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Reporting Academic Dishonesty

If you think you’ve discovered an academic integrity transgression, take these steps as outlined in this Faculty FlowChart:

  1. Ask yourself: Is it Academic Negligence or Academic Dishonesty?

If you are unsure, consult this page or contact the Academic Integrity Coordinator ([email protected]) to discuss the matter. Both academic dishonesty and academic negligence must be formally reported to protect the academic reputation of the College, to ensure consistency of sanctions, to hold students accountable so that they can learn from their mistakes, and to ensure that repeat offenders are identified and sanctioned appropriately.

Academic Negligence consists of a very minor, usually unintentional lapse of ethical academic behavior that the student should have known. It may result from misunderstanding expectations, inadequate pre-college preparation, or inattention to differences in cultural or disciplinary citation practices. It is treated as an opportunity for further education.

If you know that academic negligence has occurred, you are required to file an academic negligence report. You can access and complete this from your course roster in MyColby. Before doing so, you are welcome to consult with the Academic Integrity Coordinator or the Dean of Students Office.

Academic Dishonesty, on the other hand, includes, but is not limited to, significant plagiarism, violating stated rules for taking an exam or completing an assignment, presenting another’s work as one’s own, buying or attempting to buy papers or projects for a course, knowingly facilitating others in committing academic dishonesty, misrepresentations to faculty within the context of a course, an assignment, or an academic record.

If you believe that academic dishonesty has occurred, follow the following steps.

  1. Consult with the Academic Integrity Coordinator ([email protected]) as needed. Unless there is a compelling reason not to, discuss the issue with the concerned student (in person or via Zoom rather than by email). Try to bring up your concern in a nonconfrontational way (perhaps asking clarifying questions, such as to inquire how the assignment was completed, to ask what resources were used to complete the assignment, or to explain answers) as there might be an explanation that you haven’t considered for the issue that doesn’t involve academic dishonesty.

If, after these conversations, you believe that academic dishonesty has occurred, you must file an academic dishonesty report. You can do this via this report or by sending an email to the Academic Integrity Coordinator. To find out what happens when you file a report, consult this page.

If, after these conversations, you believe that academic dishonesty has not occurred, but rather academic negligence has occurred, you must file an academic negligence report. You can do this from your course roster in MyColby. To find out what happens when you file a report, consult this page.

If, after these conversations, you believe that neither academic dishonesty nor academic negligence has occurred, the matter will not be pursued by anyone and you need not take any further steps.