Academic Integrity Policy
Strayer University holds its students and employees to high standards of academic excellence and views academic integrity as an essential foundation of that excellence. The following policy defines the Honor Code as well as acts of academic misconduct that Strayer University considers to be in violation of the Honor Code. The policy further provides procedures for reporting acts of academic misconduct that are more severe than minor errors/omissions, the sanctions that may follow the commission of such acts, and the university’s appeal process.
I. The Honor Code
Strayer University expects all students to abide by the Honor Code, starting from the day they are enrolled at the University. The Honor Code reads as follows:
I promise to conduct myself with integrity in the submission of all academic work to the University and will not give or receive unauthorized assistance for the completion of assignments, research papers, examinations, or other work. I understand that violation of the Academic Integrity Policy and/or Ethical Standards & Appropriate Use of AI for Students guidelines will lead to disciplinary action against me, up to and including suspension or expulsion from the University. I understand that all students play a role in preserving the academic integrity of the University and have an obligation to report violations of the Academic Integrity Policy committed by other students.
II. Acts of Academic Misconduct
A. The University has determined the following acts of academic misconduct to be in violation of the Honor Code; these acts include but are not limited to:
1. Cheating;
2. Plagiarism (which includes copying words or ideas from one or more sources without giving them credit and/or copying the words or ideas from one or more sources that comprise the majority of your work, whether credit is given to those sources or not);
3. Fabricating data or citations;
4. Copying and pasting discussion posts or other work without proper citation;
5. Failure to place direct quotes within quotation marks along with the proper in-text citations and references documenting the source of the quote;
6. Providing incorrect information about the source of a quotation;
7. Unacceptable paraphrasing, which includes, but is not limited to, failure to use in-text citations and/or references when properly paraphrasing, or borrowing too closely, too much, and/or too often from an external source (with or without giving credit to the original author). For example, replacing a few words in a sentence with synonyms, while keeping the same or similar sentence structure as the original work. When a student paraphrases correctly (using their own words and sentence structures as well as proper citation), this act demonstrates that they understand what they have read and how the source’s ideas support their assignment.
8. Stealing examinations;
9. Using instructor editions of textbooks without authorization;
10. Having another student or non-student perform some or all of a project, take some or all of an exam, take an entire course or submit any work assigned in a course as though he or she were the student; or, as a student, performing or offering to perform some or all of a project, take some or all of an exam, or take an entire course or submit any work assigned in a course for another student;
11. Facilitating another student’s act of academic misconduct (such as, but not limited to, posting Strayer University assignments, discussion posts, exam questions, and/or answers, etc. on an external site);
12. Soliciting work from a student or non-student;
13. Using technology or other means to disseminate exam questions and/or answers;
14. Tampering with the academic work of another student;
15. Resubmitting work completed in another course (with the following exceptions: compiling previous coursework into a Capstone course if approved by the Capstone instructor in advance; resubmitting work into a course that the student is retaking, provided that the original work submitted in the same previous course was not in violation of the Academic Integrity policy), or resubmitting work completed at another university; and
16. Submitting another student’s (or non-student’s) work found or solicited on the Internet (or elsewhere) in response to any assigned university course prompt (including, but not limited to, discussions, assignments, assessments, and presentations). This act is a violation regardless of whether the work is submitted verbatim or reworded slightly, and regardless of whether credit is given to the source.
17. Violations of the University’s Ethical Standards & Appropriate Use of AI for Students guidelines.
B. The University reserves the right to review any work (draft or otherwise) or exam submitted by a student during his or her entire academic career at Strayer for the purposes of this policy.
III. Procedures for Reporting Academic Integrity Violations
A. The Office of Student Affairs receives, investigates, and tracks incidents of Academic Integrity Violations.
B. Instructors, employees, or any other member of the University community may report violations of the University’s Academic Integrity Policy. Instructions for reporting a violation are found in the Academic Integrity Procedures.
