Academic Integrity
What is Academic Integrity?
Academic Integrity is the commitment of students, faculty, and staff to demonstrate honest, moral behavior in their academic lives.
Why Is Academic Integrity Important?
Without an honest, moral environment, educational activities, such as research and work to earn diplomas, certificates, and degrees, lose value for students and society.
To assist in further education to uphold a campus climate of Academic Integrity, OSRR has collected resources to help students and faculty. Those resources and more can be found by following the links below.
Academic Misconduct
What is Academic Misconduct?
Academic misconduct is any act or attempt that gives the student an unfair advantage. Additionally, any behavior expressly prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or class discussion may be considered academic misconduct.
The University recognizes that academic misconduct detracts from the value of an A&M-SA degree and has influence beyond the University community, including relationships with employers, other educational institutions, the business community, The Texas A&M University System, and the community at large.
The purpose of the academic misconduct policies and procedures is to:
- Support and promote an ethical learning environment;
- Create consistent standards for all members of the academic community;
- Assist students in learning responsibility for one’s academic work;
- Protect the educational background of the University community; and
- Clarify Student values and how they relate to the behavior in question.
As a member of an academic community, students at Texas A&M University-San Antonio are expected to exhibit a high level of honesty and Integrity in their pursuit of higher education, be mature, be self-directed, and be able to manage their affairs. Students unwilling to abide by these basic expectations will face academic and/or disciplinary sanctions. Students are expected to share the responsibility and authority with faculty and staff to challenge and do known acts that violate the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Code of Conduct.
Texas A&M University-San Antonio faculty can impose grade penalties as deemed necessary. Faculty members must report such severe breaches of academic honesty to their chair, their dean, and the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. In cases of academic misconduct, students may be subject not only to grade sanctions in courses but to disciplinary action. Grade sanctions may be imposed only by faculty members, but suspension or expulsion may be imposed only by the Vice President for Student Affairs.
According to the Student Code of Conduct, the following are violations of Academic misconduct: Cheating, Plagiarism, Multiple Submissions, Collusion, Lying, and Bribery.
For more information, please refer to the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Student Handbook under Academic Policies: Violations of Academic Conduct.
Students are expected to exhibit high honesty and Integrity in pursuing higher education. Students engaging in an act that violates the standards of academic Integrity will face academic and/or disciplinary sanctions. Academic misconduct is any act or attempt that gives the student an unfair advantage. Additionally, any behavior expressly prohibited by a faculty member in the course syllabus or class discussion may be considered academic misconduct. Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to the following:
- Bribery: Providing, offering, or taking rewards in exchange for a grade, an assignment, or the aid of academic dishonesty.
- Cheating: Intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids, or other devices or materials in any academic exercise to give an unfair advantage to the student. Examples include, but are not limited to:
i. Copying from another student’s paper or receiving unauthorized assistance during an assignment, quiz, test, or examination;
ii. Having someone else attempt to complete an assignment or exam.
iii. The acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a member of the University faculty or staff;
iv. Unauthorized collaboration on assignments and exams;
v. Using unauthorized assistance such as books, notes, or other devices (e.g., calculators, cell phones, computers, etc.);
vi. Selling, giving, or exchanging completed exams to a student who has not yet taken the test; - Collusion: Intentionally helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty. This includes, but is not limited to, unauthorized collaboration with another individual in progressing forward on academic assignments.
- Lying: Deliberate falsification, in written or verbal form, as it applies to an academic submission.
- Multiple Submissions: Submit substantial portions of the same work (including oral reports) for credit more than once without authorization from the faculty member for which the student submits the job. Examples include, but are not limited to:
i. Submitting the same academic assignment for credit in two courses or the same course that has been repeated without faculty permission;
ii. Making minor revisions in a credited paper or report (including oral presentations) and submitting it again as if it were new work. - Plagiarism: The act of passing off some other person’s ideas, words, or work as one’s own. Examples include, but are not limited to:
i. The use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, of the published or unpublished work of another person without acknowledgment, documentation, or citation;
ii. The unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency selling term papers or other academic materials.
Student Reports: If you suspect another student of violating the university policy regarding academic misconduct, you can file the reporter and include as much information as possible.
Faculty Reports: If a faculty member identifies an alleged academic misconduct incident, the faculty member should follow the Academic Misconduct Process outlined in the Student Handbook and with The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Before submitting any report of Academic Misconduct to The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the following must occur:
- Faculty must notify the student of allegations as soon as misconduct is found.
- Faculty and student should meet to
- review the allegations found,
- review any evidence,
- and allow the student to explain the incident.
- Utilize the academic Misconduct Incident Form.
- Faculty may impose an academic sanction, which includes, but is not limited to:
- A written reprimand, a redo of an assignment, additional work, a failing grade of an assignment, a failing grade in the course, or multiple academic sanctions.
- If a resolution is found, document and refer the case to The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for review and documentation.
- Office of Student Rights Responsibilities reserves the right to impose additional sanctions as student misconduct warrants.
- If a student disagrees with or contests the decision of responsibility and/or academic sanctions, the case is referred to the College Chair for mediation.
- If the student further contests, the case will move up to a hearing with an Academic Integrity Hearing Board led by the Office of the Provost.
FACULTY: Once you submit the online Academic Misconduct Incident Form, Reports will automatically be sent to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and the Dean of the College and Department Chair in which the alleged violation has occurred.