Sanction Rubric

I. Violation Levels:

The following violation levels are assigned to specific types of violations of the University’s Academic Integrity Policy; if a violation of academic integrity principles occurs which is not specifically provided for below, then any sanctions will be based on the most similar type of violation that exists in the rubric. A violation will be considered as a single violation up until the point that a student receives notice of that violation; additional infractions occurring after that point will be considered separately for purposes of this rubric. If assignment of a sanction requires the Board to interpret the sanction rubric, the Board shall provide a rationale for its determination and application of the particular sanction(s). General guidance on substantial issues of interpretation of the sanction rubric shall be provided by the Provost/Vice Chancellor.

A student receives the assigned number of sanction points for each violation for which he/she is found responsible. Sanction points are cumulative over the length of the student’s tenure at the University of Arkansas.

Level Zero Violation – 0.0 sanction point

• For plagiarism/copying in work done for a course, if the plagiarized/copied material constitutes less than 10% of the assignment (first offense only).
• Unauthorized collaboration on homework assignments constituting less than 10% of the assignment (first offense only).
• Use of any materials or resources that are not authorized by the instructor in completing any assignment having a value of less than 10% of the course grade (first offense only).

 

Level One Violation - 0.5 sanction point for each violation

• Copying from or viewing another student’s work during an examination.
• Using any materials or resources that are not authorized by the instructor for use during an examination or in completing any assignment having a value equal to or greater than 10% of the course grade, or a second offense.
• Collaborating during an examination with any other person by giving or receiving information without specific permission of the instructor.
• Facilitating or aiding in any act of academic dishonesty.
• Collaborating on laboratory work, or other assigned work when instructed to work independently.
• Submitting, without specific permission of the instructor, work that has been previously offered by the same student for credit in another course or a previous offering of the same course..
• Falsification of attendance and/or participation.
• Submitting as one’s own any theme, report, term paper, essay, computer program, speech, painting, drawing, sculpture, or other written or creative work or project of any nature prepared totally or in large measure by another /plagiarizing, in work completed for a class assignment, when that copying/plagiarizing constitutes less than 10% of the assignment and is a second offense, or when that copying/plagiarizing constitutes 10% or more of the assignment. Submitting as one’s own work or plagiarizing is the offering as one’s own work, the words, ideas, or arguments of another person or using the work of another without appropriate attribution by quotation, reference, or footnote. Plagiarism occurs both when the words of another (in print, electronic, or any other medium) are reproduced without acknowledgement and when the ideas or arguments of another are paraphrased in such a way as to lead the reader to believe that they originated with the writer. It is not sufficient to provide a citation if the words of another have been reproduced – this also requires quotation marks. It is the responsibility of all University students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all materials submitted.
• Unauthorized collaboration on homework assignments constituting 10% or more of the assignment, or less than 10% of the assignment on a second offense.
• Providing false information, or withholding pertinent or applicable information, which could result in gaining an academic advantage.

 

 Level Two Violation - 1.0 sanction point for each violation

• Obtaining or providing information about an examination not yet administered.
• Substituting for another person or permitting any other person to substitute for oneself for a graded activity (i.e., examination or assignment) having a value of more than 10% of the course grade.
• Attempting to engage in any behavior associated with contract cheating (e.g. buying, selling, obtaining, or providing work submitted for academic credit)
• Submitting as one’s own any work prepared totally or in large measure by another OR plagiarizing, in work submitted for degree requirements other than course work (e.g. honors thesis, master’s thesis, master’s comprehensive exam, doctoral qualifying exam, doctoral candidacy exam, doctoral dissertation), that is, the offering as one’s own work, the words, ideas, or arguments of another person or using the work of another without appropriate attribution by quotation, reference, or footnote. Plagiarism occurs both when the words of another (in print, electronic, or any other medium) are reproduced without acknowledgement and when the ideas or arguments of another are paraphrased in such a way as to lead the reader to believe that they originated with the writer. It is not sufficient to provide a citation if the words of another have been reproduced – this also requires quotation marks. It is the responsibility of all University students to understand the methods of proper attribution and to apply those principles in all materials submitted.
• Submitting altered or falsified data (in work completed for a class assignment).

 

 Level Three Violation - 3.0 sanction points for each violation

• Altering grades or official records.
• Falsifying or signing another person’s name on any academically-related University form or document.
• Sabotaging another student’s work.
• Submitting altered or falsified data (for work submitted for requirements outside of the classroom (e.g. honor’s thesis; master’s thesis; doctoral dissertation; candidacy exam; qualifying exam; dissertation defense).
• Also applies to the third Level Two violation (would apply 3.0 sanction points instead of 2.0 sanction points).

