Undergraduate Academic Integrity Policy

As a Christian institution of higher education, Cornerstone University seeks to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. The faculty trusts the integrity of Cornerstone students and encourages them to maintain the integrity of the faculty-student relationship. Academic dishonesty, therefore, is a serious breach of university standards and will result in substantial penalties. Violations of academic integrity include:

·      Plagiarism: Willfully submitting as part or all of one’s own work material that is copied or paraphrased from another source, including online sources, without proper acknowledgment of that source.

·      Cheating: Using unauthorized material or study aids for assistance on examinations or other academic work. Examples include but are not limited to looking at a peer’s exam, altering a graded exam and using notes without permission.

·      Fabrication: Submitting altered or contrived information in any academic assignment. Examples include but are not limited to using artificial intelligence, falsifying data, text material, or sources.

·      Facilitating academic dishonesty: Helping another student violate this policy. Examples include but are not limited to allowing one’s work to be copied, working together on an assignment where collaboration is not allowed and doing work for another student.

·      Self-Plagiarism: Self-plagiarism is submitting written papers or other work in a current class that students have previously submitted in a previous class. Once a student has received a grade and academic credit for work submitted in one class, a student may not re-use that assignment, in its same form, for another class. Exceptions to this policy: (1) If a student completed work for a class but did not receive official credit for that class and is re-taking the course, he or she may submit the former work for credit in the current class. (2) Faculty may allow students to use previous work in prior classes or previous work in the current class for assignments due in the current class based on developmental educational purposes.  An example of this would be a literature review completed for the first class in a doctoral program that is later used (and built on) in subsequent classes within a program. Other examples would include using developmental, rough draft narratives submitted for earlier assignments in the current class for later assignments in the same class. A third example would be work submitted for discussion forums that faculty approve to be used in current or future papers. Even these instances, though, should require a change to the assignment in some way so that the student is not simply submitting a previously-submitted assignment in a current class for the purpose of avoiding work. Finally, students should always ask their current professor for permission before submitting previously written and completed work unless this approval is explicitly stated in the course materials, thus obviating the need for such approval. 

Violations of the academic integrity policy will result in the following actions:

First offense

·      The faculty member will file a written report with the appropriate dean and send a copy to the student. Normally, the student should receive a substantial reduction or no credit for the assignment or test on which he or she has been dishonest.

·      The dean will review the faculty member’s report and a letter will be issued to the student.

Second offense

·      The faculty member will file a written report with the appropriate dean and send a copy to the student.

·      The dean will update the student’s file recording the violation of the academic integrity policy. Written notification will be given to the faculty member who reported the policy violation indicating that the student who violated the academic integrity policy should fail the course.

·      The student will be placed on probation.

·      The student must provide a written account of the academic integrity violation and the steps they will take to prevent future instances.

Third offense

·      The faculty member will file a written report with the appropriate dean and send a copy to the student.

·      The dean will update the student’s file to reflect a third violation of the academic integrity policy. Written notification will be given to the faculty member who reported the policy violation indicating that the student who violated the academic integrity policy should fail the course.

·      The student may face suspension or dismissal from the university, depending on the severity of the violation.

·      If a student is permitted to continue in their program, they must provide a written account of the academic integrity violation and the steps they will take to prevent future instances.

Fourth Offense

• If the student is allowed to continue at or return to Cornerstone and there is a 4^th offense, the student may be expelled from the university.

Students seeking to appeal academic integrity disciplinary decisions should consult and employ the policies outlined in the academic catalog.

Graduate and Seminary Academic Integrity Policy

Cornerstone University and Cornerstone Theological Seminary are committed to a high standard of academic honesty and integrity among its students. Academic integrity is absolutely necessary in the search for and advancement of truth. Dishonesty in any form  is not acceptable. The faculty trusts the integrity of Cornerstone students and encourages them to maintain the integrity of the faculty-student relationship. Academic dishonesty, therefore, is a serious breach of university standards and will result in substantial penalties. Violations of academic integrity include:

·      Plagiarism: Willfully submitting as part or all of one’s own work material that is copied or paraphrased from another source, including online sources, without proper acknowledgment of that source.

·      Cheating: Using unauthorized material or study aids for assistance on examinations or other academic work. Examples include but are not limited to looking at a peer’s exam, altering a graded exam and using notes without permission.

·      Fabrication: Submitting altered or contrived information in any academic assignment. Examples include but are not limited to using artificial intelligence, falsifying data, text material, or sources.

·      Facilitating academic dishonesty: Helping another student violate this policy. Examples include but are not limited to allowing one’s work to be copied, working together on an assignment where collaboration is not allowed and doing work for another student.

·      Self-Plagiarism: Self-plagiarism is submitting written papers or other work in a current class that students have previously submitted in a previous class. Once a student has received a grade and academic credit for work submitted in one class, a student may not re-use that assignment, in its same form, for another class. Exceptions to this policy: (1) If a student completed work for a class but did not receive official credit for that class and is re-taking the course, he or she may  submit the former work for credit in the current class. (2) Faculty may allow students to use previous work in prior classes or previous work in the current class for assignments due in the current class based on developmental educational purposes.  An example of this would be a literature review completed for the first class in a doctoral program that is later used (and built on) in subsequent classes within a program. Other examples would include using developmental, rough draft narratives submitted for earlier assignments in the current class for later assignments in the same class. A third example would be work submitted for discussion forums that faculty approve to be used in current or future papers. Even these instances, though, should require a change to the assignment in some way so that the student is not simply submitting a previously-submitted assignment in a current class for the purpose of avoiding work. Finally, students should always ask their current professor for permission before submitting previously written and completed work unless this approval is explicitly stated in the course materials, thus obviating the need for such approval. 

FIRST OFFENSE:

The penalty for first offense academic integrity violation includes failure in the course assignment or failure in the course and academic probation for one academic year. Penalties are imposed by the individual faculty member and the academic dean. Continuing enrollment following such violation requires a letter acknowledging that one understands what constitutes an academic integrity violation, taking full responsibility for the present offense and pledging to avoid such conduct in the future.

SECOND OFFENSE:

The penalty for second offense academic integrity violation includes failure in the course and suspension from the seminary or graduate program for up to one year. Penalties for second offense violations are imposed by the academic dean and Vice President for Academics. Readmission to the seminary or graduate program following a second offense violation requires a letter acknowledging that one understands what constitutes an academic integrity violation, taking full responsibility for the present offense and pledging to avoid such conduct in the future. Readmission will require the meeting of all conditions stipulated in the letter of suspension. No course work, internships or field education completed at other institutions during the period of suspension may be transferred to Cornerstone University or CTS for credit or used to fulfill Cornerstone or CTS degree program requirements.

THIRD OFFENSE:

The penalty for third offense academic integrity violation at CTS or Cornerstone University graduate programs includes failure in the course and permanent suspension from the program. Penalties for third offense violations are imposed by the Vice President for Academics.

Students seeking to appeal academic integrity disciplinary decisions should consult and employ the policies outlined in the academic catalog.