Why?
As stated on the Office of the Provost website, academic integrity is a primary value for any institution of higher education. Cheating on tests, plagiarism, and other forms of academic dishonesty and misconduct are completely unacceptable, especially at Villanova which prides itself on its commitment to the Augustinian values of truth, unity, and love.
Students and faculty have key roles and responsibilities as it relates to academic integrity, specifically:
- Students: The expectation is that students will read, become familiar with, and abide by Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity. Further, students should discuss any concerns they have with faculty and ask questions if they are not sure of expectations instead of making their own assumptions.
- Faculty: Members of the faculty are responsible for having an understanding of Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity and the Academic Integrity policy. As such, faculty should strive to foster and maintain an environment of academic honesty. To assist in achieving this, faculty are encouraged to include a statement regarding academic integrity in their course syllabus and proactively discuss how it relates to the work to be completed in the course.
Resources and Related Policies
- Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Villanova’s Office of the Provost Academic Integrity website
Policy
The Academic Integrity Policy has been established to provide a detailed overview of:
- Jurisdiction – Covers all cases where graduate or undergraduate students are alleged to have committed academic dishonesty at Villanova University except for the Charles Widger School of Law, which has its own policy.
- Procedure – Subsequent process that ensues if and when a faculty member believes that a student is in violation of Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity.
Villanova’s Code of Academic Integrity provides a detailed outline of rules, examples, and penalties regarding academic dishonesty. Examples include (but not limited to): cheating, fabrication of information, assisting in or contributing to academic dishonesty, plagiarism, submission of the same work for more than one class, unsanctioned collaboration, misrepresentation, forgery, taking credit for work done by others, stealing or damaging library books, or unlawfully copying computer software.
A Message from the Office of the Provost
As stated in the Academic Integrity Code, “When students come to Villanova, they join an academic community founded on the search for knowledge in an atmosphere of cooperation and trust. The intellectual health of the community depends on this trust and draws nourishment from the integrity and mutual respect of each of its members.” Students who are responsible for academic integrity violations meet with their college dean (designee). The dean’s designee will develop an individualized education program to help educate the student about the seriousness of academic integrity. Our goal is to make sure the student does not have a second academic integrity offense.
Dr. Craig Wheeland, Senior Vice Provost for Academics, Office of the Provost