 

II. Sanctions:

Sanction points = 0.0: For plagiarism/copying or unauthorized collaboration on homework assignments, if the suspect material constitutes less than 10% of the assignment, the student will be issued a Letter of Reprimand (first offense only). Regardless of whether the material constitutes less than or more than 10% of the assignment, the instructor must submit the case through the reporting process to the Academic Integrity Monitor, after which the normal process will ensue. There will be no grade sanction for a Level Zero offense.

Sanction points = 0.5: For work for a course, the instructor shall give the test or an assignment an immediate zero (0) which shall then be averaged into the course grade. If the violation occurred on work outside of a course, the faculty member will require that the work be redone. If that involves missing a stated deadline, the stated late penalty will apply.

Sanction points = 1.0: The student will receive a course grade of XF for work done for a course; for work outside a course, the student will receive a failure on the project (e.g., on the candidacy exam).

For infractions involving point levels of 1.5 and above, the course grade/project failure sanction will apply in addition to suspension or expulsion.

Sanction points = 1.5: The student will be suspended for the following semester (the student will be allowed to complete the current semester).

Sanction points = 2.0: The student will be suspended for two full semesters (the student will be allowed to complete the current semester).

Sanction points = 2.5: The student will be suspended for three full semesters (the student will be allowed to complete the current semester).

Sanction points = 3.0 or more: The student will be immediately and permanently expelled.

Note: For offenses not specifically mentioned in this rubric, faculty members may confer with the Academic Integrity Monitor and propose a description of the offense and the level of sanction to be included in the faculty member’s syllabus. The proposed description and sanctions will be forwarded to the Academic Integrity Monitor to review the proposed offense and sanction for consistency with existing offenses and sanctions. If a faculty member and Academic Integrity Monitor disagree over a particular offense or sanction, the matter may be discussed with the relevant dean and /or the AUAIB, but must be reported to the AUAIB. In the event of a conflict between a syllabus and the Academic Integrity Policy or this rubric, the policy and rubric shall take precedence.

Note: For Level One and Two violations the AUAIB shall impose additional educational sanctions appropriate to the infraction, including, but not limited to, requiring the student to complete additional learning activities regarding academic dishonesty, withdrawal of transcripts or publications, or taking other steps to remedy violations. On appeal, the Provost and Chancellor may also impose additional educational sanctions.

III. Grade Exclusion Opportunities and Removal of the “X”:

After two semesters of acceptable performance at the University following the imposition of a penalty, with no student conduct or academic dishonesty infractions, the undergraduate student may request grade exclusion by petition to Academic Initiatives and Integrity for an XF grade resulting from an academic integrity violation. However, successful petition for grade exclusion will only remove the F from the cumulative undergraduate GPA calculation, and it does not remove the X on the transcript which indicates that a student was found responsible of a violation of academic integrity for that class.

To remove the X on the transcript, the student may request that the X be removed by submitting a written petition to the Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. This written petition must provide evidence that the student now understands ethical standards (e.g. GPA following the infraction; lack of subsequent infractions [academic and conduct]; proactive activities that the student has engaged in to learn about appropriate techniques for citation, etc.), and it may not be considered earlier than a year after the date of the board hearing in which the XF penalty was imposed or earlier than a period of suspension, dependent on which has the longest duration. The option to remove an X from the transcript is not available to graduate students. Expulsion from the University of Arkansas for academic dishonesty will be permanently noted on the student’s transcript.

 

IV. Degrees, Honors & Awards:

The University reserves the right to withhold or withdraw degrees, honors, or awards, due to violations of the Academic Integrity Policy.

 

V. Suspension and Expulsion:

Suspension involves withdrawal of enrollment privileges for a specified period of time and ordinarily carries with it conditions which must be met for re-enrollment. Suspended students are not permitted to live or board in University facilities or approved student organization housing (i.e., facilities owned by the University and leased to a student organization.) Re-enrollment after a suspension requires that the student apply to the Executive Director of Academic Initiatives and Integrity, or designee, at the close of the imposed period for a determination of whether they have met the conditions of their re-enrollment. Students suspended may not receive credit for University work completed by correspondence or in residence at another university without prior permission from the Provost or designee. Records of suspension are maintained indefinitely.

Expulsion is a permanent dismissal from the University. These records are maintained indefinitely.

(Revised May 4, 2018)