IV. Possible Sanctions for Academic Integrity Violations
A. If an instructor determines that a violation has occurred, the instructor will review the submission and issue a grade sanction commensurate with the violation; for severe or repeated violations, the grade sanction may include issuing a zero grade on the assignment. The instructor will then report any sanction issued to the Office of Student Affairs as laid out in Section V below. Based on its review of the violation, the Office of Student Affairs may issue additional sanctions as laid out in Section IV.B. herein.
B. The Office of Student Affairs may determine whether additional sanctions, above and beyond the instructor issued grade sanction, will be imposed. Those sanctions for academic integrity violations may include one or more of the following: Code of Conduct Warning letter (Level 1 or 2); pre-warning letter; remediation letter/activities; reduced grade on an assignment, discussion, or other course work; reduced final course grade; administrative course failure (F**), noted on the student’s permanent record; delayed or immediate suspension for a designated period of time; delayed or immediate expulsion; and revocation of a degree awarded at Strayer University.
C. Honors Implications:
1. Upon a student receiving a sanction from the Office of Student Affairs for an academic integrity violation, the student will be suspended from the Honors program.
2. Students suspended from the Honors program may request to be reinstated and should contact honors@strayer.edu for further details on the reinstatement request process. Reinstatement of eligibility applies only for future eligibility to participate in the Honors program. Reinstatement of eligibility does not reinstate the Honors transcript designation for an Honors course in which an academic integrity violation occurred nor does it change any consequences or records of the academic integrity violation. To appeal the violation itself, students should follow the appeal processes noted below.
3. Upon a student receiving a subsequent sanction from the Office of Student Affairs for a subsequent academic integrity violation, the student is no longer eligible for the Honors program for the remainder of the academic journey at Strayer.
4. If a student is suspended from the University for a non-academic integrity violation of the Code of Student Conduct, without any prior academic integrity violations, the student is no longer eligible for the Honors program unless an appeal hearing for the violation is granted and the University then reverses the disciplinary suspension. If a student is suspended from the University for a non-academic integrity violation of the Code of Student Conduct, but with one or more prior academic integrity violations, whether the student has the opportunity to appeal for reinstatement of their eligibility for the Honors program will follow the paths above relative to the number of academic integrity sanctions issued.
5. In addition, if an academic integrity violation occurs in an Honors course, the student will not receive an Honors transcript designation for that course.
6. If a student of the Jack Welch Management Institute receives a sanction for an academic integrity violation, the student will no longer be eligible for a Welch Scholar or Graduate Distinction designation.
D. If a Strayer student fails to meet the standards established in this Academic Integrity Policy, and they are an employee of Strayer University, its parent company, or its affiliates, then said employee will also face corrective action up to and including possible termination of employment.
V. Administration of Sanctions
A. Violations
1. Upon reasonable determination that a student violated the Academic Integrity Policy, the instructor will take the following actions:
a) The instructor will issue a grade sanction as described in Section IV.A and provide an explanation to the student in writing regarding the offense and grade sanction assessed.
Note: Corrective resubmission opportunities are at the discretion of the instructor, in accordance with the course assignment resubmission policy. Resubmissions of course assignments will not be accepted after the last day of class unless otherwise specified in writing by the instructor. Violations must be reported to the Office of Student Affairs regardless of resubmission opportunity.
b) The instructor will report the violation and imposed grade sanction to the Office of Student Affairs.
2. On receiving notification of a possible academic integrity violation, whether from an instructor or otherwise, the Office of Student Affairs will review the alleged violation in the context of the student’s full prior disciplinary history, and may impose additional sanctions as described in Section IV B. Sanctions issued by the Office of Student Affairs for academic integrity violations are separate and distinct from instructor grading sanctions.
Note: The Office of Student Affairs may determine in some instances that a student should receive an academic integrity administrative failure (F**), without need of instructor referral.
3. Academic integrity violations are considered conduct violations, as noted in the Code of Student Conduct in the Student Handbook and are treated as such by the University.
