Academic Integrity Policy
SECTION 1 – PREAMBLE
In its mission to provide a career-oriented education, Optimus Education strives to create a global community of students.
The foundation of academic work is intellectual integrity, credibility, and trust. A learning community can only be maintained if its members believe that their work is judged fairly and held to a high academic and ethical standard. For these reasons, it is essential that all members of the Optimus Education community understand our shared standards of academic honesty. More than just a series of regulations, the Academic Integrity Policy serves as a guide and resource for students for understanding these standards and their importance in our educational mission.
SECTION 2 – DEFINITIONS
A. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly work in an open, honest, and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity, and all members of the community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Academic integrity includes a commitment to engage in academic work that adheres to the highest standards of academic honesty. These standards include purposeful avoidance of plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation, unauthorized collaboration, or any efforts at facilitating any academic deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental and ethical principles of the community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Additionally, dishonesty in a workplace can also lead to serious consequences, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from school. Optimus Education takes seriously its mission to uphold academic integrity and to educate its students to use integrity in all of their work.
B. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
All members of the Optimus Education community are expected to apply high standards of academic integrity and ethical behavior in completing assignments for evaluation and testing. Any practice or conduct by a member of the Optimus Education community that deviates from the ethical standards that are expected within the professional community, and as outlined in this policy, constitutes academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism refers to representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise without providing proper documentation of source. It is the responsibility of all students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all written, oral, and electronic submissions.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
What percentage of plagiarism is generally acceptable in academic writing?
Type of content What percentage of plagiarism is acceptable
General academic writing 15-20%
Essays 20-25%
Thesis and dissertations 5-15%
Published journals 5%-15%
Cheating: Cheating refers to intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Fabrication: Fabrication refers to the intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in any academic exercise. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Facilitation: Facilitation refers to intentionally or knowingly assisting any person with an academic integrity violation.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Participation in Dishonest Acts: Some dishonest acts that undermine the fundamental values of an intellectual community fall outside of the more specific academic integrity violations described above.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
SECTION 3 – REPORTING VIOLATIONS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Students and staff share in the responsibility for maintaining the academic standards of Optimus Education, for promoting integrity, and for upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, instructors will regularly communicate high standards of integrity (i.e. within syllabi, assignments, exams, etc.) and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments and examinations.
To promote a learning environment that is built upon the fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility, each community member is encouraged to confront instances of suspected wrongdoing and to report alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy to the appropriate instructor. Students are not obligated to report suspected violations, but they are encouraged to do so. Students may also approach those involved in alleged academic dishonesty to remind them of their obligation to uphold standards of academic integrity.
SECTION 4 – ACADEMIC DISHONESTY REVIEW PROCESS
There are two types of forums provided by this code to review alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy:
A. ACADEMIC RESOLUTION (INFORMAL)
The instructor has the primary responsibility for control over academic behavior and maintenance of academic integrity. Students involved in academic dishonesty, either directly or indirectly as a participant, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the course who is obligated to address the alleged violation.
Academic resolutions are conducted by the instructor of the course in which an alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy has occurred. When an instructor suspects that a student may have violated the policy in this manner, the instructor shall inform the student of the concerns within five (5) business days of the discovery and present the student with any supporting evidence and documentation. The student shall be afforded the opportunity to respond to the allegations and to offer an explanation during the academic resolution meeting or via email, if the student is unable to meet.
If, after five (5) business days, the student is unresponsive to the instructor's efforts to discuss the academic integrity concerns, the process to address the matter will proceed without the student's participation.
1. Student Accepts Responsibility: At an academic resolution meeting or via email correspondence, if the instructor and the student agree that a violation has occurred and the student accepts responsibility for the violation, the instructor may at their discretion impose the following academic sanctions or grade penalties:
The instructor must also notify the dean of students of the violation by submitting an Academic Dishonesty and Resolution Reporting form within two (2) business days of the conclusion of an academic dishonesty and resolution meeting or their receipt of written/emailed confirmation from the student regarding the violation.
Imposing Additional Sanctions for Violations:
Disciplinary probation, suspension, expulsion, or removing a student from a program are outside the remit of the instructor and may not be issued as part of the academic resolution process. These sanctions may only be rendered through Optimus Education’s Appeals Board.
2. Student Does Not Accept Responsibility: If the student does not accept responsibility and/or disputes the allegation or decision of the instructor at the academic resolution meeting, the instructor will assign an incomplete grade on the assignment or in the course, pending the outcome of a hearing before the Appeals Board as outlined above. Students assigned an incomplete grade will be allowed to continue in the course without prejudice, pending the outcome of the formal student conduct process.
