Section VII

Student Academic Offenses and Academic Sanctions

When a student is believed to be guilty of any of the following four academic offenses, information concerning disposition of the case by the college and responsibilities of college personnel can be found in sections 5.2.1 through 5.2.3.

3.1 KCTCS Academic Offenses

3.1.1 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting ideas, words, or organization of a source, published or not, as if they were one’s own. All quoted material must be in quotation marks, and all paraphrases, quotations, significant ideas, and organization must be acknowledged by some form of documentation acceptable to the instructor for the course.

Plagiarism also includes the practice of employing or allowing another person to alter or revise the work that a student submits as the student’s own. Students may discuss assignments among themselves or with an instructor or tutor, but when the actual material is completed, it must be done by the student and the student alone. The use of the term “material” refers to work in any form including written, oral, and electronic.

All academic work, written or otherwise, submitted by a student to an instructor or other academic supervisor, is expected to be the result of the student’s own thought, research, or self-expression. In any case in which a student feels unsure about a question of plagiarism involving the student’s work, the student must consult the instructor before submitting the work.

3.1.2 Cheating

Cheating includes buying, stealing, or otherwise obtaining unauthorized copies of examinations or assignments for the purpose of improving one’s academic standing. During examinations or in-class work, cheating includes having unauthorized information, and/or referring to unauthorized notes or other written or electronic information. In addition, copying from others, either during examinations or in the preparation of homework assignments, is a form of cheating.

3.1.3 Student Co-Responsibility

Anyone who knowingly assists in any form of academic dishonesty shall be considered as guilty as the student who accepts such assistance. Students should not allow their work to be copied or otherwise used by fellow students, nor should they sell or give unauthorized copies of examinations to other students.

3.1.4 Misuse or Student Falsification of Academic Records

The misuse or actual or attempted falsification, theft, misrepresentation, or other alteration of any official academic record of the college is a serious academic offense. As used in this context, “academic record” includes all paper and electronic versions of the partial or complete academic record.

3.2 Academic Sanctions/Penalties of Students (Academic Offenses)

Academic penalty shall not be imposed upon the student for non-academic infractions of college regulations. This principle does not compromise the right of the college to suspend or dismiss a student for non-academic reasons.

3.2.1 Faculty Academic Sanctions

For instances of academic dishonesty related to earning grades (violations 3.1.1 – 3.1.3), the instructor may implement any of three sanctions:

1. a failing grade for the specific assignment; and/or
2. a reduced grade for the course; and/or
3. a failing grade for the course.

The specific sanction depends upon the weight of the assignment in satisfying the requirements for the course.

If an instructor chooses the sanction which assigns a failing grade for the course, the instructor shall notify the division chair, the chief executive officer or designee, and the registrar. For more information about the role of college personnel in the process, refer to section 5.2.

3.2.2 Other Academic Sanctions

The instructor may also recommend that the student be suspended for any academic offenses (as defined in sections 3.1.1, 3.1.2, or 3.1.3).

Any student found guilty of a second academic violation shall be expelled from the college and shall not be allowed to enroll at any of the other KCTCS colleges for one academic year.

The minimum sanction for misuse or falsification of an academic record (violation 3.1.4) including the omission of information or attempted falsification or other misuse of academic records as described in section 3.1.4, is suspension for one semester.