Academic Integrity Procedures

Academic Integrity Procedures

The intellectual vitality of Claremont McKenna College is a shared enterprise that relies on a culture of academic integrity, responsibility, and honesty. When these principles are violated, our work together as a community diminishes. In upholding the highest standards of academic integrity , CMC demonstrates its deep investment in the academic success and wellbeing of all students, while protecting the value of a CMC degree.

All faculty members are required to report suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC) when they reasonably suspect that a student may have committed an academic integrity violation (discussed further below). The ASC is responsible for implementing CMC’s academic integrity procedures, including investigating, making findings of responsibility, and sanctioning academic integrity violations. Students and faculty are responsible for providing timely, thorough, and accurate responses to any requests or inquiries made by the Academic Standards Committee, its members, and its appointed investigators. As stated below, the student’s failure to submit a timely response will result in the ASC moving forward with determining responsibility and sanctions (if found responsible) without the student’s input.

CMC students are presumed not to have committed an integrity violation unless they accept responsibility for a violation or the ASC has found them responsible for such pursuant to these procedures.

The College will maintain the confidentiality of this process to the extent permitted by law. In all referrals, relevant records are retained in the student’s academic file.

Timeframes

The College commits to processing academic integrity allegations as expeditiously as possible. However, due to the complexity, variability, and timing of any referral, the College cannot commit to specific time frames for each step of the process. The Academic Standards Committee generally meets twice per month during the academic year and once during the break between fall and spring semesters. The committee reviews allegations and communicates outcomes to students within the constraints of the academic calendar and its regular meeting schedule. When allegations brought by faculty cannot be completely addressed before the end of a semester, the ASC may process them during the break between semesters or postpone processing them until the following semester.

The College reserves the right to make reasonable adjustments to these procedures when necessary (such as to accommodate holidays, College breaks, the availability of specific individuals, or other extenuating circumstances), and will notify the parties involved if any such adjustments occur.

Reporting Suspected Academic Integrity Violations

Before referring a suspected violation to the ASC via the Registrar, faculty members or other College officials may, but are not required to, discuss suspected academic integrity violations with the students involved (although these initial conversations should not include any reference by the faculty member to possible sanctions or whether the faculty member will have the ability to impose course-related sanctions if the student admits responsibility). Relevant information gathered through these discussions should be included in any referral.  Although there is no statute of limitation on a faculty member’s ability to bring an academic integrity charge forward for review, CMC encourages immediate reporting as information relevant to determining whether a violation occurred may be less available as time passes. The Registrar is available to answer any questions about the process.

As described further below, special procedures apply in the case of minor first offenses for which the student accepts responsibility. However, even if a faculty member believes that a case may be a first offense that the faculty member deems minor, the faculty member is still required to report it to the Registrar. The Registrar will notify the faculty member if the case constitutes a minor first offense. If so, and as described further below, the faculty member will then have the option to impose course-related sanctions on their own (if the student accepts responsibility). The faculty member is required to report the sanction to the ASC. Faculty who choose not to sanction on their own are required to refer the case back to the ASC, who can make recommendations about course-related sanctions only.

In all other cases, faculty members are not permitted to assign penalties to CMC students for suspected violations that have not been assessed through this process.

Course Registration Rules

Students may not drop or withdraw from courses, or opt for Credit/No-Credit grading, while cases are under review. This prohibition remains in effect if the student is found responsible for a violation. If a student is not found responsible, the student will have the opportunity to drop or withdraw from the course, or opt for Credit/No-Credit grading, within one week of notification of the outcome or in accord with published deadlines, whichever is later.

Intake of the Referral, Initial Review, and Issuing Charges

In all cases, the Registrar will collect any relevant information, correspondence, and documents related to an allegation and prepare the charge materials for an initial review with the Associate Dean of Faculty for Curriculum and the Chair of the ASC. This group determines whether the case is a first offense, whether the offense qualifies as major or minor, and whether potential sanctions could include suspension or dismissal if the student is found responsible for the violation (see Sanctions below).

If requested by the faculty member, the Registrar will seek neutral outside support to assist the faculty member with submitting the case (e.g., help document the extent of suspected plagiarism). The faculty member will be responsible for reviewing and approving this documentation.

