Academic Standards

Academic Regulations & Requirements

Academic Integrity Undergraduate Pledge

We, the undergraduate students of Roger Williams University, commit ourselves to academic integrity. We promise to pursue the highest ideals of academic life, to challenge ourselves with the most rigorous standards, to be honest in any academic endeavor, to conduct ourselves responsibly and honorably and to assist one another as we live and work together in mutual support.

Definitions and Policy

Roger Williams University exists to foster the mature pursuit of learning, which is premised upon the exercise of honest practice when representing data, findings and the sources of ideas used in an academic exercise. The University expects students to observe these principles of academic integrity that ensure the excellence of their education and the value of their diploma.

The following activities are considered serious violations of academic integrity of the institution: Cheating: Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or citation in any academic exercise.

Fabrication: Unauthorized falsifications or invention of any information or citation in any academic exercise.

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is best defined as the incorporation of words and ideas of another person in an attempt to claim that person’s work as one’s own. Thus, plagiarism is sometimes a form of intellectual theft and is always a form of intellectual fraud.

In its worst form, plagiarism may consist of directly copying large or small portions of either printed works, or, as frequently happens in schools, written papers of another student, without properly crediting the source(s) from which they came. There are, however, more subtle forms of plagiarism as well. Paraphrasing, which is the process of using alternative expressions to communicate the meaning of another author’s words, is also a form of plagiarism, unless the sources of those ideas are acknowledged.

Fraud: Altering, forging or encouraging another person to alter or forge, official records of the institution, or assisting others in such activities.

Willful Damage: Damaging another’s creative work or property.

Penalties for Violations of Academic Integrity

No matter what the cause, universities consider the violations of academic integrity noted above to be a serious offense, the most serious academic crime there is. Faculty members react against any violation of academic integrity because they consider it an attack on the values that universities hold sacred: honesty in the pursuit of knowledge. Because universities value academic integrity so highly, they treat violations seriously. Records of repeated violations are kept in the office of the appropriate dean(s) and in the Office of Academic Affairs. A first offense may result in failure of the course involved; the ultimate sanction is suspension or dismissal from the University.

Undergraduate Student Procedure for Dealing with a Possible Breach of Academic Integrity

1. If the faculty member believes that a breach of academic integrity has occurred, the faculty investigates to determine whether there has been such a breach and discusses the possible breach with the student, explaining the alleged breach and the possible consequences.
2. If, after discussion with the student, the faculty member believes that a breach has occurred, the faculty member decides the action he or she will take (failure on assignment, failure in course, etc.) then reports the decision to the dean of the school in which the violation occurred on the form provided. A confidential file of all Academic Integrity charges is kept in the office of the appropriate dean (the dean of the school in which the violation occurred and, if different, in the office of dean of the school in which the student is a declared major) and in the Office of Academic Affairs.
3. The faculty member communicates the decision to the student. In this conversation, the faculty member outlines the appeals process to the student.
4. The student has the right to appeal the decision by making a written appeal to the appropriate Academic Standards Committee, or equivalent as designed by the individual colleges or schools within 20 business days of the date the decision is communicated to the student. If the faculty member making the accusation is a member of that committee, he or she will recuse him or herself.
5. If the student chooses to appeal, the chair of the Academic Standards Committee or equivalent convenes the appropriate meeting to examine the issues. The individual colleges and schools will follow their own procedures in hearing the appeal.The chair of the Committee informs the student of the decision, in writing, within 5 business days of the meeting. A copy of the decision is then forwarded to the faculty member involved, to the dean of the course in which the breach occurred, the dean of the student’s major and the Office of Academic Affairs.

Procedure for Dealing with Multiple Breaches of Academic Integrity

1. The dean is aware, from either an internal review of files in his or her office or from a review of the files kept in the Office of Academic Affairs, that a student has been involved in multiple violations of academic integrity.
2. Based on this information the dean may decide to place a student on academic probation, suspension or dismissal from the University independent of, and in addition to, any sanction the student may have received for any individual breach of academic integrity. The dean’s decision is communicated to the student in writing. If multiple schools are involved, the dean of the school in which the student is a declared major shall make the final decision in consultation with any other dean whose school is involved.
3. The student can appeal the dean’s decision to suspend or dismiss by written petition made within 20 business days directly to the University Academic Appeals Committee which can be convened by the Office of Academic Affairs at any time. The Committee is comprised of the provost or designee, academic deans, faculty representatives and students. The Committee may take into its considerations any other disciplinary actions taken by the University against the student. If necessary, an executive committee of the Academic Appeals Committee can convene to hear an appeal. The decision of the Academic Appeals Committee is final.
4. Confidential files of the records of these proceedings are kept in the office of the appropriate dean(s) and Office of Academic Affairs.

University Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity for Graduate Students

Plagiarism

Although multiple definitions exist, plagiarism is best defined as incorporating the words or ideas of another person into a paper, presentation or other scholarly form without properly crediting the source from which the words or ideas come. Plagiarism is a violation of ethical practices. The author who commits plagiarism attempts to claim another person’s work as his or her own. Thus, plagiarism is both a form of intellectual theft and of intellectual fraud. In its worst form, plagiarism may consist of directly copying large or small portions of either printed works or, as frequently happens in schools, written papers of another student. There are, however, more subtle forms of plagiarism as well. Paraphrasing, or changing an author’s ideas or words, is also a form of plagiarism if the source of the idea being paraphrased is not acknowledged, and this form of plagiarism is comparable to direct copying and every bit as serious.

No matter what the cause, universities consider plagiarism to be a serious offense – among the most serious academic crimes there are. Faculty members react against plagiarism because they consider it an attack on one of the values that universities hold sacred – honesty in the pursuit of knowledge.

Procedure for Dealing with a Possible Breach of Academic Integrity

1. If the faculty member believes that plagiarism or any other breach of academic integrity has occurred, the faculty investigates to determine whether there has been such a breach and discusses the possible breach with the student, explaining the alleged breach and the possible consequences.
2. If, after discussion with the student, the faculty member believes that a breach has occurred, the faculty member decides the action he or she will take (failure on assignment, failure in course, etc.) then reports the decision to the dean of the school in which the violation occurred and, if different, to the dean of the school in which the student’s program is based. If the violation is considered sufficiently serious, the dean of the school in which the student’s program is based may conclude that suspension or dismissal from the program is the appropriate penalty.
3. The faculty member communicates his or her decision to the student. In this conversation, the faculty member outlines the appeals process to the student. In a case where the dean has interceded and made his or her own decision, the dean will communicate the decision to both the faculty member and the student involved.
4. The student has the right to appeal the decision by making a written appeal to the appropriate Graduate Faculty, or equivalent as designed by the individual colleges or schools within 20 business days of the date the decision is communicated to the student. If the faculty member making the accusation is a member of that faculty, he or she will recluse him or herself.
5. In the case of suspension or dismissal the student may appeal the decision by written petition made within 20 business days directly to the Graduate Council which can be convened by the Office of Academic Affairs at any time. The Graduate Council may meet as whole or designate a committee to hear appeals. The Graduate Council may take into its considerations any other disciplinary actions taken by the University against the student.
   The decision of the Graduate Council or its designated committee is final.
6. Confidential files of the records of these proceedings are kept in the office of the appropriate dean(s) and Office of Academic Affairs.

Report of a Possible Breach of Academic Integrity

• Download/View the Report a Breach of Academics Integrity