ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic Integrity for Students at the University of California, Riverside.

University Of California Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students, section 100.00 Policy on Student Conduct and Discipline states that “Chancellors may impose discipline for the commission or attempted commission (including aiding or abetting in the commission or attempted commission) of the following types of violations by students:

102.1 All forms of academic misconduct including but not limited to cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, or facilitating academic dishonesty.

102.2 Other forms of dishonesty including but not limited to fabricating information, furnishing false information, or reporting a false emergency to the University.”

At the University of California, Riverside (UCR) honesty and integrity are fundamental values that guide and inform us as individuals and as a community. The culture of academia requires that each student take responsibility for learning and for products that reflect their intellectual potential, curiosity, and capability. Students must represent themselves truthfully, claim only work that is their own, acknowledge their use of others’ words, research results, and ideas, using the methods accepted by the appropriate academic disciplines and engage honestly in all academic assignments. Anything less than total commitment to honesty circumvents the contract for intellectual enrichment that students have with the University to become an educated person, undermines the efforts of the entire academic community, and diminishes the value of an education for everyone, especially for the person who cheats. Both students and faculty are responsible for ensuring the academic integrity of the University.

These guidelines establish definitions for academic misconduct and procedures for the adjudication of academic integrity cases by the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Programs (SCAIP) for undergraduate students and Graduate Division for graduate student cases.

Misunderstanding of appropriate academic conduct will not be accepted as an excuse for academic misconduct. If a student is in doubt about appropriate academic conduct in a particular situation, he or she should consult with the instructor in the course to avoid the serious charge of academic misconduct.

The following provides definitions of academic misconduct to assist students in developing an understanding of the University’s expectations, recognizing that no set of written guidelines can anticipate all types and degrees of violations of academic integrity. To the extent that these definitions are not exhaustive, duly appointed representatives of the University will judge each case according to its merits.

Academic misconduct is any act that does or could improperly distort student grades or other student academic records.

Cheating Fraud, deceit, or dishonesty in an academic assignment, or using or attempting to use materials, or assisting others in using materials that are prohibited or inappropriate in the context of the academic assignment in question.

Fabrication Making up data or results and recording or reporting them, including laboratory or field research results. In the context of student academic integrity, this also includes falsifying academic or university documents and providing false information or testimony in connection with any investigation or hearing under this policy.

Plagiarism The appropriation of another person’s ideas, processes, results, or words without giving appropriate credit. This includes the copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing (explicitly or implicitly) the work to one’s own efforts. Plagiarism means using another’s work without giving credit.

Facilitating academic dishonesty Assisting another in violating the policy of Academic Integrity, such as taking an exam for another student or providing coursework for another student to turn in as his or her own effort. Unauthorized collaboration Working with others without the specific permission of the instructor on assignments that will be submitted for a grade. This applies to in-class or take-home tests, papers, labs, or homework assignments. Students may not collaborate without faculty authorization.

Interference or sabotage Damaging, removing, or otherwise harming another student’s work or University materials and systems to affect the academic performance of others.

Failure to comply with research regulations such as those applying to human subjects, laboratory animals, and standards of safety.

Retaliation of any kind against a person who reported or provided information about suspected or alleged misconduct and who has not acted in bad faith.