Academic Honesty

Statement on Academic Honesty
Students and instructors share responsibility in promoting and maintaining an environment that supports academic integrity. Academic dishonesty minimizes the learning process and threatens the learning environment for all students.

As members of the Columbia Basin College learning community, students are not to engage in any form of academic dishonesty.

Forms of Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is presenting someone else's words, ideas, data, or other creative work as one's own. When a student uses someone else's work, the source of that information must be acknowledged through complete, accurate, and specific references. Verbatim statements also must be enclosed in quotation marks. The student should acknowledge the source whenever:

• Another person's actual words are quoted. 
• Another person's ideas, opinions, or theory is used, even if it is completely paraphrased and/or summarized in the student's own words. 
• Facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials are borrowed - unless the information is common knowledge. Common knowledge is defined in Lynn Quitman Troyka's Quick Access, 3rd Edition, as information that most educated people know, even if they might need to remind themselves of certain facts by looking up information in a reference book.

The typing of a student paper by another person is permissible, but all corrections and rephrasing must be the student's own. For information on how to avoid plagiarism, please check the following websites: 

OWL - Purdue Online Writing Lab/Plagiarism 
Indiana University Writing Tutorial Service/WTS pamphlets

Cheating

Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents that s/he has mastered information on an academic exercise which, in fact, has not been mastered. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Copying from another student's test or assignment or allowing another student to copy from your test or assignment.
• Collaborating during a test with any other person without instructor permission. 
• Using the course textbook or other course materials during a test, without instructor permission. 
• Using prepared materials during a test (e.g., notes, formula lists), without instructor permission. 
• Using instructor texts or other such material to complete an assignment, without instructor permission. 
• Stealing, buying, or otherwise obtaining all or part of a test before it is administered. 
• Selling or giving away all or part of an unadministered test, including answers. 
• Taking a test for someone else or permitting someone to take a test for you. 
• Failing to follow test-taking procedures (e.g., talking, laughing, failing to take a seat assignment, failing to adhere to starting and stopping times, or other disruptive activity). 
• Any forgery, alteration, unauthorized possession, or misuse of college documents pertaining to academic records including, but not limited to, late or retroactive change of course application forms (otherwise known as "drop slips") and late or retroactive withdrawal applications forms. Alteration or misuse of college documents pertaining to academic records by means of computer resources or other equipment also is included within this definition of "cheating." 
• Any manipulation or misuse of college procedures in order to override, defraud or otherwise "get around" a college policy.

Fabrication

Fabrication is the intentional use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• Inventing data or source information for research or other academic exercises. 
• Citing information not taken from the source indicated. 
• Listing sources in a bibliography not actually used in the academic exercise.

Grade Tampering
Grade tampering involves cheating, altering, or being an accessory to the changing and/or altering of a grade in a grade book, on a test, on an assignment, on a change of grade form, or on any other official academic record. Influencing or attempting to influence any college official, instructor or employee responsible for processing grades, evaluating students, or for maintaining academic records through the use of bribery, threats, or any other means of coercion in order to affect a grade or evaluation is forbidden.

Misuse of Computers and Other Electronic Technology

CBC's computing and telecommunications facilities/equipment are provided for the use of students in fulfilling their needs which relate to the mission of the college. Individuals using these resources have a right to privacy and confidentiality, the right to work in the electronic environment free of harassment, and the right to expect that the integrity and security of their data will be maintained. The College reserves the right to inspect the electronic files and accounts of those using its computing resources with the prior approval of the appropriate college official. Examples of academic dishonesty through computer/technology use include, but are not limited to:

• Unauthorized access and/or manipulation of computer files, facilities, networks, systems, programs or data. 
• Copyright violations such as copying, transmitting, or disclosing data, software or documentation without proper authorization. 
• Other examples of unacceptable usage that violate the CBC Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities and/or other CBC policies include, but are not limited to: 
  • Using the computer for solicitation for charity or other benefits. 
  • Using the computer for personal profit, personal advertisements or other illegal purposes. 
  • Using offensive or abusive language on the network or any electronic communication. 
  • Promoting and sending chain letters. 
  • Harassing students or employees at the college or other institutions. 
  • Sexual harassment comments directed to another person. 
  • Racial comments directed to another person. 
  • Theft (including unauthorized copying) of computer software or data, theft, or removal or computer equipment without authorization, and deliberate behaviors to avoid being billed/charged for computer usage. 
  • Attempted or detected alteration of user system software, data or other files, as well as equipment or resource disruption or destruction. 
  • Unauthorized and time-consuming recreational game playing.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty
A student who knowingly helps or attempts to help another individual to violate the college's policy on academic honesty also violates the Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Penalties
Students who engage in academic dishonesty can expect some academic penalty to be determined by the instructor. Additionally, academic dishonesty may result in a disciplinary review. The disciplinary consequences of engaging in any form of academic dishonesty vary but include warning, reprimand, probation, suspension, and dismissal.

Further Information
For more information regarding academic honesty, consult the following:
Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities available from Student Services (Student Services Center), the Library (Library Building) and Student Programs (HUB).
Your instructor 
Division deans
Department leads

Adapted from:
South Puget Sound Community College "Statement on Academic Honesty," 1996 Weeks, KM.
"Student Handbook Policies: A Forms Manual for College Decision Makers" College Legal Information Inc. Nashville, TN 1999