Policy on Academic Dishonesty

Breaches of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, such practices as:

1. CHEATING: Cheating is an act or an attempted act of deception by which a student seeks to misrepresent that the student has mastered information that has not been mastered.
   
   Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
   1. Copying or buying of all or any portion of another’s academic, research, or creative work - even with the author’s or creator’s knowledge and permission - and submitting it, in part or in its entirety, as one’s own. This includes material available through the Internet or other electronic sources and any material which has been copyrighted. Students are hereby advised that when such material has been copyrighted, its unauthorized use constitutes not only a breach of academic integrity, but a violation of the law and may incur civil or criminal penalties;
   2. Allowing another person to copy one’s own academic, research, or creative work - whether intentionally or recklessly;
   3. The unauthorized use or possession of a class textbook, notes, or any other unauthorized material to complete or prepare an academic work;
   4. The unauthorized collaboration with any other person on an academic exercise, including collaboration on a take-home or make-up academic exercise and giving or receiving information during examinations;
   5. The unauthorized use of electronic instruments, such as cell phones, pagers, or PDAs, to access or share information;
   6. The unauthorized completion for another person of academic work, or permitting someone else to complete academic work for oneself;
   7. Fraudulent procurement, use, or distribution of examinations;
   8. Signing another’s name to examinations, reports, or papers.
2. PLAGIARISM: that is, failing to acknowledge adequately the source of words or ideas that are not one’s own. When a student submits academic work that includes another’s words, ideas, or data, whether published or unpublished, the source of that information must be acknowledged with complete and accurate references and if verbatim statements are included, with quotation marks as well. Simply put, students should document quotes of others through quotation marks and footnotes or other citation methods. By submitting work as one’s own, a student certifies the originality of all material not otherwise acknowledged. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to:
   1. The quotation or other use of another person’s words, ideas, opinions, thoughts, or theories (even if paraphrased into one’s own words) without acknowledgment of the source; or
   2. The quotation or other use of facts, statistics, or other data or materials that are not clearly common knowledge without acknowledgment of the source.

Ignorance of these rules concerning plagiarism is not an excuse. When in doubt, students should seek clarification from the professor who made the assignment.

3. FABRICATION: Fabrication is the use of invented information or the falsification of research or other findings. Fabrication includes, but is not limited to:
   1. The false citation or acknowledgment of a direct or secondary source, including the deliberately incorrect documentation of a source;
   2. The citation, in a bibliography or other list of references, of sources that were not used to prepare the academic work;
   3. The inclusion in an academic work of falsified, invented, or fictitious data or information, or the deliberate and knowing concealment or distortion of the true nature, origin, or function of such data or information; or
   4. The unauthorized submission of academic work prepared totally or in part by another.
4. LYING: Lying is defined as any attempt to deceive, falsify, defraud, or misrepresent the truth in any matter involving College business. College business includes, but is not limited to, financial aid information, excuses for absences, statements to professors in order to reschedule tests or assignments, and responses to the queries of College Security and Safety officers; misrepresentation of reasons for not completing assignments, for not appearing at examinations, or for prolonged absence from class.

Additional Examples of Academic Dishonesty include but are not limited to:

1. The unauthorized possession, copying, distribution, sale, or other transfer of all or any part of an academic exercise, or the answers or solutions to an academic exercise, whether or not the exercise has been administered;
2. Changing, altering, attempting to change or alter, or assisting another in changing or altering any grade or other academic record, including grades or records contained in a grade book or computer file, that is received for or in any way attributed to academic work;
3. Entering any College building, facility, office, or other property, or accessing any computer file or other College record or storage for the purpose of obtaining the answers or solutions to an academic exercise or to change a grade; or
4. Bribing another person to obtain an academic exercise, including answers to questions of an un- administered academic exercise.
5. Using the same or substantially the same written work, research paper, or essay to satisfy the requirements of more than one course, without the permission of the instructors involved.
6. Destruction of or deliberate inhibition of progress of another student’s work related to a course is considered academically dishonest. This includes the destruction or hiding of shared resources such as library materials and computer software and hardware to tampering with another person’s laboratory experiments.

Attempting any such practices is also a breach of academic integrity, even if the attempt is unsuccessful.