The Registrar issues the charge to the student in writing, including the evidence supporting the charge, instructions and deadlines for responding, and information about potential sanctions if the student is found responsible. The Registrar will inform the student whether the case qualifies as major or minor and how and by whom it would be sanctioned (e.g., by the faculty member or by the ASC). The Registrar is also available to the student to help explain the charge, answer any questions about procedures, and provide information about current ASC membership and the support resources available to the student from the Dean of Students Office. Students are encouraged to consult with support resources prior to responding to charges.

Responding to Charges

The student will have the opportunity to submit a written response to the charge as well as supporting documentation and explanations of relevant mitigating circumstances. Character references or letters of support are not relevant and will not be accepted or reviewed. The Registrar has the discretion to grant a short extension in response to a reasonable written request. If a student does not submit a timely response, the ASC will move forward with determining responsibility and sanctions (if the student is found responsible) without the student’s input.

Submission Process for Cases in Which Student Admits Responsibility

Students who admit responsibility will complete a one-step written submission in which they respond to the charge and explain any relevant mitigating circumstances that may have contributed to the violation. If they are ultimately found responsible for a violation, students who admit responsibility will have sanctioning decisions made at the same meeting at which a finding of responsibility is rendered.

Submission Process for Cases in Which Student Disputes Responsibility

Students who dispute responsibility may either submit all of their documentation at once, or in two steps. The two-step option provides students with the opportunity to respond to the charge prior to the ASC’s determination of responsibility and, if found responsible, to subsequently provide information about mitigating circumstances prior to the ASC’s determination of sanctions.  

1. One-step submission: Prior to the ASC’s determination of responsibility, the student will submit a single written statement in which they explain the nature of their dispute, explaining either a) that they did not violate the policy; or b) that their conduct does not constitute an academic integrity violation; and explain any relevant mitigating circumstances that may have contributed to the violation. If they are ultimately found responsible for a violation, the sanctioning decisions will be made at the same meeting at which a finding of responsibility is rendered.
2. Two-step submission:

• Step one: Prior to the ASC’s determination of responsibility, students will submit a written statement in which they explain the nature of their dispute, explaining either a) that they did not violate the policy; or b) that their conduct does not constitute an academic integrity violation. (In the two-step process, mitigating circumstances are part of the second step submission only.)
• Step two: If the student is found responsible, the ASC will determine sanctions at its next regularly scheduled meeting, prior to which the student will have the opportunity to submit a second written statement that contains information about any mitigating circumstances that may have contributed to the violation.

Upon receipt of the student’s response, the Registrar, ASC Chair, and Associate Dean for Curriculum will determine: 1) whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed with the case; 2) whether the referring faculty member(s) may adjudicate the case on their own, including the imposition of course-related sanctions (reserved for minor first offense cases where the student accepts responsibility for the violation); and 3) in cases when a student disputes the charge, whether further investigation by a subcommittee of up to 3 members of the ASC with relevant expertise is necessary before the ASC moves forward with the process.  

Determining Responsibility

Minor First Offenses

In cases that the Registrar, ASC Chair, and Associate Dean of Faculty for Curriculum determine to be minor first offenses for which the student accepts responsibility, the referring faculty member will have the option to impose course-related sanctions on their own. If they choose this option, faculty are required to report the course-related sanction back to the Registrar. Faculty who choose not to sanction on their own are required to refer the case back to the ASC. If a student would prefer to have the ASC recommend the course-related sanctions, they will have an opportunity to express that preference when they respond to the charge. Course-related sanctions may include (but are not limited to) one or more of the following:

• Asking the student to resubmit or retake the assignment
• Asking the student to turn in additional assignments
• Giving a reduced grade on the assignment 
• Giving a reduced grade in the course 

In the case of minor first offenses for which the student accepts responsibility, students will be subject to course-related sanctions only and will not be subject to probation, suspension, or dismissal.

All Other Referrals

For all other cases (e.g., minor first offenses for which the student does not accept responsibility, major first offenses, second offenses) the ASC will review and discuss the materials and vote on whether the student is responsible for an academic integrity violation based on a preponderance of the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence standard requires a finding of responsibility when the evidence indicates that the student is more likely than not to have committed the suspected violation. A simple majority vote of the ASC members in attendance at the meeting is required to render a finding. Any ASC member who served as an investigator will abstain from voting. In the case of minor first offenses for which the student disputes responsibility and is subsequently found responsible by the ASC, the student will be subject to course-related sanctions only and will not be subject to probation, suspension, or dismissal.

