means living up to the Honor Principle created by faculty and students. For this reason, academic dishonesty is not tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on an exam (copying someone else’s work or using prohibited resources or materials, while taking an exam, whether inside or outside of class); allowing someone else to copy your work; and plagiarism (the presentation, intentionally or unintentionally, of someone else’s work as your own. For more on definitions of academic dishonesty, see below). Those found responsible for using unethical or prohibited means in academic work are subject to the College’s Academic Regulations and Joint Regulations of Faculty and Students found in the Blue Book. As a student, it is your responsibility to have read the Blue Book and to understand how cheating is defined at Wilson.

A copy of the Academic Integrity Statement should be found in every Wilson College course syllabus.

Academic Expectations and Dishonest Work

Membership in a community of scholars requires that students take responsibility for meeting the obligations involved in completing their academic work. Living under the Honor Principle also requires that students be honest with the Wilson community about how this work was accomplished. The most frequent tests of this requirement come in the form of academic dishonesty and plagiarism (defined below), ranging from cheating on an exam to improper documentation of material taken from other sources and used in a student’s research.

It is the responsibility of the academic community to make newcomers aware of their obligations as scholars and to assist in educating them as to what these obligations entail. Instructors should explain the proper conduct for taking and completing exams. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make clear to students what her/his expectations are regarding proper methods of documentation in coursework; it is the students’ responsibility to inquire about and familiarize themselves with these methods.

Faculty can aid student in understanding their obligations as scholars of integrity by

1) including the Academic Integrity Statement into all course syllabi;

2) providing a clear policy on academic dishonesty in all course syllabi, which should include clear definitions of the forms of academic dishonesty (which may be taken from the definitions below);

3) instructing their students on forms of academic dishonesty common to their field and providing students the means and methods to avoid committing such offenses;

4) outlining specific sanctions for academic dishonesty in the course policy.

Defining Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own requires appropriate identification and acknowledgment, regardless of the means of appropriation. The following are considered to be forms of plagiarism when the source is not noted:

• Word-for-word copying of another person's ideas or words.
• The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another's work).
• The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory).
• Discussing theories or ideas without attribution (presenting someone else’s ideas as your own).
• Fabrication of references (inventing or counterfeiting sources).
• Submission of another’s work as one's own.
• Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged.

Cheating

Cheating involves the possession, communication, or use of information, materials, notes, study aids or other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic exercise, or communication with another person during such an exercise. Examples of cheating are:

• Copying from another's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance from another during an academic exercise or in the submission of academic material.
• Using digital or technological tools (including generative AI) when its use has been disallowed.
• Collaborating with another student or students during an academic exercise without the consent of the instructor.

Generative AI
Generative AI involves the use of advanced automated tools (artificial intelligence or machine learning tools such as ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) to create or refine coursework. In general, students are not allowed to use generative AI on any coursework at the College unless they are explicitly authorized to do so, in writing, by the course instructor (such authorization may be found in a course syllabus or an assignment description). When any generative AI technology is used in creating coursework for a College course, such use must be acknowledged through proper documentation and citation in line with the norms of the discipline. 

Fabrication and Falsification

Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information, i.e., creating results not obtained in a study or laboratory experiment. Falsification, on the other hand, involves deliberately altering or changing results to suit one’s needs in an experiment or other academic exercise.

Multiple Submissions

This is the submission of academic work for which academic credit has already been earned, when such submission is made without instructor authorization. A student may not present substantially the same paper for credit in two or more courses unless she/he has written permission from each instructor.

Misuse of Academic Materials

The misuse of academic materials includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Stealing or destroying library or reference materials or computer programs.
• Stealing or destroying another student’s notes or materials, or having such materials in one’s possession, without the owner’s permission.
• Receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an assignment when such assistance has been forbidden by the instructor.
• Illegitimate possession, disposition, or use of examinations or answer keys to examinations.
• Unauthorized alteration, forgery, or falsification.
• Unauthorized sale or purchase of examinations, papers, or assignments.

Complicity in Academic Dishonesty

Complicity involves knowingly contributing to another’s acts of academic dishonesty.

