Academic Honesty Policy

Policy Author:
AVP Student Success

Responsible Office – Department:
Student Success

Effective Date of Policy:
August 23rd, 2023

Purpose:

Establish what academic dishonesty is as well as the consequences and procedures following a suspected instance of academic dishonesty.

Scope and Applicability of this Policy:

All students, instructors, the Office of the Assistant Vice President of Student Success and the Committee on Academic Standards

Policy Narrative:

Academic dishonesty, of which cheating and plagiarism are the most common examples, is a serious violation of the principles of higher education. Daemen University takes the position that academic honesty is to be upheld with the highest degree of integrity. The University has a responsibility to support individual thought and the generation of new ideas. This cannot be done when violations of academic honesty go unchallenged.

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:

1. Use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations;
2. Dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or
3. The acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff.
4. Any form of plagiarism, which includes, but is not limited to:
   1. the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person or entity (such as generative AI) without full and clear acknowledgement; or
   2. the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or distributing of term papers or other academic materials; or
   3. submitting previously or simultaneously submitted work —in whole or in substantial part—from another course for academic credit in a second course, without prior and expressed consent of the instructor.
5. Completing assignments with prompt-based generative AI tools, e.g., ChatGPT, without permission from the instructor, and unless specifically allowed by the assignment as directed in the syllabi. Instructors reserve the right to request an explanation of any assignment response. Daemen University’s Position Statement and Guidance regarding Generative AI Tools can be found on Daemen University’s website.

Procedures:

In an instance where there has been a violation of the principles of academic honesty, the instructor may choose to follow one or more of a number of possible alternatives including but not limited to: (1) automatic failure of the work; (2) automatic failure of the entire course; (3) recommending expulsion from the degree program; or (4) recommending expulsion from the University. The student may appeal the instructor’s determination in accordance with the Grade Appeal Procedure.

When a faculty member determines a violation of academic honesty has occurred, he/she will first notify the student in writing. A copy of this letter, together with a written description of the case with supporting evidence will also be submitted to the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Student Success. Should there be no additional notifications of academic dishonesty, the initial record will be destroyed one year after the student’s graduation from Daemen University.

Upon receipt of additional reported offenses, materials in the file will be formally presented to the Committee on Academic Standards (CAS) for review and recommendation of any additional sanctions beyond those imposed by the instructor. The Chair of the CAS will also notify the student that the materials will be the subject of CAS deliberation and will recommend that the student write a letter regarding the offense to the CAS for purposes of clarification, explanation or denial. CAS review will be held in a timely manner as determined by CAS. All faculty members who have reported offenses on the part of the student will be invited to participate in the deliberations. In cases where expulsion is recommended, either from the degree program or the University, final authority rests with the Dean of the University.

Policy Violations and Consequences:

Four possible consequences: (1) automatic failure of the work; (2) automatic failure of the entire course; (3) recommending expulsion from the degree program; or (4) recommending expulsion from the University. The student may appeal the instructor’s determination in accordance with the Grade Appeal Procedure.