Academic Conduct

Academic Conduct Statement of Principle

The Mission Statement of Campbell University states that the mission of the University “is to graduate students with exemplary academic and professional skills who are prepared for purposeful lives and meaningful service.” Consistent with this mission, the University expects students to exhibit ethical responsibility and personal integrity in their academic pursuits. 

The University Code of Honor states that members of the University community should be “honest in all behavior.” Each student of Campbell University, therefore, is expected to personally demonstrate academic integrity. That is, each student (1) should have an unwavering commitment to doing the best they can with their own intellectual resources, (2) should be truthful in all matters, (3) should maintain appropriate confidentiality when representing the University, and (4) should encourage academic integrity among all fellow members of the University community.  

By joining this University community, each student acknowledges and agrees to abide by the precepts stated above.  

Definition

Students are expected to uphold the high standards set forth above in all their academic pursuits. Regrettably, there are occasional lapses. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, the following:  

1. Providing assistance to another during an exam or on another assignment in a manner not authorized by the instructor.  
2. Copying from another student’s work, lab report, test, etc. 
3. Attempting to give or receive information relative to assignments, papers, quizzes, exams, etc., in wrongful and inappropriate ways.  
4. Providing specific information about a previous test, project, or other assignment which could thereby result in another person gaining an unfair advantage.  
5. Allowing one’s work to be presented as the work of someone else.  
6. Providing any unauthorized papers, notes, materials, etc. to another person.  
7. Using the words, ideas, or information of another source directly without properly acknowledging that source. This includes the use of work (or data) from another student, another author, the Internet, commercial services, artificial intelligence (AI), any portion of a computer program or data file, etc. 
8. Utilizing at any time or in any manner not previously authorized by the instructor  any portion of an exam or other material intended to be used for evaluation purposes in advance of its administration.  
9. Submitting the same work for more than one class without the knowledge and permission of all involved instructors.  
10. Attempting to influence or modify a grade or academic record in inappropriate or unfair ways.  
11. Concealing, removing, or destroying materials intended for the use of others.  
12. Consulting with other students on projects, papers, labs, assignments, etc. where such collaboration is not allowed by the instructor.  
13. Inappropriately using technologies in such a manner as to gain unfair or inappropriate adva​​ntages.  
14. Forging, falsifying, or fraudulently using university documents.  
15. Recording, scanning, or taking pictures of lectures/exams/quizzes/etc. without permission and utilizing them for private or public purposes.  
16. Disclosing confidential information to unauthorized sources.  
17. Failing to report instances of academic misconduct to appropriate officials.  
18. Lying in official matters, such as purposely furnishing false information.  

Faculty Actions and Student Sanctions

Whenever issues of academic misconduct arise, such as described above, instructor must determine the appropriate course of action. The instructor shall retain complete discretion in handling such situations and in awarding grades they deem appropriate. The faculty member’s decisions may be tempered by:  

1. A concern for seeking, discovering, and upholding truth.  
2. A concern for fairness to all students.  
3. A concern to uphold appropriate expectations on matters of academic honesty and integrity.  
4. A concern for determining and applying sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the offense.  
5. A concern of appropriate care for the well-being of (a) student(s) and of the broader academic community.  

Several courses of action are available to the instructor. For example, an instructor may, among other possibilities, counsel with the student as an initial means to educate and/or reform, counsel with the student and issue an initial warning, or allow the assignment to be rewritten or the test/quiz/exam to be retaken. Should the offense be sufficiently grievous that the instructor believes a sanction is in order, instructor may:  

      a) assign a lower grade on the assignment, paper, quiz, test, lab report, etc., or  

      b) assign a failing grade for the course.  

Should either of these sanctions be applied, the instructor shall: 

      a) inform the student of the grade and the reason(s) for which it was assigned, and  

      b) send notification to the office of the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission documenting the sanction for academic misconduct to be placed in the student’s conduct file. 

Once a student has received a sanction in a course for academic misconduct, the student will be prohibited from officially dropping or withdrawing from the course.  

Should a student be assigned a second sanction as a result of academic misconduct, as verified in the Office of Student Life and Christian Mission, it is generally expected that the student will be suspended from the University for at least the remainder of the current semester and the following semester. A notation will appear on the student’s transcript: “Academic Suspension.”  

Appeals Related to Academic Misconduct

Academic Appeals – Academic Misconduct

The instructor retains complete discretion in the awarding of grades they deem appropriate. Should a student wish to appeal a grade decision by an instructor as a result of academic misconduct, the appeal shall be made to the Chairperson of the Academic Conduct Committee of the Faculty. In cases of a grade decision that is not the final course grade, the appeal must be made in writing within three (3) university business days of receiving the grade. In cases of a grade decision that is the final course grade, the appeal must be made in writing no later than one week after the beginning of the next academic term.  

The Committee will review the written appeal, and may, at its discretion, meet with the student and/or the instructor. Written notification of the Committee’s decision shall be sent to the student, to the instructor, to the Dean of the school to whom the instructor reports, and to the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission. The student will also have the right, should they choose to exercise it, of appealing in writing to the Dean of the school to whom the instructor reports. The student must submit the appeal within three (3) university business days of being informed of the Committee’s decision. The decision of the Dean, or of their designee, is final. Should the result of the appeal be to affirm the student’s appeal by overturning the decision of the instructor and the Committee, the Dean/Dean’s designee shall direct Student Life and Christian Mission personnel to remove the sanction letter from the student’s file.  