Reporting Academic Dishonesty

Avoiding academic dishonesty and plagiarism is a learning process for all scholars, and this should be taken into consideration when dealing with violations. In the case of minor or first offenses, an informal resolution – in which the faculty member would resolve the matter directly with the student – may be warranted. In the case of serious or repeated offenses or if an informal resolution was unacceptable to either of the parties involved, the procedures for reporting academic violations will be followed. These are found in Section B of the “Bluebook,” which describes the judicial system.

Faculty and students are expected to work together to resolve matters of academic dishonesty. The faculty member or the student may request that the matter be sent to the Joint Honor Council at any time during this process.

If an instructor suspects an incident of student academic dishonesty in the classroom, they should take the following steps:

1) The instructor should document the incident of academic dishonesty, including gathering any supporting evidence that would substantiate the allegations.

2) The instructor should request a meeting to discuss the matter with the student or students in question. This meeting request can be made in person or in writing. If the student has not responded to the meeting request in three days, the faculty member should re-send the request. If the student has not responded to the second request after another three days, the faculty member should proceed (if they feel capable) to step 5 of this list.

3) In the discussion, the instructor should outline their concerns and showcase their evidence. The instructor must then allow the student to respond.

a. This meeting can occur face-to-face, through digital means, or, for asynchronous online classes, communication can occur via email (though a synchronous meeting is preferable).

b. If the meeting is live, either the instructor or student can request the presence of a neutral third party—specifically, the student’s academic advisor. Notice of the attendance of a neutral third party should be made in advance of the meeting in writing.

c. If the meeting occurs digitally, it can be recorded only with the prior written permission of all attendees.

4) If, after the meeting, the instructor determines that academic dishonesty has not occurred, no further action needs to be taken.

5) If, after the meeting, the instructor determines that academic dishonesty has occurred, she or he should penalize the student in the manner indicated in the course syllabus. This penalty should be communicated to the student in writing.

6) The instructor must also complete an Academic Dishonesty Report within three business days of the meeting with the student. This report is submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. On this report, the faculty member will indicate the name of the student, the course number and title, a description of the events that led to the charge of academic dishonesty and the action taken after discussing the matter with the student.

7) The Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) will submit a copy of the Academic Dishonesty Report to the student.

8) If the student accepts the merits of the charges and accepts the sanctions, the matter is then closed.

9) If the student does not accept the merits of the charges, the student can request that the matter be brought before the School Dean who would oversee the faculty member. In doing so, the student must be acting on a good-faith basis that the faculty member has made an error of fact in their findings or final summation of the academic dishonesty incident. Such a request should be made with three days of receiving the Academic Dishonesty Report from the Office of the VPAA.

10) The School Dean will investigate the student’s belief that an error of fact has been made and review the Academic Dishonesty Report and other supporting materials prepared by the faculty member and may meet with each party separately as well as meeting with both parties jointly. The School Dean may also request additional materials from either party.

11) If the School Dean agrees with the student that an error of fact was made during the faculty member’s investigation of the academic dishonesty incident, they have the authority to override the faculty member's finding. If the School Dean believes no error of fact was made, then the faculty member’s findings and sanctions stand. The School Dean does not have the authority to amend or alter the sanctions in any way.

12) The School Dean’s investigation should be completed no later than 10 days after receiving the request from the student. The School Dean will prepare a written report of their findings that will be submitted to both parties as well as the Office of the VPAA.

13) After this, if the student does not accept the merits of the charges or the sanctions, the student can request that the matter be brought before the Joint Honor Council. This request must be made within three business days of the student receiving the School Dean’s report. If the matter is brought before the Joint Honor Council, the Academic Dishonesty Report would not be permanently filed in the VPAA’s Office unless the student is found guilty of academic dishonesty. If a student is issued a failing grade for the work or the course or if the case is sent to Joint Honor Council, the student may not withdraw from the course until the issue is resolved. In addition, the instructor’s permission is required to withdraw, if permitted, after the matter is resolved.

14) The Vice President for Academic Affairs will review these reports and keep them on file until a student graduates or five years after the last course has been taken. Repeated incidents will result in further action, which may include submitting the student to Joint Honor Council.