Academic Honesty

Academic honesty, expected of every student, is essential to the process of education and to upholding high ethical standards. Cheating–including plagiarism; inappropriate use of technology, including use of artificial intelligence (AI) when prohibited; or any other kind of unethical or dishonest behavior–may subject the student to severe academic penalties, including dismissal.

Instructors are responsible for including an Academic Honesty statement in their syllabi which aligns with the content and delivery method of each course. This statement should include an outline of acceptable uses of AI by students. Students are responsible for understanding and abiding by acceptable use guidelines for each of their courses. 

All work submitted for evaluation in a course, including tests, term papers, and computer programs, must represent the work of the student as generated within the guidelines of the respective courses’ academic honesty syllabus policy.  Material taken from the work of others must be acknowledged. Materials submitted to fulfill requirements in one course may not be submitted in another course without prior approval of the instructor(s) of each course (both past and present). If the past course instructor is no longer teaching at John Carroll, the permission of the course’s department chair must be sought.

Concerns about the propriety of obtaining outside assistance, including the use of AI in assignment creation and completion, as well as how and when to acknowledge sources should be addressed to the instructor of the course before the work commences and as necessary as the work proceeds.

Instructors should indicate specific penalties for academic dishonesty in their course syllabi. Penalties, appropriate to the severity of the infraction, may include resubmission of the same or a modified assignment, reduced or zero credit for the assignment, or failure in the course. If a student withdraws from a course after academic dishonesty has taken place a course grade of F instead of W may be assigned at the faculty member’s discretion. In egregious cases and/or cases of repeated dishonesty, additional penalties may be determined by the associate dean of the appropriate college, such as suspension or dismissal from the University. In a case of dismissal, Academic Dismissal will be noted on the transcript.

A written report of the incident by the instructor or department chair will be sent to the dean of the college, who will keep a written record of the complaint when it is filed, and will forward a copy of the complaint to the appropriate associate dean’s office at the time. The associate dean will place a copy of this record in the student’s file and provide the student with a copy. A written record of the complaint is kept for cases of repeat violations. The associate dean will review the case and determine if, in light of other information and records, further disciplinary action is warranted.

Appealing a Charge of Academic Dishonesty

The student has the right to appeal the accusation of academic dishonesty if the student believes it to be in error. Any appeal of a charge of academic dishonesty by a student is to be made first to the instructor. Grounds for appeals may include:

• Continuing ambiguity in the events surrounding the appraisal of Dishonesty

• Alternative interpretations of syllabus policy

• Delivery of a sanction inconsistent with the syllabus’ policy

The Policy and Procedure for Appeal of a Charge of Academic Dishonesty will be followed if a student wishes to contest a faculty member’s determination of academic dishonesty, as illustrated in the undergraduate and graduate policies.