ETHOS

I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence. - Frederick Douglass

FEBRUARY 2014

A Monthly Publication of the International Center for Academic Integrity Featuring Summaries of Integrity News + News from the Center

Quote of the Month

From the Director

Oh--You mean cheating. Its a curious aspect of working with academic integrity that when we tell people about our work, they often understand it only in relationship to cheating. For many people, their first (and perhaps only) experience with the offices or personnel who handle integrity issues has been in connection with a breach. Of course that is part of what we do, but its only a small fraction of what must be done to create and nurture cultures of integrity. Getting the word out about the positive side of academic integrity can be as simple as including it in class discussions, school orientations, and professionalization activities. A two-pronged approach works bestletting students know that it matters and then helping them understand why it mattersto them as well as to us. It is vital that all members of academic communities understand that they share responsibility for maintaining the reputation of their school and the value of academic degrees that it grants. When we start with agreement about the fundamental values of academic integrity, we can turn our attention to the matters that are so much more than cheating.

New XF Grade to Appear at UNC Chapel Hill

By: Sarah Moseley DailyTarHeel.com 02/12/2014

Student transcripts could look a little different next year after the
implementation of contextual grading and the new XF grade. The new grading system would require that an X is added to an F grade when a student is convicted of violating the Honor Code. The X notation may be removed only if the student responsible participates in an ethics course which proves their renewed understanding of academic integrity, said Dean of Students Jonathan Sauls. However, making the effort to remove the X is completely voluntary. Sauls said the XF grade will improve the honor system while allowing students to gain a better understanding of the Universi tys academic standards. Although the proposal is awaiting formal approval by the Faculty Council and Chancellor Carol Folt, Sauls said he is confident it will pass. The notation is used by a number of other schools, Sauls said, but not all of those institutions allow students the opportunity to remove the X from their transcript. We thought it was important to have that redemptive quality, Sauls said. Theres an educative component for students to learn and grow from mistakes. The XF grade is one of several methods UNC is using to change its approach to academic conduct. UNC will also implement contextual grading in the fall that will show how well a student did in a course compared to their classmates. Theresa Raphael-Grimm, chairwoman of the educational policy committee, said contextual grading will tell graduate schools more about an individuals academic achievement while also curbing grade inflation over time. The committee recently increased the cutoff GPA for the Honors Program because grade inflation has increased so much over the last 20 years, Raphael-Grimm said. I dont think grade inflation is advantageous to students, she said. I think it really diminishes what an A means
Full Story: http://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2014/02/new-grade-of-xf-willappear-when-students-violate-the-honor-code

~Teddi Fishman
Look for the new edition of The Fundamental Values of Academic Integrity in your conference bags or via www.AcademicIntegrity.org

Harvard Honor Code Draft Ready for Feedback

By: Madeline R. Conway, Steven S. Lee TheCrimson.com

The Academic Integrity Committees April proposal called for the and distinct from the Administrative Board, that would hear cases of academic dishonesty. It also proposed that students be required to sign a declaration of integrity on major assignments and exams.

1/28/2014 creation of a judicial board, populated by both students and faculty

The Academic Integrity Committee has approved a draft of what could

prove to be Harvards first-ever honor code, and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Faculty Council will discuss the issue at its upcoming meeting Wednesday, Dean of Undergraduate Education Jay M. Harris confirmed. Academic Integrity Committee and drafting committee member Terah E. Lyons 14 said, and Harris confirmed, that the completed draft of Harris expects the honor code will be discussed at the first monthly the honor code contains three main tenets of last Aprils proposal Faculty meeting of the semester. The target date for t he the honor codes actual language, the integrity statement, and a implementation of the honor code is fall 2015, adding that there was too judicial board, now called an honor board, populated by students and much to put in place to implement it in 2014. The Facultys Feb. 4 faculty discussion comes 10 months after the Academic Integrity Committee first Read More: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/1/28/honor-codeproposed a five-point honor code and several months after a smaller draft-approved/ subcommittee began drafting the codes language in the fall.

Announcements
6TH International Integrity & Plagiarism Conference! 16 18 June 2014 Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

By: Joel Stonington Vocativ.com

Germanys Plagiarism Police

2/12/2014

The Australian Academic Integrity Policy Toolkit

The purpose of the Academic Integrity Policy Toolkit is to guide Australian higher education providers in: The development of their Academic Integrity policy; or In reviewing or auditing their existing Academic Integrity policy against exemplary practice for the purpose of improvement; or More effectively implementing and supporting their existing Academic Integrity policy. The Exemplary Academic Integrity Project (EAIP) is a strategic collaboration between the University of South Australia (UniSA) as project leader, Griffith University researchers and policymakers and Queensland Institute of Business and Technology (QIBT). EAIP has developed the toolkit to ensure that all Australian higher education providers have access to a range of resources to support institution-specific academic integrity policy. The Toolkit will assist higher education providers to meet the standards required by the Tertiary Education Quality Standards Agency (TEQSA). The Academic Integrity Policy Toolkit and resources on academic integrity including a plain English definition can be accessed on the project website www.unisa.edu.au/EAIP . For more information please contact the project leader Dr. Tracey Bretag (tracey.bretag@unisa.edu.au ).
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It all started with German Defense

Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and an allegation of plagiarism in his doctoral thesis. After he denied the charge, an anonymous group came together online to comb through his thesis for evidence that he had lifted passages. The effort quickly found endless examples of plagiarism, and Guttenberg resigned two weeks later.

http://www.plagiarismconference.org/ ___________________________________ We want your feedback! Visit our website and email comments, questions, and suggestions to: From that moment on, back in 2011, a CAI-L@clemson.edu!

new truth police took shape in Germanyan anonymous but open online effort to research the validity of plagiarism claims. The results have been nothing short of astounding as researchers turned their scientific prowess on folks who were too lazy or foolish to practice good research themselves. There are now dozens of documented cases of plagiarism that run from the resigned-in-disgrace Education Minister Annette Schavan to professors at small regional colleges. For members of the largely anonymous group, now called VroniPlag Wiki, its about science rather than politics. And as they out a growing list of people, members of VroniPlag Wiki say its as important to catch professors as it is to call out politicians. You know, other people spend their weekends in bleachers watching soccer games, says Debora Weber-Wulff, a member of the VroniPlag Wiki and professor of media and computing at Berlins University of Applied Sciences. This group of people likes research and they like documenting plagiarism http://www.vocativ.com/022014/germanys-plagarism-policetaking-politicians-professors/

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The International Center for Academic Integrity grants permission to duplicate and distribute this newsletter physically or electronically, so long as it is duplicated and/or distributed in its entirety and without alteration. Please note that this publication features summaries of and links to original works that are subject to copyright protection. ICAI does not claim ownership or credit for any original works found within. This publication is sponsored by:

Welcome new ICAI members February 2014!

Institutional Members
Saint Ignatius High School SUNY Buffalo

Ethos Staff:
CAI-L@clemson.edu

Aaron Monson: Writer / Editor Teddi Fishman: Executive Editor