/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2018-2019/University-Policy-local.json

/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2018-2019/University-Policy.json

Policy > Academics > Academic Affairs > Academic Integrity Board

Academic Integrity Board

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Document Number: ACAD--114d
Revision #: 2.0
Document Owner: University Provost 
Date Last Updated: 12/7/17
Primary Author: VP for Academic Affairs
Status: Approved
Date Originally Created: 04/23/2012
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List:

1. Description


The Academic Integrity Board (AIB) advocates and raises the awareness of academic integrity at Cumberland University by upholding the University Values section in the preamble that is fundamental to Cumberland University. These Values are: Value 1: Personal Integrity, Value 2: Worth of the Individual, Value 3: Critical, Independent Thinking, Value 4: Discipline, and Value 5: Community Responsibility and Accountability. The responsibility of acting with integrity deals with each member, administration, faculty, staff and student of the university. The Board reports to the Vice President of Academic Affairs about the status of Academic Integrity Policy.


2. By-Laws


2.1 Committee Composition

1. The Academic Integrity Board (AIB) consists of at least 7 members that include representation from each of the academic schools of the University, an incumbent chair and at least one student representative (under rare and unusual circumstances more than one student representative may be needed). Note: If circumstances prevent a faculty representative from attending an academic integrity hearing they may designate an alternative representative from their School. Faculty representatives should recuse themselves from academic integrity cases that may present as conflicts of interests (i.e. instructor, advisor or mentor of student). The committee composition should assure adequately informed representation of the University.

2. Student representatives must have no prior academic integrity violations and must have 60+ credit hours with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5. A pool of two student members per academic school will be generated at the beginning of each fall semester, but under most circumstances no more than one student member need be present for decisions on academic integrity violations. The student representatives will be recommended by the School Deans to the Dean of Students and on approval appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Student representatives present at any academic hearing must be from outside the academic school involved in the case and from which the appealing party majors.

3. Each school representative on the AIB will be recommended by the Dean of the respective school and appointed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Appointments of representatives from the schools of nursing, fine arts and education/public service will occur in the fall of even years and appointment of representatives from the schools of liberal arts/sciences and business will occur in the fall of odd years. In cases where committee members vacate a position, special appointment will be made to fill the open position by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

4. School representative members of the Academic Integrity Board term of service is four years and is limited to two consecutive terms; except in the case of individuals elected chair, who may serve three consecutive terms but unlimited total terms as AIB Chair during their tenure as a Cumberland University employee.

5. The Academic Integrity Board will operate with an internally appointed Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary (note that under certain cases the Chair and Vice Chair should be from different Academic Schools to facilitate appropriate representation during hearings when Academic Schools are limited in program offerings as with the School of Nursing and Health Sciences). Elections for chair and secretary occur at the first fall of each year following an opening of either of these positions.

a. It is recommended that the chair-elect must be a continuing service committee member (having served at least one term previous). Special Accommodations will be made in the case of a Chair’s resignation and a special election will be held to replace the chair.
b. The term of service as Chair is four years. A Chair may serve no more than two consecutive terms in this position, but unlimited total terms as AIB Chair during their tenure as a Cumberland University employee.

i. It is the role of the AIB Chair to communicate monthly with and take in advisement academic integrity issues recommended by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or the Dean of Students and to communicate AIB recommendations of policy and/or procedure with regard to academic integrity. The Academic Integrity Board Chair will also invite the Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or the Dean of Students to Committee meetings when appropriate to facilitate functionality.

ii. It is the role of the AIB Chair to guide the operations of the Academic Integrity Board.

iii. It is the role of the AIB Chair to ensure that proceedings of this Board’s works are appropriately communicated to the faculty.

iv. It is the role of the AIB Chair to ensure that meeting agendas and all material pertinent to any academic integrity violation case are distributed at least 24 hours prior to meeting time.

c. The term of service as Vice Chair is four years. A Vice Chair may serve no more than two consecutive terms in this position, but unlimited total terms as AIB Vice Chair during their tenure as a Cumberland University employee. It is the responsibility of the AIB Vice Chair to perform the responsibilities of the AIB Chair in the absence of the AIB Chair for a called meeting and/or hearing.

d. The Secretary will be elected by the membership of the Academic Integrity Board. A term of service as secretary is four years.

i. It is the role of the AIB Secretary to record, maintain, and appropriately post minutes for AIB meetings. Minutes for AIB meetings will be presented to the AIB membership and approved prior to posting in the Office for Academic Affairs. It is important that the Secretary keep accurate record of any decisions, important material and any votes. Specifically, the secretary will report in writing the results of any academic integrity hearing, including only (a) the charge (excluding the name of the accused for any public reporting of academic integrity statistics), (b) the nature of the evidence, (c) the sentence, and (d) the rationale for the sentence.

ii. It is the role of the AIB Secretary to aid in the preparation of correspondence outside of the Board.

6. The Academic Integrity Board will meet on a monthly schedule and/or when the circumstances deem it necessary.

2.2 Role

1. The Academic Integrity Board advocates and raises the awareness of academic integrity at Cumberland University by upholding the University Values section in the preamble that is fundamental to Cumberland University. These Values are: Value 1: Personal Integrity, Value 2: Worth of the Individual, Value 3: Critical, Independent Thinking, Value 4: Discipline, and Value 5: Community Responsibility and Accountability. The responsibility of acting with integrity deals with each member, administration, faculty, staff and student of the University. The AIB acts to:

2. To hear charges and/or appeals of academic integrity violations and to render decisions with regard to validity of charge(s) and imposed sanction(s);

3. To collect, report and analyze data from each “case” about the charges that have been brought by the student;

4. To report and use data for the purpose of improving communication across campus and improving Cumberland University;

5. To inform academic integrity violators of appeal process and direct them to resources to assist in the process;

6. To educate the campus community about academic misconduct; and

7. To ensure that the academic integrity practices of the University are current and in alignment with best practices.


2.3 AIB Guidelines and By-Law Interpretation

1. All decisions made by the Academic Integrity Board will be made by a simple majority vote of the members, as long as a quorum of voting members exists. A quorum exists when a simple majority of voting members is participating in the decision.

2. Within the constraints of the constitutional authority of the Board of Trustees and/or Academic Affairs Policy, the Academic Integrity Board shall be the final authority with regard to the interpretation of these bylaws, except in cases where there is a conflict with the Academic Affairs Policy and/or Board of Trust bylaws.

3. Upon a majority vote by the Academic Integrity Board membership, amendment(s) may be made to the AIB bylaws.

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Subject Experts
The following may be consulted for additional information
VP for Academic Affairs

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Regulations
Standards for good practice
University governance