I. Policy

The purpose of the CPCC Code of Student Academic Integrity is to support the continued growth and development of the foundation of a strong academic community based on the principles of academic honesty and integrity.

Although the commitment to maintaining and enforcing high standards of academic honesty and integrity at Central Piedmont rests with all members of the College community, faculty members, in particular, are charged with taking measures to preserve, transmit, and model those standards through example in their won academic pursuits and in the learning environment which they create for their students. Students, likewise, as members of the College's academic community, are obligated to take an active role in the preservation of the standards of academic honesty and integrity, encouraging others to respect those standards.

It is the expectation of the College that students maintain absolute integrity and high standards of individual honor in their academic work. Conduct that violates the standards of academic honesty and integrity and is subject to disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to, cheating, fabrication and falsification, plagiarism, abuse of academic materials, installation of a computer virus, and complicity in academic dishonesty. Any student who violates the CPCC Code of Student Academic Integrity is subject to academic disciplinary action. Such action may include, but is not limited to, entry of the incident in the records of the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Services, reduced grades, and dismissal from College classes, programs, and activities.

II. Definitions

A. Cheating - the intentional use or attempt to use unauthorized materials, information, notes, study aids or other devices in any academic exercise and includes the unauthorized communication of information during an academic exercise.

B. Fabrication and falsification - the intentional and unauthorized invention of alteration of any information or citation in an academic exercise. Fabrication is a matter of inventing or counterfeiting information for use in any academic exercise; falsification is a matter of altering information.

C. Plagiarism - the intentional or knowing presentation of the work of another one's own without proper acknowledgment of the source. The sole exception to the requirement of acknowledging sources is when the ideas or information is common knowledge.

D. Abuse of academic materials - making inaccessible, destroying, or stealing library or other academic resource material, including equipment. Violations may be referred to civil authorities for prosecution under the law.

E. Installation of a computer virus - rendering ineffective or inaccessible or destroying computer software and/or databases through the installation of a computer virus.

F. Complicity in academic dishonesty - intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to commit an act of academic dishonesty.

III. Regulations

A. Violations of standards of academic honesty and integrity and repeated or aggravated violations of those standards may result in dismissal, disciplinary suspension, or the imposition of lesser penalties as are appropriate.

B. Faculty members, College administrators, librarians, lab personnel, counselors, or other personnel noticing infractions of the standards of academic honesty and integrity may be responsible for instituting disciplinary procedures in response to those violations. The penalties that may be assessed include but are not limited to

1. A formal warning.

2. A reduced grade (including F) for the assignment.

3. A reduced grade (including F) for the course.

4. Temporary dismissal from class.

5. Dismissal from class for the remainder of the term.

6. Placing a record of the incident in the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Services..

7. Referring violations to civil authorities for prosecution under the law.

C. In cases when the act of academic dishonesty is particularly flagrant, having import beyond the specific course in which the violation occurred (e.g., the outright or attempted theft of materials or equipment) or when there is a pattern of dishonesty which seems to be undeterred by imposing lesser penalties, the College faculty or staff member may institute proceedings leading to disciplinary suspension from the College. The College faculty or staff member, through his/her immediate supervisor, may request in writing of the Associate Vice President for Student Services that disciplinary suspension proceedings be initiated. The request should include a description of the dishonest act(s) and any available documentation. The current College regulations for Disciplinary Suspension  and Due Process will be followed.

D. The following factors are considered in all determinations of penalty:

1. The nature and seriousness of the offense.

2. The injury or damage resulting from the misconduct.

3. The student's motivation and state of mind at the time of the violation.

4. The student's prior disciplinary record.

5. The student's attitude and demeanor subsequent to the violation.

IV. Academic Integrity Appeal Procedure (excluding disciplinary suspension)

A student wishing to appeal an academic integrity decision, other than disciplinary suspension, that affects his/her status at the College should first appeal to the College faculty or staff member making the decision. If the student is not satisfied after making his/her appeal to the faculty or staff member, an appeal may be made to the appropriate supervisor or curriculum division director.  If not satisfied by the decision at the director level, the student may appeal to the appropriate Dean.  Failing to receive satisfaction at that level, the student may appeal to the appropriate Vice President. If dissatisfied with the decision of the Vice President, the student may appeal to the President.

Last modified: 2/28/2006
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