Disciplinary Procedures and Sanctions:

1. Instructors who suspect students of engaging in academic dishonesty in their classes are expected to advise/counsel them and allow them an opportunity to explain/defend their works. (Appropriate software, which documents plagiarism, may be used to further investigate the matter.)
2. If the instructor persists in citing an accusation of academic dishonesty, the Department Chair will appoint a neutral committee of three (3) faculty members where the accusation resides, to judge the evidence and hear the responses of both the accused student and the accusing instructor.
3. The findings of the neutral committee will be reported to the Department Chair for review and recommendations to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Such recommendations might include:
   1. Written reprimand by the instructor with a letter grade of F for the assignment.
   2. The assignment of a letter grade of F for the course, if the document where the breach of academic dishonesty was a major requirement for the completion of the course.
   3. Major violations of this policy may lead to College suspension.

Upon approval of the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs, the appropriate action will be taken. This decision will become final unless appealed to the Office of the President who will decide to hear or deny such a request.

Student Complaints Handling And Resolution Policy Statement

Voorhees College has adequate procedures to address all written and verbal student complaints. The College ensures integrity in all operations involving students. Students must use specific policies and procedures outlined in the College Catalog, Volumes II, V, and VI of the Voorhees College Policy Manual, and other policy manuals to address specific concerns where applicable.

In addition, this procedure may not be used to grieve:

1. Claims based on College purchases or contracts;
2. Claims against a Voorhees College employee on matters that are unrelated to the employee’s job or role at the College;
3. Student disciplinary decisions, since there is a separate procedure for them; or
4. Where another Voorhees College policy and procedure could have been used for the matter being grieved (e.g., harassment or discrimination, academic grievances, FERPA grievances, etc.).

Procedures for Students to Follow When Filing a Written Complaint:

The procedures set forth below may be used by students who are enrolled at Voorhees College, or who are participating in a College-sponsored event, at the time of the incident being grieved. The person filing the grievance must be the alleged victim of unfair treatment; a grievance cannot be filed on behalf of another person. The existence of this procedure does not bar students from also filing claims in other forums to the extent permitted by state or federal law.

The resolution process described below must be initiated and completed within 45 business days of the decision, action, or events giving rise to the grievance. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs may extend this time limit if the grievant makes the request for an extension within the 45 business day period, for good cause shown.

1. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Dean of Students or Vice President for Academic Affairs is the point at which written student complaints may be filed for traditional and non- traditional students, respectively. The written student complaint must:
   1. State how the decision or action is unfair and harmful to the student and list the Voorhees College policy or state or federal laws that have been violated, if applicable;
   2. Name the respondent parties (the person(s) against whom the grievance is filed);
   3. State how the respondents are responsible for the action or decision; and
   4. State the requested remedy.
2. The Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, Dean of Students or Vice President for Academic Affairs receives the written and signed student’s complaint. The complaint must be addressed within 10 business days from the received day, and a decision must be submitted to the grievant. If a student completes the complaint form online, all 3 parties will receive the document by email. If it is clear on the face of the written complaint that it has not been filed within the time limit, or pertains to a matter not grieveable under this procedure, or is from a person without grievance rights as outlined above, the applicable Vice President shall so indicate in a letter to the student and the complaint shall be dismissed.
3. If the complaint satisfies the above elements, it is referred to the head of the appropriate unit or to one of the planning committees or standing committees of the College for advisement and policy clarification.
4. After an interview with the student, a written response is provided to the student based on College policies and procedures within 10 business days. The student complaint and written response are forwarded to the President of the College.

A student may appeal the College’s response, by writing, to the President of the College within ten (10) business days of receiving the response. The President will review the complaint, the response, and consult appropriate College personnel for additional information. The President will notify the student in writing of the final decision regarding the appeal and the complaint.

All complaints and documentation related to a student’s complaint is filed in the office of the Dean of Students.

If the final resolution by the institution is not satisfactory, Georgia residents may submit a complaint to the Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, 2082 E Exchange Place, Suite 220, Tucker, GA 30084, or online at www.gnpec.ga.gov.

 Credit is designated in terms of “semester hours.” A semester hour represents the successful completion of a course of study made up of one (1) hour of contact time per week for one semester. A student must be officially registered in a course in order to receive academic credit for the course.

Academic Credit

Credit From External Sources And Alternative Approaches

Once enrolled, students are expected to complete all of their course work at Voorhees College. There are, however, several other ways that students may earn credit toward the degree requirements. See the options listed below.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Students who have participated in the Advanced Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board while in high school may receive college credit with a score of three or above. Contact the Office of the Registrar and Student Records to request credit prior to registration.

