Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct Standards

If any administrator, faculty, staff or student body member suspects a student of engaging in academic misconduct, that person must report it to the Academic Conduct Committee. Academic misconduct is defined as any act of commission or omission by a student designed to affect the grade of that student or another student, where such act is unfair, unethical, or outside of the rules of Walsh, the rules set by the academic department, or by a classroom instructor (for the instructor’s course).

Academic Misconduct includes but is not limited to:

1. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the use of another’s work, words, ideas or images without properly citing the source and thereby representing this work as one’s own, whether the representation is oral or written, expressed or implied. Examples include:
   • Failure to give credit for work (including ideas and materials) taken from other sources (public or private), including quoting, paraphrasing, rephrasing or condensing that work
   • The submission of one’s academic work from a previous course without prior written approval of the current instructor
   • Using graphics, graphs, images, tables or other illustrative work without giving credit to the original source
   • Using materials that were assembled by or collected by others without acknowledging their contribution
   • Contributing to another student’s work or helping another to plagiarize
2. Cheating: Cheating includes, but is not limited to, the following actions in regards to coursework:
   • Unauthorized collusion on coursework, including two or more students working together to prepare and submit the same or substantially similar coursework, or portions of coursework, without the specific consent of the instructor
   • Sharing of completed or partially completed coursework which includes, but is not limited to, examinations, quizzes, homework exercises, projects, presentations, discussion boards, papers or other assignments, except where expressly allowed by an instructor for a particular course
   • Use of unauthorized aids while completing coursework
   • Failure to follow administrative instructions on exam-taking or other assessment procedures
   • Completing coursework, including taking an examination, for another student or asking or paying someone else to do the same
   • Allowing another person to access online coursework to review, copy, submit, or complete that coursework
   • The theft, sale, purchase, unauthorized procurement or possession of examinations or other coursework (or any attempt to do so)
   • Copying another student’s work

   Unauthorized distribution or uploading of copyrighted materials, including but not limited to:

   • Any portion of course content such as, lectures, presentations, videos, assignments, examination or quiz questions, etc.
   • Library materials subject to copyright whether or not noted as “do not copy.”
   • Copying of library materials designated “do not copy”

   Damage, destruction or modification to Walsh computers/servers/printers including but not limited to:

   • Copying, modifying or removing software
   • Unauthorized uploading of computer software and/or introducing a virus or malware
3. Misrepresentation or Deception: This includes intentionally lying to or deceiving a member of Walsh’s faculty, staff, administration, or outside agency in order to gain academic advantage for one’s self or another; or to misrepresent or in other ways interfere with the investigation of a charge of academic misconduct.

Penalties for Academic Misconduct:

Possible disciplinary actions or sanctions include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

• Re-doing the assignment for a reduced grade
• A reduction in the earned grade on the assignment
• A directed zero on the assignment
• A reduction in the overall semester grade
• Loss of Walsh-awarded scholarship money or awards
• A directed “F” in the course
• A review of all prior coursework completed at Walsh, which may lead to new charges of misconduct should earlier violations have occurred, whether they were addressed at the time or not, up to and including possible reversal of grades earned in prior courses, or degrees revoked, if evidence is found indicating that misconduct was employed in the pursuit of those earlier grades or degrees
• Suspension from Walsh
• Expulsion from Walsh

Academic Misconduct Process

The suspected misconduct should be reported promptly to the Academic Conduct Committee, which will examine the evidence, determine whether the student was a repeat offender, and impose the appropriate disciplinary action and/or remediation. Formal documentation of the infraction will be noted in the student’s file. Under no circumstances shall any faculty, staff or administrator determine their own punishment or remediation for academic misconduct.

A student may appeal a finding of academic misconduct by applying in writing to the Academic Conduct Committee AcademicConduct@walshcollege.edu within seven calendar days of notification for an appointment to appear before the Committee.

A final written appeal may be directed to the office of the chief academic officer of Walsh, who in their discretion, may affirm, modify, or reverse the decision. In all instances, the decision of the chief academic officer is final.

Other Consequences of Academic Misconduct

A student who receives a disciplinary action for academic misconduct or is being investigated for misconduct:

• May not withdraw from the course at any time
• May not seek financial relief for withdrawal
• May not utilize the grade replacement feature of the Course Repeat policy
• A finding of academic misconduct will become a permanent part of the student record. Subsequent acts of any level of academic misconduct will be considered a basis for suspension or permanent expulsion from Walsh

Responsibility of Faculty Members

All faculty members must promptly report all apparent instances of academic misconduct to the Academic Conduct Committee. Under no circumstances shall any faculty member determine on their own a punishment for academic misconduct.

Academic Misconduct Disciplinary Designations

Disciplinary action for academic misconduct can take multiple forms. For academic misconduct, disciplinary action may include those listed under Section B. The most serious disciplinary procedures include suspension and expulsion, as defined below.

Suspension from Walsh;

A suspension will terminate the student’s status at Walsh for a specified period of time, not to exceed one year. This may be posted on the student’s academic transcript at the direction of the chief academic officer.

At the end of the specified period, the suspended student will be required to request reinstatement to Walsh. If granted, the student will be admitted conditionally. Any additional act of academic misconduct committed during the remainder of the student’s academic program will result in permanent expulsion from Walsh, without the possibility of appeal.

Expulsion from Walsh;

Expulsion from Walsh will permanently and irrevocably terminate the student’s status at Walsh. This may be posted on the student’s academic transcript at the direction of the chief academic officer. An expulsion may not be appealed and the student will be permanently barred from earning a Walsh degree.