The ASC does not take evidence of intent into account when determining whether a student is responsible for a violation, but it may consider evidence of intent and any documented mitigating circumstances when determining appropriate sanctions.

The ASC renders a finding on responsibility and determines an appropriate sanction for the violation based on the nature and extent of the violation, along with any documented mitigating circumstances presented by the student. Grading is always the faculty member’s prerogative: the faculty member is not obligated to accept the course-related sanction(s) recommended by the ASC.

The Registrar will notify the student and the faculty member of the outcome of the case in writing within three business days of the ASC’s decision(s). 

When Referrals Require Further Investigation

The ASC may conduct further investigation when details are in dispute and potential sanctions include suspension or dismissal from the College. The ASC will appoint between one and three individuals with relevant expertise to conduct a neutral and reasonable investigation, depending on the nature of the referral. Investigations are typically conducted by ASC members, but may be conducted by non-committee members with relevant expertise, as appointed by the ASC Chair. For example, in referrals that involve suspected plagiarism in French, the Chair may call upon non-committee members with expertise in French. Similarly, investigators may obtain information from internal or external subject matter experts, as appropriate. In exceptional circumstances, investigations by ASC members may be assisted by outside investigators, as appointed by the ASC Chair in consultation with the Dean of the Faculty’s Office. All parties will have an opportunity to review and respond to any materials developed as part of this process, before any decision is made about responsibility. Investigations will typically be conducted within 15 business days, and the ASC will review the materials at its next meeting.

The Registrar will inform the parties of who will serve as investigator(s) (and whether outside investigators will be used) and offer the opportunity to object to their participation prior to the investigation beginning. Parties may object to the involvement of specific investigators or ASC members only if they can provide credible information that an investigator or ASC member has a conflict of interest or is biased against them. If the ASC Chair determines that an objection is credible, the Chair will appoint another individual to serve. If the challenge is to the ASC Chair, then the Dean of Faculty will assess the credibility of that challenge. Parties will have the same opportunity to voice any objections about replacements until all necessary investigators are identified.

ASC investigators (including outside investigators, as appropriate) will review all case materials, gather relevant documentation and interview the student(s) involved, faculty members, witnesses, and/or other relevant individuals, as appropriate, and gather relevant documentation.

Parties may request that relevant witnesses be interviewed. Parties must identify the witness’ name and the general nature of their relevance to the investigation. ASC investigators will determine which witnesses to include and the timeline for their participation. Meetings with investigators (including outside investigators, as appropriate) are typically conducted in person, but may involve video or audio conferencing if participants cannot attend in person. While neither investigators nor the ASC can compel individuals to participate in investigations, all individuals are expected to do so in compliance with the community expectations articulated in the Statement of Academic Integrity .

ASC investigators, with the help of outside investigators as appropriate, will compose a written report for the ASC (typically no more than 5 pages), which will include a description of the undisputed and disputed facts, credibility assessments, and may include a recommendation as to whether a policy violation occurred. An outside investigator may, as appropriate, compose a draft of the written report. The ASC investigators will submit the final investigation report. The parties will have the opportunity to review and respond to the investigation report (including any materials developed as part of the investigation process) before it is submitted to the ASC. When the investigation is complete, the Registrar will send the materials to the ASC for review at its next meeting.

Sanctions

Sanctions for academic integrity violations include, but are not limited to, academic probation, coaching through on-campus resources, deferment of graduation, application of NC grades (to include the change of grading type from letter-grading to Credit/No-Credit grading), suspension, ineligibility to register, dismissal from the College, and revocation of degrees. The ASC may also recommend specific course-related sanctions (including grading penalties) to the instructor(s) involved; as stated above, in the the case of minor first offenses for which the student accepts responsibility, the referring faculty member will have the option to impost course-related sanctions only on their own. The Committee determines the appropriate sanction based on the extent of the violation, after due consideration of all circumstances, including a history of prior academic integrity violations. Additional information about sanctions can be found in the Statement of Academic Policy .

Possible sanctions for some types of academic integrity violations are listed below, in order of increasing severity. These sanctions represent guidelines and the ASC exercises appropriate judgment in making all sanctioning decisions. Students found to have committed academic integrity violations twice may be subject to suspension or dismissal from the College. Students may be suspended or dismissed on a first offense in particularly egregious cases.

