Academic Honesty Policy

Academic Honesty Policy 

The foundation of higher education rests upon Academic Integrity which requires honesty in scholarship, research, and all coursework. Students are always expected to submit their own work for all assignments, to present their own ideas in all discussions, and to properly credit and cite original authors and other sources when referring to the publication or sources used.

Students must not submit the work of another as their own or otherwise violate the Academic Honesty Policy. To preserve the integrity of Adam Smith University’s programs and maintain the high quality of education expected, the University’s staff must address any charge of a violation of the academic honesty policy. Automated tools to detect academic fraud, including plagiarism, may be in place and utilized. 

The Academic Administrators will review each alleged violation to determine if the Academic Honesty Policy was violated. A proven violation carries academic penalties. The due process procedures include a formal request for an inquiry submitted to the Dean and research to prove or disprove the charge. Students who are determined by the Dean to have violated the Academic Honesty Policy could be placed on Academic Review. If it is determined that the violation was willful or egregious, students could be Academically Dismissed. At his or her sole discretion, the Dean may issue any penalty subject to the severity of the violation. 

Academic Honesty Violations 

The following are considered to be violations of academic honesty. This list below is not exhaustive but captures the predominant violations.

Plagiarism 

Plagiarism is considered a type of fraud and the theft of ideas. Plagiarism is an act of taking someone else’s words, information, or ideas and using them or representing them as one’s own work. This includes not properly citing the source of the information or crediting the original author of words or ideas. When students use direct quotations, they must use quotation marks and cite the relevant sources. When students paraphrase material, quotation marks are not necessary, but the sources still must be cited. 

Cheating

Cheating is an act that involves breaking the rules of honesty and original work. Cheating includes submitting another’s work as one’s own, copying another person’s assignment, posting assignments online or otherwise receiving unauthorized outside assistance, or allowing another person to do one’s work.  Assisting another student in cheating, by knowingly giving or attempting to give unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any work submitted is prohibited and will itself be considered cheating.

Identity Fraud 

Allowing another person to access and participate in a course one is enrolled in is prohibited. Students are not permitted to share their username and/or password with anyone else, including any outside organizations. No student shall impersonate another individual for any purpose at Adam’s Smith University. No student shall attempt to access the account, records, or private personal information of any other Adam Smith University student.

Falsifying Records

No student shall submit or cause to be submitted any fraudulent, falsified, or altered records of any type, including identification documents, transcripts, or other records. Any attempt to register with or provide false information about oneself or one’s accomplishments is a violation.

Unauthorized Access 

Knowingly and purposefully accessing, editing, or viewing the account, records, or private personal information of any Adam Smith University faculty member, staff member, or administrator without authorization from Adam Smith University is prohibited. Students may not take, attempt to take, or in any unauthorized manner gain access to, alter, or destroy any materials pertaining to the administration of the educational process, including exams, grade records, or answer keys. 

Misuse of Computer Facilities

Students are prohibited from the malicious or intentional misuse of Adam Smith University’s computer facilities and/or information technology services. Students may not use the service in a way that violates the law of Trinidad and Tobago, including for purposes of copyright violations, unauthorized duplication of electronic information, or in a threatening or obscene manner. Students must abide by Adam Smith University’s rules regarding computer usage and may not attempt to alter, damage, or destroy any of the university’s information on the servers or another computer system. 

Penalties for Violations

The result of the investigation may lead to any of the following disciplinary actions, or any combination thereof, that can include but is not limited to: 

  • Issuing a warning, requiring the revision and resubmission of work or alternative assignment
  • Requiring the student to retake the entirety of an examination
  • Failing the student on the assignment or dismissing the student from the course
  • Requiring the student to participate in ethics training as a condition of continued enrollment
  • Placing the student on Academic Review status or suspending the student from the institution
  • Permanent Academic Dismissal from Adam Smith University

Adam Smith University has the right, at its discretion, to review any exams/assignments that have already been graded and to change the grade if Academic Dishonesty is discovered. 

In the event that an Adam Smith University graduate is discovered to have violated the Academic Honesty Policy the school may revoke his or her diploma as per the Revocation of Degree Policy.

Academic Honesty Appeal Process 

Students have the opportunity to appeal Academic Dismissal decisions through the Academic Honesty Appeal process. Requests for appeal must be sent to the President of the University within 15 days of receiving the academic dismissal. Submitting an appeal does not guarantee reinstatement. The appeal will be reviewed by the Board of Adam Smith University. The Board is composed of the current President of the University and the Directors of Adam Smith University, LTD. They will review the charge, student’s appeal, and decision of the Dean. If the decision on the appeal is to deny reinstatement, the decision shall be considered final, and no further appeal is allowed. If it is decided that the student shall be reinstated, the student will remain on Academic Review status until the Board determines otherwise.

Revocation of Degree Policy

If a degree or certificate recipient is found to have violated the Academic Honesty Policy, after the degree or certificate has been awarded, then Adam Smith University, at its sole discretion, may impose, as a penalty, a revocation of the degree and/or certificate, subject to the following procedures:

  1. The Registrar will submit a recommendation of revocation to the Board.
  2. The Board, upon reading the recommendation, shall publish notice of the intent to revoke the degree or certificate shall be published or send such notice to the student, detailing the alleged violation and basis for the revocation.
  3. The student may submit a written appeal in response to the intent to revoke, within 15 days. If within 15 days, the student does not submit a statement, the sanction of revocation of the degree or certificate becomes final. Otherwise, the President of the University will render a decision.
  4. If the President of the University accepts the appeal, the student’s record will show no information regarding the revocation. If the President of the University rejects it, all student records are permanently noted.