At the conclusion of the student conduct process, the instructor will submit a change-of-grade form reflecting the outcome of the student conduct hearing and the instructor's evaluation of the student's work in the course.
3. Meeting with the Dean of Students (or assignee): Upon notification, the dean of students (or assignee) may meet with the student who has accepted responsibility for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy to review the policy and to stress its importance; outline the resources and services provided by the college to assist students who may be experiencing academic difficulty; and issue a written warning indicating that a further violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will be attended by more serious student conduct sanctions. In cases where a student is assessed and accepts a failing grade for the course by the instructor, the student will be informed that they are no longer allowed to attend the class. In cases where the student does not accept responsibility for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, Optimus Education will initiate a formal student conduct process.
4. Academic Resolution Appeals: A student who accepts responsibility and agrees with the academic sanctions or grade penalties imposed by the instructor as part of the academic resolution process cannot appeal the decision to a higher authority. The decision and sanctions imposed by the instructor are final. A student who does not accept responsibility and/or disputes the allegation or decision of the instructor has the right to have the matter reviewed.
Withdrawal from the Course Pending Resolution: Students are permitted to withdraw from a course after an alleged violation is reported. If an instructor determines that a student has violated the Academic Integrity policy, and the student withdraws from the course, the instructor shall inform the Program Director including all supporting documentation. The Program Director shall review the student's conduct file to determine if there are multiple academic integrity violations and/or if the case should be elevated. Ultimately, the dean of students will update the student's disciplinary file to reflect the final resolution.
SECTION 1 – PREAMBLE
In its mission to provide a career-oriented education, Optimus Education strives to create a global community of students.
The foundation of academic work is intellectual integrity, credibility, and trust. A learning community can only be maintained if its members believe that their work is judged fairly and held to a high academic and ethical standard. For these reasons, it is essential that all members of the Optimus Education community understand our shared standards of academic honesty. More than just a series of regulations, the Academic Integrity Policy serves as a guide and resource for students for understanding these standards and their importance in our educational mission.
SECTION 2 – DEFINITIONS
A. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly work in an open, honest, and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity, and all members of the community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Academic integrity includes a commitment to engage in academic work that adheres to the highest standards of academic honesty. These standards include purposeful avoidance of plagiarism, cheating, misrepresentation, unauthorized collaboration, or any efforts at facilitating any academic deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental and ethical principles of the community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
Additionally, dishonesty in a workplace can also lead to serious consequences, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion from school. Optimus Education takes seriously its mission to uphold academic integrity and to educate its students to use integrity in all of their work.
B. ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
All members of the Optimus Education community are expected to apply high standards of academic integrity and ethical behavior in completing assignments for evaluation and testing. Any practice or conduct by a member of the Optimus Education community that deviates from the ethical standards that are expected within the professional community, and as outlined in this policy, constitutes academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism refers to representing the words or ideas of another as one's own in any academic exercise without providing proper documentation of source. It is the responsibility of all students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all written, oral, and electronic submissions.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Copying information word for word from a source without using quotation marks and giving proper acknowledgement by way of footnote or endnote.
- Paraphrasing or putting into one's own words information from a source without providing proper acknowledgement/citation.
- Reproducing without proper citation any other form of work of another person.
- Unauthorized purchasing, possessing, taking, copying, or sharing of information to complete academic work.
- Unauthorized assistance with academic work (e.g. excessive editorial assistance, translation services, applications, and sites, etc.)
What percentage of plagiarism is generally acceptable in academic writing?
Type of content What percentage of plagiarism is acceptable
General academic writing 15-20%
Essays 20-25%
Thesis and dissertations 5-15%
Published journals 5%-15%
Cheating: Cheating refers to intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Copying from another student's examination, research paper, assignment or case write-up.
- Possessing or using unauthorized notes, text, or other aids during an examination, quiz, or other assignment.
- Looking at someone else's exam before or during an examination.
Fabrication: Fabrication refers to the intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in any academic exercise. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Falsifying or altering the data collected in the conduct of research or assessment.
- Making up a source as a citation in an assignment or citing a source one did not use.
- Attempting to deceive the instructor by altering and resubmitting as original work or for additional credit assignments, tests, quizzes, or exams that have been graded and returned.
Facilitation: Facilitation refers to intentionally or knowingly assisting any person with an academic integrity violation.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Allowing another student to copy one's answers during an assessment.
- Giving another student one's own assignment to copy and submit as their own assignment.
- Taking an assessment or writing an assignment for another student.
Participation in Dishonest Acts: Some dishonest acts that undermine the fundamental values of an intellectual community fall outside of the more specific academic integrity violations described above.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Purchasing a pre-written or custom-written paper.
- Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts.
SECTION 3 – REPORTING VIOLATIONS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Students and staff share in the responsibility for maintaining the academic standards of Optimus Education, for promoting integrity, and for upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, instructors will regularly communicate high standards of integrity (i.e. within syllabi, assignments, exams, etc.) and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments and examinations.
To promote a learning environment that is built upon the fundamental values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility, each community member is encouraged to confront instances of suspected wrongdoing and to report alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy to the appropriate instructor. Students are not obligated to report suspected violations, but they are encouraged to do so. Students may also approach those involved in alleged academic dishonesty to remind them of their obligation to uphold standards of academic integrity.
SECTION 4 – ACADEMIC DISHONESTY REVIEW PROCESS
There are two types of forums provided by this code to review alleged violations of the Academic Integrity Policy:
A. ACADEMIC RESOLUTION (INFORMAL)
The instructor has the primary responsibility for control over academic behavior and maintenance of academic integrity. Students involved in academic dishonesty, either directly or indirectly as a participant, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the course who is obligated to address the alleged violation.
Academic resolutions are conducted by the instructor of the course in which an alleged violation of the Academic Integrity Policy has occurred. When an instructor suspects that a student may have violated the policy in this manner, the instructor shall inform the student of the concerns within five (5) business days of the discovery and present the student with any supporting evidence and documentation. The student shall be afforded the opportunity to respond to the allegations and to offer an explanation during the academic resolution meeting or via email, if the student is unable to meet.
If, after five (5) business days, the student is unresponsive to the instructor's efforts to discuss the academic integrity concerns, the process to address the matter will proceed without the student's participation.
1. Student Accepts Responsibility: At an academic resolution meeting or via email correspondence, if the instructor and the student agree that a violation has occurred and the student accepts responsibility for the violation, the instructor may at their discretion impose the following academic sanctions or grade penalties:
- Issue the student an oral warning together with information/resources about what is acceptable academic conduct.
- Change the grade on the assignment, including lowering or assessing a failing grade.
- Change the grade for the course, including lowering or assessing a failing grade.
- Allow the student to resubmit the assignment or retake the exam.
- Assign additional academic work or alternative assignments.
The instructor must also notify the dean of students of the violation by submitting an Academic Dishonesty and Resolution Reporting form within two (2) business days of the conclusion of an academic dishonesty and resolution meeting or their receipt of written/emailed confirmation from the student regarding the violation.
Imposing Additional Sanctions for Violations:
Disciplinary probation, suspension, expulsion, or removing a student from a program are outside the remit of the instructor and may not be issued as part of the academic resolution process. These sanctions may only be rendered through Optimus Education’s Appeals Board.
2. Student Does Not Accept Responsibility: If the student does not accept responsibility and/or disputes the allegation or decision of the instructor at the academic resolution meeting, the instructor will assign an incomplete grade on the assignment or in the course, pending the outcome of a hearing before the Appeals Board as outlined above. Students assigned an incomplete grade will be allowed to continue in the course without prejudice, pending the outcome of the formal student conduct process.
At the conclusion of the student conduct process, the instructor will submit a change-of-grade form reflecting the outcome of the student conduct hearing and the instructor's evaluation of the student's work in the course.
3. Meeting with the Dean of Students (or assignee): Upon notification, the dean of students (or assignee) may meet with the student who has accepted responsibility for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy to review the policy and to stress its importance; outline the resources and services provided by the college to assist students who may be experiencing academic difficulty; and issue a written warning indicating that a further violation of the Academic Integrity Policy will be attended by more serious student conduct sanctions. In cases where a student is assessed and accepts a failing grade for the course by the instructor, the student will be informed that they are no longer allowed to attend the class. In cases where the student does not accept responsibility for a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy, Optimus Education will initiate a formal student conduct process.
4. Academic Resolution Appeals: A student who accepts responsibility and agrees with the academic sanctions or grade penalties imposed by the instructor as part of the academic resolution process cannot appeal the decision to a higher authority. The decision and sanctions imposed by the instructor are final. A student who does not accept responsibility and/or disputes the allegation or decision of the instructor has the right to have the matter reviewed.
Withdrawal from the Course Pending Resolution: Students are permitted to withdraw from a course after an alleged violation is reported. If an instructor determines that a student has violated the Academic Integrity policy, and the student withdraws from the course, the instructor shall inform the Program Director including all supporting documentation. The Program Director shall review the student's conduct file to determine if there are multiple academic integrity violations and/or if the case should be elevated. Ultimately, the dean of students will update the student's disciplinary file to reflect the final resolution.