Academic Honesty

BYU-Idaho students should seek to be totally honest in all their dealings. They should complete their own work and be evaluated for that work. They should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct.

Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism

Intentional Plagiarism is the deliberate act of representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one’s own without providing proper attribution to the original author through quotation, reference, or footnote.

Inadvertent Plagiarism involves the inappropriate, but non-deliberate, use of another’s words, ideas, or data without proper attribution. Although not a violation of the Honor Code, it is a form of academic misconduct for which an instructor can impose appropriate academic sanctions. Students who are in doubt as to whether they are providing proper attribution have the responsibility to consult with their instructor and obtain guidance.

Plagiarism may occur with respect to unpublished as well as published material. Examples include:

·         Direct Plagiarism. The verbatim copying of an original source without acknowledging the source.

·         Paraphrased Plagiarism. The paraphrasing of ideas, without attribution, from another, causing a  reader to mistake these ideas for the writer’s own.

·         Plagiarism Mosaic. The borrowing of words, ideas, or data from an original source and blending this original material with one's own writing, without acknowledging the source.

·         Insufficient Acknowledgment. The partial or incomplete attribution of words, ideas, or data from an original source.

Fabrication or Falsification A form of dishonesty where a student invents or distorts the origin or content of information used as authority. Examples include:

·         Citing a source that does not exist.

·         Citing information from a source that is not included in the source for which credit is given.

·         Citing a source for a secondary proposition that it does not support.

·         Citing a bibliography source when it was neither consulted nor cited in the body of the paper.

·         Intentionally distorting the meaning or applicability of data.

·         Inventing data or statistical results to support conclusions.

Cheating A form of dishonesty where a student attempts to give the appearance of a level of knowledge or skill that has not been obtained. Examples include:

·         Copying from another person’s work during an examination or while completing an assignment.

·         Allowing someone to copy from your work during an examination or while completing an assignment.

·         Using unauthorized materials during an examination or while completing an assignment.

·         Collaborating on an examination or assignment without authorization.

·         Taking an examination or completing an assignment for another, or permitting another to take an examination or to complete an assignment for you.

Other Academic Misconduct Includes other academically dishonest, deceitful, or inappropriate acts which are intentionally committed. Examples include but are not limited to:

·         Inappropriately providing or receiving information or academic work so as to gain unfair advantage over others.

·         Planning with another to commit any act of academic dishonesty.

·         Attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage for oneself or another by bribery or by any act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to another for such purpose.

·         Changing or altering grades or other official educational records.

·         Obtaining or providing to another a test or answers to a test that has not been administered.

·         Breaking and entering into a building or office for the purpose of obtaining unauthorized materials.

·         Continuing work on an examination or assignment after the allocated time has elapsed.

·         Submitting the same work for more than one class without disclosure and approval.

·         Getting equal credit on group assignments when equal work was not done.

Procedures for Handling Incidents of Academic Dishonesty

Instructors are responsible to establish and communicate to students their expectations of behavior with respect to academic honesty and the student’s conduct in the course. The instructor will be responsible to investigate any incident of academic dishonesty or misconduct, determine the circumstances, and take appropriate action. Examples include but are not limited to the following:

·         Reprimanding the student orally or in writing.

·         Requiring work affected by the academic dishonesty to be redone.

·         Administering a lower or failing grade on the affected assignment, test, or course.

·         Working with the Dean of Students to remove the student from the course.

·         Recommending to the Dean of Students that the student be put on probation or dismissed.

If the incident involves the violation of a public law, e.g., breaking and entering into an office or stealing an examination, the act should be reported to Campus Police.

For the purpose of tracking, suspected or proven violations of the Academic Honesty Policy should be reported to the Dean of Students Office, detailing the name, incident, and action taken. If the occurrence is sufficiently egregious, or if a pattern of dishonesty or misconduct is discovered, additional action may be taken on behalf of the university based upon the nature of the infraction (see Student Handbook in Section VII).

If an affected student disagrees with the determination or action and is unable to resolve the matter to the mutual satisfaction of the student and the instructor, he or she may have it reviewed through the university’s grievance process (see Student Academic Grievance Policy).

Confidentiality of Student Records

Notification of Rights under FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within forty-five days after the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request amending those education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students may ask the University to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. (This does not apply to grade changes.) They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the University will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the University has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by State University to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  To file a complaint, write to:

Family Policy Compliance Office

U.S. Department of Education

600 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20202-4605

5. The following information is considered directory information and may be made public:

6. Students have the right to block the release of their public directory information by completing a “Request to Withhold Directory Information” form at the Registrar’s Office. For complete confidentiality, this form must be completed within the first few days of each semester or term.  Students may also modify the display of the public directory information.
7. Parents or guardians of students claimed as dependents on the most recently submitted Federal Income Tax form may have grade reports forwarded to them pursuant to the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Parents of dependent children under the above-described definition must submit a Certificate of Dependency Form in order to receive grade reports. No grade report will be sent to a parent or guardian without proper submission of this form. The Registrar’s Office will be responsible for informing all parents (of dependent children) of the option to have grade reports sent to them. The Registrar’s Office will record received Certificate of Dependency Forms, and send grade reports as requested.

Married students or students 21 years of age or older are considered as independent by the Registrar’s Office. Unmarried students or those under the age of 21, who are not claimed as dependents by their parents or guardians on the most recent Federal Income Tax form, must submit an Affidavit of Proof to be considered independent status. These forms are available at the Registrar’s Office.

Students may also waive the Certificate of Dependency Form by completing the Waiver of Independency form. Completion of this form authorizes parental access to student grades regardless of the dependency status of a student.