B. Records and Financial Responsibilities
1. Student records: Course failure, suspension, expulsion, or degree revocation will be permanently noted on the student’s transcript along with an indication that the action was taken because of an academic integrity violation.
2. Financial responsibility: Consistent with Strayer policy on institutional charges and refunds, the student shall remain financially responsible for all tuition charges and other fees incurred during the quarter of enrollment wherein the violation occurred.
VI. Appeals of Grade Sanction Imposed by Instructor
A. Students desiring to appeal an instructor-issued, academic integrity related grade sanction must email their appeal to academicintegrity@strayer.edu within 10 business days of being notified of the instructor-issued sanction. The appeal must include a detailed, written explanation of why the sanction should not stand, along with any supporting evidence. The grounds for appeal shall be: (a) new or previously not considered evidence that shows no violation took place; (b) the consequences were not commensurate with the offense; and/or (c) failure to follow procedures constituted an error. The decision of the Office of Student Affairs is final.
B. Students desiring to appeal their final grade in any given course should follow the grade appeal procedures outlined in the Academic Grievance Procedures section of the Student Handbook.
VII. Appeals of Sanctions Imposed by the Office of Student Affairs
A. Students shall have 10 business days to appeal after being notified by the Office of Student Affairs that they have been issued a code of conduct Level 1 or Level 2 warning; have been suspended or expelled; have received an administrative failure in one or more courses; or have had a degree revoked for an academic integrity violation.
B. Timely appeals of a Level 1 or Level 2 warning will be reviewed by the Assistant Vice Provost, Student Affairs (or designee). All appeals must include a detailed, written explanation of why the warning should not stand, along with any supporting evidence. The grounds for appeal shall be: (a) new or previously not considered evidence that shows no violation took place; (b) the consequences were not commensurate with the offense; and/or (c) failure to follow procedures constituted an error. The Assistant Vice Provost, Student Affairs (or designee) will review the appeal and respond to the student directly. Level 1 and Level 2 warnings are not eligible for appeal hearings before the Disciplinary Committee. The decision of the Assistant Vice Provost, Student Affairs (or designee) is final.
C. Timely appeals of suspensions and expulsions will be reviewed by the University Designee (appointed by the University President or Provost) for consideration of an appeal hearing. All appeals must include a detailed, written explanation of why the warning should not stand, along with any supporting evidence. The grounds for appeal shall be: (a) new or previously not considered evidence that shows no violation took place; (b) the consequences were not commensurate with the offense; and/or (c) failure to follow procedures constituted an error. If the University Designee determines that the appeal letter contains sufficient evidence to warrant an appeal hearing, a disciplinary hearing chaired by the University Designee will be scheduled. The student will be informed in writing about the Disciplinary Committee’s decision within 10 business days after the date of their appeal hearing. The decision of the Disciplinary Committee is the University’s final response. If the University Designee determines that sufficient grounds have not been established to warrant an appeal hearing, the decision of the Office of Student Affairs is the University’s final response. Details about the appeal process may be found in the Disciplinary Procedures in the Code of Student Conduct Policy.
D. Students understand that the Academic Integrity Policy may at times be revised, and in all such instances students agree it is their responsibility to remain apprised of developments and abide by the most recent version of the Academic Integrity Policy.
E. In order to preserve the integrity of Strayer’s grading and to ensure that the grades reflected on a student’s transcript are accurate, the University will not honor any requests for the official or unofficial transcripts of a student until the conclusion of the Office of Student Affairs’ review and/or the Disciplinary Committee’s proceedings. Should a student appeal any of the consequences herein, transcripts will not be released until the final conclusion of the appeals process. If the final disposition involves a change to a final grade, transcripts will be released after a reasonable period of time to adjust the student’s grade accordingly.
F. The University will strive to schedule appeal hearings before the start of the next academic quarter, but this may not be possible in all cases. Students who have been suspended or expelled will not be permitted to enroll until and if a decision is made by the Disciplinary Committee to overturn a suspension or expulsion.