Academic Integrity - Dealing with Cheating and Plagiarism

Dunwoody College is committed to providing all learners, whether attending on-campus or online, with the competencies and skills associated with academic integrity and honesty. Dunwoody students are expected to act with integrity and honesty in all their academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty is the willful attempt to mispresent one's work (cheating or plagiarizing) on assigned projects or impede other students' academic progress. 

Definitions 

Cheating. Cheating is the unauthorized assistance in completing assignments or assessments. This includes, but is not limited to, looking at another's paper during an exam, having another person complete your work and presenting it as your own, purchasing or acquisition of term papers, speeches, test questions, solution manuals, or other printed materials from online sources. There are many opportunities for students to collaborate on projects at Dunwoody. Instructors will clearly identify these opportunities for students. However, there are also times in which individual work is necessary. Unless specifically identified as a collaborative project, assignment, or homework, students are to complete and submit their own work. 

Plagiarism. Plagiarism is presenting the work of another (words, ideas, data) as your own. Students are expected to be the sole authors of their work and to acknowledge others’ work through proper citation and reference. As new technologies emerge, including Artificial Intelligence content generators, students should connect with their instructor to learn how to appropriately use or cite any content produced. Dunwoody's Writing Center provides students and faculty assistance about how to use sources appropriately. 

Dunwoody will not attempt to distinguish between students who cheat or plagiarize and those who assist in the action. A student who knowingly assists another in the act of cheating or plagiarism is subject to disciplinary action for violating Dunwoody's Academic Integrity Policy. 

Procedures  

Due Process Steps 

When a faculty member suspects a student of academic dishonesty, the faculty member should consult the student about the suspected violation. Following this consultation, if the matter appears to be a violation, the faculty member will report the incident to the Dean for the academic discipline in which the alleged act of academic dishonesty occurred.  

  1. A first-time violation of Dunwoody's Academic Integrity Process is at the discretion of the instructor and may include a reduced grade on the assignment or assessment up to and including no credit for the assignment or assessment. Instructors may offer the student the opportunity to resubmit the assignment, retake an exam or be given the opportunity to complete an alternative assignment or exam. The instructor will report the incident to the Dean, Associate Dean, or Director for the academic discipline in which the alleged act of academic dishonesty occurred. 

  2. A second-time violation may result in sanctions up to and including the failure of the course, as determined by the faculty and their Dean, Associate Dean or Director. 

  3. A third-time violation will involve the Dean of Instruction, or in the case of conflict of interest the Dean of Student Affairs, and may result in suspension or expulsion. 

All academic integrity violations will be entered by the Dean of Instruction, Associate Dean, or Director for the academic discipline in Dunwoody’s Student Information System noting "Academic Integrity Violation." 

Appeal 

A student who wishes to appeal a penalty imposed by an instructor may complete an appeal form to the Deans Council within five business days. An appeal is not considered a rehearing of the concern, but a review of the outcome based upon the results of the investigation that was undertaken. The Council, minus any dean directly involved in the complaint, shall send written notice of the decision to the student in five business days. The decision of the Deans Council is final.