College Level Examination (CLEP)

Voorhees College accepts up to a maximum of 15 semester hours of credits earned through CLEP. These credits may be used to fulfill General Education Requirements at the College; however, credit by CLEP is not considered in calculating the student’s cumulative grade point average. Students may request credit for CLEP by submitting an official copy of the CLEP test scores to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records.

Correspondence Courses

A maximum of 15 semester hours in correspondence courses from regionally accredited institutions, service school credits, and off-campus extension classes may be accepted toward partial fulfillment of the requirements for the baccalaureate degree. A grade of “C” or above is required in each course.

Credit for Prior Learning

Voorhees College is among more than 500 colleges and universities, which assess students’ prior learning for academic credit. Credit is awarded based on the academic guidelines developed by the Council for Adult Experiential Learning (CAEL).

A Portfolio is a collection of information gathered by the student and presented in a systematic format that validates the experiential learning that has occurred. Each course for which portfolio credit is requested must be in the College curriculum and must be part of the student’s degree requirements. The method is designed to assist adult learners in completing their academic and career goals by recognizing and validating their professional competencies. Portfolio credit can be awarded through:

1. Professional development courses (corporate training, professional seminars, workshops, and formal classroom training offered by a non-collegiate organization);
2. Licenses and Certifications: For example, insurance licenses and real estate licenses.
3. Professionally accredited colleges and schools. For example, technical and trade school, art institutes, bible schools, and business schools.

The amount of credit awarded depends on the depth of knowledge, the support documentation, and training hours involved. A maximum of 15 credit hours may be earned through the portfolio method toward free electives. After the evaluation is completed (allow 4 to 6 weeks), and the portfolio fees are paid, the credits awarded are entered on Voorhees transcripts.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credits are accepted from an accredited institution of higher learning according to the following guidelines:

1. Students have the responsibility to arrange for their official transcripts to be sent to the Office of the Registrar by the other institution.
2. Transfer students will not receive credit for courses in which they received less than a grade of “C” at other institutions.
3. The course description of the course in question must be comparable to the course for which transfer credits are requested.
4. Transfer students must meet the General Education Requirements and the degree requirements of their major.
5. Transfer students must pass the English Proficiency Examination administered by Voorhees College.
6. Students transferring from other colleges and seeking credit for work done at that institution must have been accepted as transfer students at Voorhees College.
7. The advisor, department chair, and the Office of the Registrar and Student Records will evaluate student transcripts from other institutions in accordance with the guidelines outlined in this policy.
8. Students will be informed of the amount of credit that can be transferred before registration, if feasible.
9. If official transcripts of students are not available for evaluation at the time of registration, students will be admitted provisionally. In such cases, evaluation of transcripts will be done as soon as the official transcript arrives in the Office of the Registrar and Student Records. Except in unusual circumstances, prior to pre-registration the next semester, the evaluation will have been completed and transfer students informed of the transfer credits accepted by the College towards the degree program.
10. The student, the academic advisor, the department chair, and the Registrar must sign the “Transfer Credit Evaluation Form”.
11. Credits for summer school, correspondence, and extension work completed at other regionally accredited institutions will not be accepted for transfer if the student has enrolled in an equivalent course at the College. Credits for other courses will be accepted only under the following conditions:
    1. Each course is approved in advance by the academic advisor, the chair of the department concerned, and the Registrar. Such approval must be filed in writing with the Office of the Registrar and Student Records
    2. by utilizing the Transient Form. Students may download this form from the College’s website.
    3. Each course is passed with a grade of “C” or above.
12. Students must earn a minimum of 30 semester hours in residence and spend the senior year in residence at Voorhees College to graduate from the College.

Credit For Off-campus Summer Study

Credit for summer school work completed at other institutions by Voorhees College students is not accepted for transfer if students have previously been enrolled in an equivalent course at Voorhees.

However, summer school work at other institutions is accepted for credit based on the following conditions:

1. A “Transient Form” is completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records;
2. Each course is approved in advance by the academic advisor, department chair, and the Office of the Registrar and Student Records;
3. A maximum of twelve (12) semester hours may be transferred from other institutions;
4. Courses failed at Voorhees College must be repeated at Voorhees College only.

