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1. Academic dishonesty is not condoned nor tolerated at Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.
   
   
2. Academic dishonesty is behavior in which a deliberately fraudulent misrepresentation is employed in an attempt to gain undeserved intellectual credit, either for oneself or for another.  It includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the following types of cases:
1. Plagiarism - The representation of someone else's ideas as if they are one's own. Where the arguments, data, designs, etc., of someone else are being used in a paper, report, oral presentation, or similar academic project, this fact must be made explicitly clear by citing the appropriate references. The references must fully indicate the extent to which any parts of the project are not one's own work.  (For instance, it would be plagiarism to credit someone else with the content of only one paragraph in a paper, when in fact one is borrowing two pages of the paper from this source.) And one must not suppose that only verbatim copying requires crediting. Paraphrasing of someone else's ideas is still using someone else's ideas, and must be acknowledged.
   
   
2. Unauthorized Collaboration on Out-of-Class Projects - The representation of work as solely one's own when in fact it is the result of a joint effort.
   
   
3. Cheating on In-Class Exams - The covert gathering of information from other students, the use of unauthorized notes, unauthorized aids, etc. It is the responsibility of the instructor to make clear what aids, if any, are authorized for use during an exam.
   
   
4. Unauthorized Advance Access to an Exam - The representation of materials prepared at leisure, as a result of unauthorized advance access (however obtained), as if it were prepared under the rigors of the exam setting. This misrepresentation is dishonest in itself even if there are no compounding factors, such as unauthorized use of books or notes. (Note: Access to an exam given in a previous semester and routinely returned to a previous student is not unauthorized access. Nor is it unauthorized access for a student to discuss an exam taken by a student in an earlier section. It is the obligation of the instructor to ensure that access of these sorts does not become an unfair advantage for some students.)
   
   
5. Fraudulent Alteration or Misrepresentation of Transcripts, Clinical Evaluation Forms, or Other Academic Documents - Alterations of graded papers, research data, course withdrawal slips, falsifying and altering clinical evaluation forms, or any other academic material in order to receive undeserved credit or advantage.
   
   
6. Known Cooperation with Another Person in an Academically Dishonest
   Undertaking - Failure by a student to prevent misuse of his/her work by others. Care must be taken that exam answers are not seen by others, that term papers or projects are not plagiarized or otherwise misused by others, etc. Even passive cooperation in a dishonest enterprise is unacceptable. This must not, however, be understood to require that a student inform on another student. That is, a student must actively project his/her own work, but he/she is not obliged to report cheating or attempted cheating to anyone.
   
7. Misuse of Patient Data or Breech of Patient Confidentiality.
   
   
3. The test in any case of suspected academic dishonesty is whether undeserved intellectual creditor advantage is being sought through deliberately fraudulent means.
   
   
4. Burden of Proof for Allegations of Academic Dishonesty – In the case of an academic dishonesty appeal, the burden of proof rests with the faculty member, i.e. instructor of record, to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the alleged act(s) of academic dishonesty has occurred.  Clear and convincing evidence is a level of proof, which may be said to be midway between preponderance of the evidence and beyond reasonable doubt.  
   
   
5. Evidential Standards for Allegations of Academic Dishonesty
   1. Experience of the Academic Appeals Board (AAB) has indicated that the standard of proof requires more than a mere assertion that a student has been involved in dishonesty.
      
      
   2. In most circumstances, evidence supporting the faculty member's assertion of academic dishonesty should be presented in the form of
      (1) documentary evidence or (2) corroborating testimony from other University faculty, administration, staff, or students.
      
      
   3. Only in instances in which no other supporting evidence is available should    other students in a class be utilized as witnesses by a faculty member in support of an allegation of academic dishonesty. In no case should a faculty member base an allegation of academic dishonesty on an allegation by a single student, which is unsupported either by documentary evidence or observation of the allegedly dishonest conduct by a member of the University faculty, administration, staff, or by another student.
      
      
   4. Because the student accused of academic dishonesty has the right to cross-examine the witnesses against him/her, written statements by persons not present at the AAB hearing normally will not be considered by the Board.  In the event that a majority of the Board concludes that such written statements are necessary, the record of the case shall contain the reasons for the conclusion.
      
      
   5. Examples of documentary evidence which have been found acceptable in past cases include examination papers with identical or highly similar answers, particularly when the answer on one or both examinations is incorrect, and when the faculty member can demonstrate that the papers were produced by students seated in close proximity to one another during an examination; written work submitted by the student in which plagiarism is charged when the faculty member can produce the original source(s) from which the work is alleged to have been taken; improper source materials such as notes taken from a student during the course of an examination for which no such notes were allowed; and text materials improperly in possession of a student during the examination. In these situations, the documentary evidence should be retained by the faculty member. It of course strengthens the faculty member's case to have another witness to the presence of improper materials during the examination, particularly if there is a dispute as to the presence of the materials.
      
      
   6. Academic dishonesty requires intent to deceive. The fact that intent is a state of mind rather than an externally observable phenomenon does not present insuperable evidential difficulties. A person's actions in context can provide clear and convincing evidence of his/ her guilty intentions, protestations of innocence notwithstanding.
      