Appeal of Suspension due to Academic Misconduct

 In cases of a second offense, where the student is to be suspended from the University, the student has the right to appeal the suspension to the Executive Student Conduct Committee. The appeal must be made in writing to the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission within three​​ (3) university business days of receiving from that office notification of the suspension. The Committee will review the written appeal, and may, at its discretion, meet with the student and/or the instructor. The decision of the Executive Student Conduct Committee regarding the suspension is final, with no further appeal allowed. Written notification of the Committee’s decision shall be sent to the student and to the instructor. A copy of the notification will be filed both in the student’s conduct file in the Office of Student Life and Christian Mission and in the Registrar’s Office. If the Committee decision is to uphold the suspension, a representative of the Office of Student Life and Christian Mission   shall inform the Registrar to enter a notation on the student’s transcript: “Academic Suspension.”  

Removal of Transcript Notation on Academic Misconduct

A student who has undergone suspension, but re-enrolled with the University, may petition the Office of Student Life and Christian Mission to have the transcript notation “Academic Suspension” removed from the student’s transcript. In such cases, the following considerations must be met:  

1. The student must have achieved senior status (98 semester hours).  
2. In cases where the suspension was accompanied by a course grade of F being assigned, the student must have retaken and received a passing grade in the same course.  
3. The student must have had no subsequent instances of academic misconduct.  
4. The student must write a letter to the Office of Student Life and Christian Mission requesting a review of the record, with subsequent removal of the transcript notation.  

Upon receiving a student’s written request for removal of the transcript notation, the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission or designee shall review the record to determine if the above considerations have been met. In cases where the required considerations have not been met, the student will be notified in writing, with a copy of the correspondence preserved in the student’s conduct file. In cases where they have been met, the Registrar’s Office will be notified in writing, with a copy of the correspondence filed in both the Student Life and Christian Mission Office and the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar shall then remove the notation “Academic Suspension” from the student’s transcript. In any case involving removal of the transcript notation “Academic Suspension,” only the notation itself shall be removed; all official correspondence relative to the situation shall be retained in the student’s file in the Registrar’s Office.  

General Academic Appeals

Academic appeals are handled within the appropriate college or school. Any grievance of a student relating to an academic matter shall first be discussed with the instructor. Every effort should be made to resolve the matter at this level. If the grievance cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student shall discuss the matter with the appropriate department chair. If the grievance cannot be resolved with the department chair, the student shall discuss the matter with the dean of the school to whom the instructor reports. The decision of the dean in the academic matter is final.  

Undergraduate/Graduate Non-Academic Student Grievance Policy

If a Campbell University student (undergraduate or graduate) has a grievance of a nonacademic or non-discipline matter, the student may submit the grievance in writing to the Office of the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission. The written grievance should include the following: student name and contact information; the date of the grievance; the specific matter or issue that is involved; and a description of the specific grievance. The grievance will be investigated by a designee of the VP’s office or they may refer it to the appropriate administrators as necessary for investigation and review. Once the investigation is complete, the VP for Student Life and Christian Mission shall review the report of the investigation and render a decision, which shall be final.  

If the subject matter of the grievance falls under the jurisdiction of Student Life and Christian Mission, or if the grievance involves an employee under Student Life and Christian Mission and Christian Mission, the grievance shall be submitted to the Vice President for Student Life and Christian Mission who shall follow the procedures set forth above and renders a decision which shall be final.  

If the subject of the grievance is a Vice President, the grievance shall be submitted to the President who shall have the matter investigated and upon review of the findings render a decision which shall be final.  

Students should expect a timely, fair, and comprehensive review of their complaints to include personal discussions with appropriate administrators, and the opportunity to supply supportive documentation or the testimony of fellow students, faculty, or staff regarding their concerns. Subject to any required confidentiality of personnel records, the student shall be notified of the decision in writing within a reasonable timeframe but no longer than the semester they are in or 6 weeks, whichever is longer.  

Classroom Behavior

To ensure a climate of respect, civility and ethical responsibility in the classroom, Campbell University students are expected to display appropriate and professional behavior and refrain from engaging in disruptive activities that interfere with instruction.   

Instructors have authority to define what are disruptive activities and these activities may include, but are not limited to: 

• Using electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, tablets, etc. for activities that are inappropriate or unrelated to the class;   
• Interrupting the flow of class by arriving late or leaving and re-entering class other than for rare and exceptional circumstances;   
• Sleeping in class;   
• Speaking out of turn;   
• Behaving in a way that is rude, combative, belligerent, or abusive.   
• Communicating to faculty or others, with rudeness, incivility, or in belligerent or threatening language, or with harassing insistence or repetition, communicated verbally, written, or electronically, in person or in writing.  

Instructors have authority to outline additional behavioral expectations in the course syllabus and enforce expectations for appropriate classroom behavior by confronting disruptive students, asking disruptive students to leave the classroom, and reporting disruptive students to the Office of Community Standards. In addition, if participation is a component of a student’s final grade, instructors have authority to consider disruptive behaviors when assigning that grade.  

 A student dismissed from class or subjected to any other disciplinary action for disruptive behavior may be required to meet with the instructor, instructor’s department chair, dean, representative from Community Standards, and/or coach to address conduct issues.  Becoming belligerent or verbally abusive when confronted as a result of inappropriate behavior will result in that conduct being addressed in the Office for Community Standards under disorderly conduct.