Academic Integrity Matters: the AUC experience

Aziza EllozyDirector, Center for Learning and Teaching

Jayme SpencerDirector, Public Services

What is Academic Integrity?

"Academic integrity is a commitment, even in the face of adversity, to five fundamental values: Honesty, Trust, Fairness, Respect and Responsibility.

From these values flow principles of behavior that enable academic communities to translate ideals into action."

Guiding principles of academic integrity as set out by the Center for Academic Integrity at Clemsen University,

Sample of research data (US)

Academic dishonesty is most likely to occur when:

• Cheating is an accepted part of the campus culture

• Universities do not have an academic honor code

• Penalties for cheating are lenient, and chances of getting caught are low

• Faculty support of academic integrity policies is low

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v9n1/cheating.html

What is AUC’s stand on academic integrity?

•Maintaining high standards of ethical conduct is explicitly part of AUC’s mission

AUC’s initiative

• Despite established policies and procedures, faculty, administrators and students alike recognized that similar problems existed on our campus.

• Six years ago, AUC President, BOT, Provost and faculty made academic integrity issues a top priority.

AUC’s initiative

• In May 2001 AUC Provost established a Task Force on Academic Integrity.

• Its mandate:

To assess current status and policies and to “work on meaningful criteria for a healthy and ethical learning environment”.

Mission of Task Force

Strengthen and promote the understanding and the implementation of academic integrity concepts, attitudes and behavior within the AUC environment, and to establish an effective vehicle for continuous assessment and evaluation

Action Plan

• Assessment• Raising awareness • Pledge• Preventive measures• Punitive Measures

Assessment Tools

• Oral and written input from Task Force members

• Discussion with faculty and students as well as forums.

• Discussion and input from the AUC Senate

• Input from AUC’s BOT and administration

• Survey conducted at AUC campus • Data acquired from anonymous peer

institutes

its.foxvalley.tec.wi.us/iss/curric-assessment/ Image37.gif

Survey results

Awareness (Students’ Perspective)(Medium Rating and Above)

90%

74%

94%

58%

92%

74%

81%

61%

94%

51%

92%

72%

93%

79%

98%

87%

97%

79%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

The severity of penalties forcheating?

Student understanding ofcampus policies concerning

cheating?

The faculty's understandingof these policies?

Student support of thesepolicies?

Faculty support of thesepolicies?

The effectiveness of thesepolicies?

% s

tud

ents

AUC Undergraduates AUC graduates US Students

Awareness (Faculty Perspective)

(Medium Rating and Above)

49%

40%

81%

22%

70%

34%

64%

53%

80%

61%

87%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

The severity ofpenalties for

cheating?

Studentunderstanding ofcampus policies

concerning cheating?

The faculty'sunderstanding of

these policies?

Student support ofthese policies?

Faculty support ofthese policies?

The effectiveness ofthese policies?

% F

acul

ty

AUC Faculty

US Faculty

Summary of Reasons Given for Cheating

• Time pressure and overload of work

• Parent pressure

• GPA and Grades

• Stress of exams

• Everyone cheats

• Faculty are not explaining well

• Checking their answers

• Forgetting the answer (very prevalent)

http://www.edusite.nledusitespecials

Examples of Dishonest Academic Behavior

• Cheating • Plagiarism• Fabrication• Multiple Submissions• Obtaining Unfair Advantage • Unauthorized Access• Aiding and Abetting• Criminal acts, Bribing, Stealing, etc. • Intellectual Property Right• Violations in Research Work

Awareness Campaign aimed at

•Students •Faculty•Teaching/research assistants•Staff •Parents•Students’ activities•Gaining support of top administrators•Visits to schools

Pledge: Code of Ethics

• What is a Code of Ethics?

• Faculty, Staff and Students

• Implementing the Code

• AUC Website

www.members.aol.com

Raising awareness

StudentsStudents

•First Year Experience

•Code of Ethics

•Syllabus

•Notes on exam booklet

•Instructors discussing

the issue

• Faculty Orientation

• Code of Ethics• Teaching at AUC

booklet• Discussion with peers

Faculty

Raising awareness

Teaching/Research Assistants

• Orientation

• Workshops

Raising awareness

Preventive Measures

• Proper design of curriculum• Adequate load• Innovation in assignment & exams • Interaction with students• Monitoring performance• Proper exam proctoring • Turnitin.com: plagiarism prevention

system (or similar technology solution)

There is nothing new about plagiarism

Nor about students’

creativity in explaining it

Internet Plagiarism: the “new” plagiarism

just a click away

Turnitin.com originality report

Similarity Index Originality Report

Matching sources by color and number

Matching sources by color and number

AU

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AU

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“Trying to fight the technology without a dialogue on values and expectations is a losing battle,"

"I think there's kind of a backdoor benefit here. As teachers are thinking about how technology has corrupted, they're also thinking about ways it can be used productively."

Tim Dodd, Tim Dodd, Executive director of The Center for Academic Integrity at Duke Executive director of The Center for Academic Integrity at Duke

So what has been effective?Ask the students

Noticed Enhanced Awareness re Academic Integrity at AUC?

70

30

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

Student %

Yes No

Yes

No

How Did You Learn about Academic Integrity Policies?

39

27

23

11

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

32

29 28

10

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

38

23 22

17

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

First Year Experience

Code of EthicsProgram Counselor/Faculty Advisor

Student Handbook

34

19

23 24

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

No/ Learned little/ Learned some/ Learned a lot

How Did You Learn about Academic Integrity Policies?

10

17

32

41

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

Other Students Faculty

No/ Learned little/ Learned some/ Learned a lot

912

37

43

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Student %

No Learned Little Learned Some Learned a Lot

Disciplinary Procedures

• Formation of Academic Integrity Committee

• Clustering of violations• Reporting of violations• Investigating cases• Recommending penalties• Database• Coordination with registrar

Challenges

• Complexity of the issue • Need for value change• Need for involvement of all parties • Time and effort involved• Sustainability

Questions?

Thank You