Academic Integrity - The principles of truth and integrity are recognized as fundamental to a community of teachers and scholars.  The University expects that both faculty and students will honor these principles and in so doing will protect the integrity of all academic work and student grades.  Students are expected to do all work assigned to them without unauthorized assistance and without giving unauthorized assistance.  Faculty have the responsibility of exercising care in the planning and supervision of academic work so that honest effort will be encouraged and positively reinforced.

There are certain forms of conduct that violate the university’s policy of academic integrity.  ACADEMIC DISHONESTY (CHEATING) is a broad category of actions that use fraud and deception to improve a grade or obtain course credit.  Academic dishonesty (cheating) is not limited to examination situations alone, but arises whenever students attempt to gain an unearned academic advantage.  PLAGIARISM is a specific form of academic dishonesty (cheating) which consists of the misuse of published or unpublished works of another by claiming them as one’s own.  Plagiarism may consist of handing in someone else’s work as one’s own, copying or purchasing a pre-written composition and claiming it as one’s own, using paragraphs, sentences, phrases,  words or ideas written by another without giving appropriate citation, or using data and/or statistics compiled by another without giving appropriate citation.  Another example of academic dishonesty (cheating) is the SUBMISSION OF THE SAME, OR ESSENTIALLY THE SAME, PAPER or other assignment for credit in two different courses without receiving prior approval from the instructors of the affected courses.

When a faculty member discovers a violation of the university’s policy of academic integrity and implements an academic sanction (grade penalty) for that violation, the faculty member is required to notify the CSUB Coordinator of Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs of the alleged violation.  This notification must include the name(s) of the student(s) suspected, the class in which the alleged violation occurred, the circumstances of the alleged violation, and the evidence (including names of witnesses) supporting the allegation.  The faculty member shall also formally notify the student(s) suspected of violating the university’s policy of academic integrity, the department chair, and the school dean.  The Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs shall conduct an investigation, confer with the faculty member, student(s), and any witnesses identified, and review all evidence submitted by the faculty member and student(s).  Normally, the Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs shall schedule a formal hearing during which the evidence of the alleged violation shall be presented before an impartial Hearing Officer (appointed by the President) and the student shall present his/her explanation/defense.  The Hearing Officer shall make a formal report to the President presenting his/her findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Alternatively, the Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs may make a Settlement Agreement with the student for his/her first violation of academic integrity with the following sanctions:

•     grade penalty determined by the course instructor; and

•     disciplinary probation for a specified period of time (one quarter, two quarters, one year, etc.) that requires the student to meet with the Coordinator of Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs prior to registration for each subsequent academic term of the probationary term.

The final course grade that results from the grade penalty implemented by the course instructor shall be permanently recorded on the student’s formal academic record (transcripts).  In addition, the disciplinary probation shall be noted on the student’s formal academic record (transcripts) for the duration of the probationary period.  The Coordinator for Student Discipline &Judicial Affairs shall notify Admissions & Records when to place the designation of disciplinary probation on the student’s formal academic record and when to remove the designation of disciplinary probation.  The Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs shall also maintain a record of the disciplinary probation(s) for each student.

If a second violation of academic integrity occurs, the student may be suspended from CSUB for a specified period of time (one quarter, two quarters, one year, etc.), in addition to any grade penalty implemented by the course instructor.  Disciplinary suspensions, like disciplinary probations, shall be noted on the students formal academic record (transcripts) for the duration of the suspension.  The Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs shall notify Admissions & Records when to place the designation of disciplinary suspension on the student’s formal academic record and when to remove the designation of disciplinary suspension.  The Coordinator for Student Discipline & Judicial Affairs shall also maintain a record of the disciplinary suspension(s) for each student.

A third violation may result in expulsion from CSUB, and all other campuses of the CSU, for life, in addition to any grade penalty implemented by the course instructor.  A disciplinary expulsion shall become a permanent part of the student’s formal academic record.

If a student chooses not to accept the sanctions and conditions offered in a Settlement Agreement, the case will be handled in the “standard” manner with a formal hearing before an impartial Hearing Officer (appointed by the President).

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Academic Freedom - Freedom to pursue truth and to achieve personal and intellectual development is essential to CSUB’s community of scholars.  The University is firmly committed to such freedom for both students and faculty.  Academic freedom is the University’s guarantee of freedom of expression by all students and faculty under the First Amendment.  For information regarding the Policy on Academic Freedom and Responsibility (see page 89).

For the achievement of academic freedom, a necessary condition for such pursuit is an acceptance of the spirit of inquiry and appreciation for diverse ideas, viewpoints, cultures, and life-styles.  Acceptance must be demonstrated not only in the classroom but in all other areas of the campus.  The achievement of academic freedom, however, must occur within a respect for law and the protection of the opinions and dignity of others.

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Civility and Respectful Conduct - The classroom is essential for the achievement of academic freedom, the pursuit of truth, and the development of students.  Because of its importance, students are expected to exhibit respect for the views of others, the professionalism of the instructor, and the goals of academic freedom whenever they are in the classroom.

Faculty are obligated to recognize and respect student diversity, ideas, perceptions, and opinions.  At the same time, faculty have a fundamental responsibility to maintain the integrity of the learning environment.  When confronted by unreasonable disruption in the classroom, faculty are expected to initiate actions to correct such conditions.  Such actions may result in disciplinary action ranging from removal from the classroom to formal disciplinary sanctions, including probation, suspension, or expulsion.

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Financial Responsibility - The Student Financial Responsibility Act (AB 521, now California Education Code Section 99030) specifies that all CSUB students are expected to accept personal responsibility for all debts incurred, whether they are owed to the university, local businesses, or another person.  Students who become so indebted financially that they are unable to make expected monthly payments on their debt should contact the Counseling Center (Health Center, 654-3366) to receive advice and possible referral for additional financial counseling and debt restructuring.

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Credit Cards - The Student Financial Responsibility Act (AB 521, now California Education Code Section 99030) also specifies the following policies regulating the marketing practices of vendors offering credit cards to students on campus:

1.   Vendors offering credit cards to students on campus shall register with campus administration through Academic Scheduling (EDUC 239, 654-2285) to schedule an approved site on campus for their marketing efforts.

2.   No more than two (2) vendors shall be allowed on campus at the same time for marketing credit cards to students.

3.   Vendors marketing credit cards to students on campus shall be prohibited from offering gifts of any kind, regardless of monetary value, to students as an incentive for completing credit card applications.

Students are encouraged to exercise caution and “due diligence” before completing any credit card application, especially from vendors offering credit cards.  Before completing any credit card application, students are reminded to ask questions about interest rates on any unpaid balance, likely changes to interest rates over time, and “grace period” allowed before interest is applied to the unpaid balance.