Academic Integrity Appeal Procedures

An appeal consists of a written statement that clearly describes and documents the specific grounds for appealing the ASC’s finding of responsibility. The only acceptable grounds for appeal are new information or prejudicial procedural error. New information may only be introduced upon appeal if it has arisen or come to the student’s attention after the ASC reviewed the case and rendered a finding of responsibility, and only if the new information may substantially impact the ASC’s original finding of responsibility. Information that was known to the student at the time the case was originally reviewed, but which the student chose not to share in the original response to the charge, is not considered new information. Prejudicial procedural error may only serve as grounds for an appeal if the student can identify precisely which procedural steps were not followed and how the alleged error adversely affected the outcome of the case.

Students must submit their appeal and all supporting documents in writing to the Registrar within ten business days of receipt of the ASC’s original decision. The Registrar will forward the student’s appeal along with the original case materials to the Dean of the Faculty. The Dean will review the appeal and determine whether the student has presented sufficient documentation of new evidence or procedural error to warrant proceeding. The Dean typically will make this determination within ten business days and communicate the decision in writing to the Registrar, who will then inform the student.

If the Dean determines that there are not sufficient grounds for an appeal to proceed, then the appeal will not be considered and the original ASC decision will stand. If the Dean determines that there is sufficient information presented to proceed with an appeal, the Registrar will convene an appeal committee to consider the appeal. In cases where the Dean has determined that an appeal may move forward, any sanctions originally imposed by the ASC will be stayed pending the outcome of the appeal.

The appeal committee consists of three individuals:

1. The CMC Dean of the Faculty, who serves as chair;
2. The department or program chair of the CMC faculty member who brought the original case. In the event that the faculty member who brought the original case is the department or program chair, the Dean will appoint another CMC department chair in a relevant subject area. In the event that there is no department or program chair, or the case involves a non-CMC faculty member, the Dean will appoint another tenured CMC faculty member with expertise in a related subject area or the chair of the cognate department at CMC.
3. A tenured CMC faculty member selected by the Dean of the Faculty who has expertise in a subject area relevant to the case.

The appeal committee may not include faculty members presently serving on the ASC, those who served as investigators, or the student’s academic advisor(s). The Registrar will inform students of who will serve on the appeal committee and offer the opportunity to object to their participation prior to review of the appeal. Parties may object to the involvement of specific appeal committee members only if they can provide credible information that a member has a conflict of interest or is biased against them. If the Dean of the Faculty determines that a student’s objections are credible, the Dean may appoint another individual to serve. Parties will have the same opportunity to voice any objections about replacements until all committee members are identified.

The appeal committee will schedule its review and deliberations within ten business days of being constituted and issue a written decision to the Registrar within seven business days of its review.

The appeal committee will consider the merits of an appeal based on the entire ASC case file and the information submitted in the appeal. Character references or letters of support are not relevant and will not be accepted or reviewed. The appeal committee will not meet with any of the parties involved and should not substitute its judgment for that of the ASC merely because it disagrees with the finding and/or sanction(s). Based on this information the appeal committee may:

1. Uphold the original decision, if the basis for the appeal is insufficient or unsubstantiated; or
2. Return the case to the ASC for further proceedings in light of the new information or documented prejudicial procedural errors presented in the appeal (with instructions for subsequent handling); or
3. Overturn the original finding of an academic integrity violation on the basis of the new information presented in the appeal.

If the appeal committee upholds the original ASC decision, the original sanction will be immediately reinstated. Appeal committees may not alter sanctions. Only one appeal is permitted and the decision of the appeal committee is final.

Suspension for Academic Integrity Violations

Suspensions for academic integrity violations are for a specific period of time and suspended students are not eligible to register for classes at CMC or participate in any College-sponsored programs or activities during the suspension period. In addition, academic course work taken at another academic institution during the suspension period is not transferable to CMC unless otherwise specified in the decision letter. A notation that the student is ineligible to register at CMC will appear on the student’s official transcript for the duration of the suspension. This notation will be removed from the official transcript when the suspension expires. A student suspended for a violation may return to the College after the suspension period has expired through the standard re-enrollment process. 

Dismissal for Academic Integrity Violations

Students may be dismissed from the College for academic integrity violations. Dismissal is a permanent separation from the College. Dismissed students may not participate in any College-sponsored programs or activities, and may not return to CMC in a future semester to enroll in courses or complete degrees. This action is recorded permanently on the student’s transcript.