Western Technical College is committed to upholding academic integrity in all modes of learning. Faculty, students and staff are all responsible for ensuring the integrity, fairness, and honesty of the intellectual environment. Academic integrity violations, include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, falsification and other forms of dishonest or unethical behavior, and are considered a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

Academic Dishonesty Definitions:

Violations of academic integrity include, but is not limited to, the following behaviors:

• Cheating – using or attempting to use materials, information or communications without permission of the instructor. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  
  • Copying or allowing another person to copy a test paper, assignment, report or any other graded material
  • Using external aids of any kind (e.g. notes, books, electronic devices, and information from others) or a test, quiz or other graded assessment without permission of instructor.
  • Taking a test for someone else or having someone else complete a test or graded assessment in one’s place
  • Using, buying, selling, stealing, soliciting or copying any contents of an examination, quiz or other graded assessment without authorization of instructor
• Plagiarism – intentionally or unintentionally representing another person’s work as one’s own. Examples include, but are not limited to:
  
  • Quoting, paraphrasing or summarizing another’s work or ideas without properly acknowledging or citing the source of the work
  • Submitting another person’s work as one’s own, including purchasing another’s work to submit as one’s own
• Unauthorized Collaboration – sharing information or aiding another person during an examination or in preparing academic work without prior authorization of instructor
• Fabrication – using invented, altered, forged or falsified information in academic work or documentation whether in hard copy or electronic format
• Multiple Submission – the submission of the same work or substantially the same work to more than one class, and/or submission of prior academic work submitted for credit at a different institution
• Academic Misconduct – other forms of dishonesty or inappropriate conduct. Examples included, but are not limited to:
  
  • Requesting an academic benefit such as requesting an extension, excused absence, or other benefit based on false information or deception
  • Knowingly and willingly damaging the efforts or work of other students
  • Accessing student or faculty records or files without authorization
  • Misrepresenting oneself as a student or faculty member to obtain protected information or other academic or personal benefit

Academic Integrity Procedure:

To ensure a fair and timely resolution to any academic integrity allegations, the following process shall be implemented:

1. Course level process - Faculty notifies the student of the suspicion of academic dishonesty and offers to discuss the matter in person, by phone or via email

1. If student accepts responsibility – faculty determines appropriate outcome (see below), notifies student of outcome, and documents via Academic Integrity Report
2. If student denies allegation – faculty reviews all information to determine if a violation of academic integrity occurred, determines appropriate outcome (if applicable), notifies student of outcome and right to appeal decision to academic dean (along with appropriate contact information), and documents via Academic Integrity Report

Upon notification to the student of an allegation of academic dishonesty, the student is prohibited from withdrawing from the course while the allegation is being considered. Students found to be in violation are prohibited from withdrawing from the course at any time. Attempting to withdraw will result in a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and be referred to the Dean of Students office for resolution.

Outcomes will be at the discretion of the instructor and may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following:

• Verbal or written warning to the student
• Student Success Plan
• Deduction of points or assigning a failing grade or score for the work or assessment in question
• Assigning a failing grade for the course (with prior consultation of academic dean)

Students found to be in violation of the academic integrity policy have the right to appeal the process. The appeal is limited to failure to notify student of allegation, failing to provide student opportunity to discuss allegation, failing to follow the published academic integrity process, or other specific error or omission that may have influenced the outcome. 

The appeal for a course level academic integrity allegation must be made in writing to the academic dean or designee within five (5) calendar days of student receiving notification of outcome of violation. The dean or designee will make a final decision after full review and consideration of the process and related information. The student and instructor will be notified in writing of the decision. The decision of the dean or designee is final.

OR

2. College level process - Repeat academic integrity violations and/or allegations that include possible violation of other Student Code of Conduct standards will be referred to the Dean of Students to be addressed through the Student Code of Conduct procedure.

At the college level process, outcomes for allegations referred to the Dean of Students may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following:

• Verbal or written warning
• Non-academic probation
• Community service assignment
• Suspension or dismissal from program (with consultation of academic dean)

The appeal for an academic integrity allegations addressed by the Dean of Students must be made in writing to the Office of the Vice President for Student Services and Engagement within ten (10) calendar days of student receiving notification of outcome of violation. A vice president will make a final decision after full review and consideration of the process and related information. The student and instructor will be notified in writing of the decision. The decision of the vice president is final.