Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism

Honesty in all matters is a valued principle at Judson University. Members of this community of learners - students, faculty, staff, and administrators are expected to treat each other as trustworthy, honest, and honorable.

Any form of academic dishonesty, which includes cheating, plagiarism, and falsification of documents, constitutes a serious breach of trust. No form of academic dishonesty will be tolerated.

Plagiarism is the use of another's words, information or ideas without giving credit to that person. This includes copying, quoting, paraphrasing, or taking an idea from published or broadcast materials or from another individual. Plagiarism is dishonest and can be illegal. It is the student's responsibility to be careful and meticulous when taking notes and documenting sources. Unintentional plagiarism may still be considered stealing someone else's work or misrepresenting it as one's own. Further, it is the responsibility of the student to follow the appropriate style of documentation as determined by the instructor or program. If the student has any questions regarding the appropriate style of documentation, the student must be certain to ask his or her instructor.

Policy and Procedure

1. A student suspected of cheating or plagiarism will receive a zero for that particular paper, assignment or exam. A written incident report will be sent to the appropriate administrator: Vice President of Student Development for traditional students and the Interim Dean of Adult and Continuing Education for adult undergraduate/non-traditional students with a copy sent to the CAO.
2. The student will have an opportunity to demonstrate or prove that he or she did not cheat or plagiarize, but must appeal the charge in writing within two business days of the receipt of notification of the instructor. This appeal to the instructor may be submitted to the instructor via fax or email.
3. If the student is guilty of cheating or plagiarism and the student admits his or her guilt, the instructor has the discretion to:
• let stand the zero or F for the paper, assignment, or exam
• require the student to redo the project or something similar to it, assessing an appropriate penalty. The instructor may also assess an additional 10% penalty against the student's final grade.
4. If the student is guilty of cheating or plagiarism and the student refuses to admit his or her guilt, the instructor has two options. First, the instructor may allow the zero to stand and assess an additional 10% penalty against the student's final grade. Or, the instructor may assess a zero or F for the entire course. The instructor may decide to assess a zero or F for the entire course especially if the paper, assignment or exam is a cumulative or comprehensive requirement of the course.
5. Once the appeal has been decided, a follow-up written report will be sent, as appropriate, to the Vice President for Student Development or the Interim Dean of Adult and Continuing Education with a copy sent to the CAO.
6. Should there be a second offense of cheating or plagiarism, in the same course or in any other course, the student may be subject to expulsion from the University, and in the case of fraud, appropriate legal action.
7. Further appeals may be heard by the Provost or the Interim Dean of Adult and Continuing Education. Final appeals may be heard by the Campus Judiciary Committee, whose decision is final.