      
6. The examples listed above in no way may be taken to be an exhaustive list of the types of documentary evidence which may be submitted to the AAB; rather they are provided by way of illustration.

Procedure

The allegation(s) of academic dishonesty may come from students, faculty, staff, or administration. 

1. Instructor of Record:  The instructor of record is the individual responsible for final grade assignment, i.e. course coordinator, preceptor, department chair, Associate Dean for Clinical Education.  Other faculty members who are participating in a course such as in team-taught courses or clinical faculty on rotations and/or teaching assistants are also expected to participate in an appropriate way in assessing any penalties for misconduct or dishonesty and in any appeal.
   
   
2. Instructor Procedure:  In instances where the instructor of record has clear and convincing evidence that a student has engaged in dishonest academic behavior, the following procedures will be used:
   1. The instructor of record shall discuss the situation as soon as possible with the student, explaining the allegation, the reasons for it, and the disciplinary action(s) being considered, and shall give the student the opportunity to respond to the allegation.
      
      
   2. If after consultation with the student, evidence is NOT disputed by the student, and the instructor of record decides to initiate disciplinary action, he/she may do one or more of the following:
      
      
      1. Require the student to complete a substitute assignment, examination, or rotation.
         
         
      2. Award a grade of “zero”, “U” and/or “N” for the assignment, examination, or rotation.
         
         
      3. Award a reduced grade for the assignment, examination, or rotation.
         
         
      4. Award a grade of “U”, and/or “N” for the course or rotation.
         
         
      5. Recommend to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC) that action be initiated for more stringent disciplinary action, i.e. probation, suspension, or dismissal from the College.  The ASC will then review and make a recommendation to the Chief Academic Officer regarding disciplinary action.  The Office of Academic Affairs shall be responsible for the final decision and implementation regarding disciplinary action.
         
         
      6. If any disciplinary action is taken other than recommendation to the ASC, the instructor of record must communicate in writing, within ten (10) working/school days the actions taken and the reasons for them to:  the student, the student’s advisor, instructor of record’s Department Chair, instructor of record’s Unit Dean, and the Dean of Students.
         
         
   3. If after consultation with the student, and evidence IS disputed by the student, the instructor of record immediately refers the case to the ASC for review and action.  If evidence is again disputed by the student(s), the ASC submits the case to the Dean of Students to initiate an Appeal Process.
      
      
3. Peer Review Committee:  Allegations from students will be directed, in writing, to the Dean of Students by the Peer Review Committee (See Student Handbook).  The Dean will then forward the allegations to the ASC.  If after consultation with the student, evidence is disputed by the student(s), the ASC submits the case to the Dean of Students to initiate an Appeal Process. 
   
   
4. Student Appeal:  A student alleged to have engaged in academic dishonesty or misconduct shall have the right of due process and appeal as delineated herein should he/she believe the instructor’s action was unfair or incorrect.  No disciplinary action may be carried out while a case is being appealed nor may the student who has been accused of academic dishonesty withdraw from the course while the accusation is pending.  The deadline for filing grade appeals is no later than six (6) weeks from the date of the Academic Standards Committee meeting.
   
   
5. The student will use the following procedures in filing an appeal:
   1. The student obtains and completes an appeal form. Appeal forms are available to students in the Office of Dean of Students or Academic Affairs.  In completing the forms, the student will discuss the allegation(s) with the Instructor, the Course Coordinator, the Unit Dean, and the Chief Academic Officer.  The completion of these forms ensures that appropriate parties have an opportunity to consider the allegation(s) and appeal.
      
      
   2. Form A is submitted to the Dean of Students.  The Dean of Students accepts the form, all supporting documents, and appoints the AAB before transferring the case to the Chair of the Appeals Board.
      
      
   3. Academic Appeals Board Chair schedules hearing.  Appointments for hearings are confirmed by mail.  The student and instructor meet with the Board at the same time, so no further allegations can be made against the student without the student’s knowledge or against the instructor without the instructor’s knowledge. With prior notification through the Board Chair, both parties have the right to present witnesses such as an advisor, fellow student(s), faculty member(s), or other persons to provide evidence to the Board to assist in establishing the factors of the case.  The student may also be accompanied by a parent or attorney, but only in an advisory capacity.
      
   4. Appeals Board renders decision.  The decision of the AAB is communicated in writing within five (5) working/school days of the hearing to:  the student, the instructor of record, Course Coordinator, instructor of record’s Unit Dean, Dean of Students, and the Chief Academic Officer.  If the Board rules that an act(s) of academic dishonesty or misconduct did NOT occur, the final grade will be changed as appropriate and the case, including justification and all supporting documentation, is referred to the Dean of Students for finalizing.  If the Board rules that an act(s) of academic dishonesty or misconduct DID occur, the case, including justification and all supporting documentation, is referred back to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC), which then reviews and makes a recommendation regarding disciplinary action to the Office of Academic Affairs.  The Office of Academic Affairs shall be responsible for the final decision and implementation regarding disciplinary action.