Grading System

* The grade of D in ENG 131 , ENG 132 , and ENG 231  are not considered passing grades.

Grading Policy

The grade of W is assigned to students for courses in which they withdrew or from the institution after the Add/Drop period and before the withdraw deadline.

The grades of WP and WF are assigned to students for courses in which they withdrew or from the institution after the Add/Drop period and after the withdrawal deadline.

The grade of AD is assigned to students for courses in which they have been withdrawn by the instructor due to poor attendance, after the Add/Drop period and before the withdrawal deadline. The grades of AP and AF are assigned to students for courses in which they have been withdrawn by the instructor due to poor attendance, after the Add/Drop period and after the withdrawal deadline.

The grade of I is given only when the student has substantially and satisfactorily completed the work of a course lacking only an examination or another distinct item. The grade of I is given to students who, because of illness or other valid reasons, are compelled to leave the class within the last three weeks of a semester and are in good standing. A record of incomplete incurred in the first semester must be completed on or before April 1; if incurred in the second semester or summer term, it must be completed on or before October 15. If a course is not completed within the specified time, the record of incomplete is changed to failure (F). To change a grade of I the following procedures must be followed.

1. The student must complete the required course work.
2. The instructor must complete the “Change of Grade Form” and make appropriate adjustments in the record book. The Chair reviews and approves or disapproves the request.
3. The Provost /Vice President of Academic Affairs approves or disapproves the request. The form is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar and Student Records.

Courses with a grade of A, B, C, or D are counted toward degree completion. Only one D in the student’s major courses is accepted toward satisfying degree requirements.

Students must earn a grade of C or better in English courses in order to satisfy the General College Curriculum requirements. A grade of C must be earned in ENG 121 , ENG 122 , or ENG 131 , ENG 132 , and ENG 231  for these courses to be counted toward graduation.

Students receiving credit through CLEP, advanced placement by test, and credit by examination will not receive a letter grade, and credit hours will not be reflected in students’ grade point averages.

Grade Reports

The Office of the Registrar and Student Records a copy of Mid-term and Final Grade Reports via the Tiger Portal. Students who have holds on their accounts will not be permitted to view their reports on the portal.

Grade Points

Semester hours attempted are considered in determining the grade point average with the exception of a grade of I. If a course is repeated, the highest grade is computed as a part of the grade point average; credits for each course are counted only once. Grade points are computed by multiplying the number of semester hour credits by 4 for a course completed with a grade of A; by 3 for a grade of B; by 2 for a grade of C; by 1 for a grade of D. A grade of F carries no grade points. The grade point average is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours carried as shown below:

The Grade Point Average for the above case is 2.25, slightly greater than a C. This is obtained by dividing the total grade points earned 36 by hours carried 16.

No credit is given for a grade of I. Grades of W, WP, WF, AD, AP, AF, P, S, or U are computed as no grade. As of Fall 2007, work done at other institutions is not used in computing the cumulative/career grade point average.

The Grade Point Average for the above case is 2.25, slightly greater than a “C”. This is obtained by dividing the total grade points earned (36) by hours carried (16). NO credit is given for a grade of “I”. Grade of “W” are computed as no grade. Credit for work done at other institutions is also used in computing the grade point average.

Grade Changes

The faculty member must submit in writing requests for a change of grade due to a clerical or computational error to the Department Chair and the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The requested change will become effective when the approval of the Department Chair and the Provost/Vice President Academic Affairs has been filed with the Registrar. Students who have reason to believe that an error has occurred with regard to the grade assigned are directed to discuss the issue with the faculty member who assigned the grade in accordance with the College’s Academic Grievance Policy (Section 6.9).

Academic Honors

Two honors lists are compiled at the end of each semester according to the following scale – based upon grade point averages earned in all courses (minimum 12 semester hours) in a full academic semester:

President’s List 4.00

Dean’s List 3.00-3.99

Scholastic Eligibility Standards

Grade point calculations for probation shall be made at the end of both the fall and spring semesters and the summer session. Students enrolled in the College who fail to maintain the appropriate grade point average each semester/session, according to the following scale, will be placed on academic probation.

Academic Responsibilities

Students who enroll at Voorhees College obligate themselves to be governed by the reasonable rules, regulations, and requirements for obtaining a college education. This section contains basic requirements and regulations for students, as well as information about important services that can improve the educational experience.