Statement of Purpose and Commitment
Ponce Health Sciences University (PHSU) is committed to providing an academic environment that is conducive to integrity, trust, and respect. The mission of PHSU is “To provide a world-class health sciences education to every member of our community through innovative, adaptive learning environments that empower students to excel as ethical practitioners and scientists.” This mission drives all policies and procedures at PHSU, including our Academic Integrity Policy. At PHSU, academic integrity is defined as the commitment to honesty, fairness, trust, responsibility, and respect in all aspects of academic work.
Scope
Academic integrity is central to this mission. It encompasses honesty, fairness, trust, responsibility, and respect in all academic endeavors. This policy applies to all members of the academic community, including students, faculty, and staff, and ensures that academic achievements reflect genuine learning and ethical conduct.
Definitions Related to the Academic Integrity Policy
The following are defined in terms of Academic integrity
Cheating: Cheating is the use of unauthorized assistance to gain an advantage over others and/or failing to comply with any reasonable direction or instruction from an officer, employee, or university agent regarding the conduct of a formal examination or assessment.
Cheating may include, but is not limited to:
- Copying from another student’s examination or work.
- Using assistance, notes, aids, artificial intelligence, or other technology, including cell phones, calculators, translation software, or internet-based applications not authorized by the instructor, to take quizzes or examinations or complete assignments.
- Acquiring, disseminating, or using any academic assessment form belonging to an instructor or staff member without prior approval.
- Engaging in or hiring someone to impersonate another individual for the purpose of taking a quiz, examination, or completing other academic requirements. Ask students for solutions to assignments, exams, and quizzes, and then submit these solutions as their own.
- Disseminating or sharing information related to assessments or assignments.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the presentation or representation of content as if the content were the student’s own without proper citation. Examples include thoughts, words, or data created by another source other than the student, not explicitly permitted by the instructor. This definition includes self-plagiarism, which is the use of material prepared for one class and submitted in another without proper citation and permission of the current instructor.
Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to:
- Directly presenting the written, artistic, or spoken work generated or created by someone other than the student, by artificial intelligence, or other technology without quotation marks, indented quotations, and proper citation to the source.
- Paraphrasing or incorporating the ideas, concepts, arguments, observations, images, objects, music, or statements generated or created by someone other than the student, by artificial intelligence, or other technology without proper source citation.
- Presenting information from the internet, produced by artificial intelligence, or other technology so that it appears to be the student’s work.
- Submitting as the student’s own, any work that has been entirely or partially prepared by another person, group, commercial firm, artificial intelligence, or other technology without proper citation.
- Claiming research advisors’ research ideas as the students’ own and using these ideas to apply for scholarships/assistantships/fellowships without research advisors’ approval/support.
Self-Plagiarism: Self-plagiarism is the act of reusing your own previously submitted or published work without prior acknowledgment.
This may include, but is not limited to:
- Submitting identical or substantially similar work in multiple courses or publications without explicit approval.
- Republishing previously published content as new or original work without clear referencing.
- Recycling significant portions of previous research, essays, or assignments without proper disclosure.
Falsification: Falsification is the misrepresentation of fact for academic gain. Falsification may include, but is not limited to:
- Lying to or deceiving an instructor or any other university representative regarding academic work.
- Fabricating or misrepresenting documentation or the data used in completing assignments or research.
- Misrepresenting or altering information in the academic records of an instructor, academic or administrative department, or unit of the university.
Facilitating Dishonesty: Facilitating dishonesty refers to deliberately helping, encouraging, or enabling another person to commit acts of academic misconduct or integrity violations. This includes actions such as:
- Allowing others to copy or submit your work as their own.
- Providing unauthorized assistance during exams or assignments.
- Sharing exam or assignments content, answers, or solutions without authorization.
- Creating or distributing materials designed explicitly to facilitate cheating, plagiarism, or other unethical behaviors.
Collusion: Collusion is the unauthorized collaboration in a deceitful manner with another person or persons to give or gain an academic advantage in completing an assignment, quiz, or examination that has been restricted to individual effort. Collusion does not include receiving help from authorized University assistance such as advisors, librarians, tutors, or counselors.
Collusion may include, but is not limited to:
- Paraphrasing another student’s assignment and submitting it as their own.
- Having another individual or group do an assessment task.
- Giving solutions to assignments, exams, and quizzes to other students.
Breach of Academic Integrity: A breach of academic integrity refers to any action or behavior that violates the established ethical standards and guidelines of academic conduct. These include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, cheating, collusion, fabrication, facilitating dishonesty, and falsification.
Responsibility: Responsibility refers to the obligation of students and scholars to understand and adhere to ethical standards, policies, and guidelines set by PHSU.
- To take ownership of their own learning, research, and scholarly activities. Ensure accuracy and authenticity in their work, properly citing and acknowledging the contributions and ideas of others.
- Avoiding misconduct such as plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, falsification, collusion, or self-plagiarism.
- Accept accountability for the consequences of their actions, including academic penalties for any breach of academic integrity.
Respect: Respect involves recognizing and valuing the intellectual contributions and rights of others.
This includes acknowledging peers’ work, ideas, and creativity, research, and scholarship through proper citation and referencing. Investigation: An investigation refers to the impartial process undertaken by the university to determine whether a breach of academic integrity has occurred. This typically involves:
- Notifying involved parties
- Gathering relevant evidence
- Interviewing involved parties
- Reviewing evidence objectively
- Making a determination
- Recommending or implementing appropriate consequences
Fairness: Fairness refers to the consistent, impartial, and equitable treatment of all individuals. PHSU strives to apply academic rules and policies equally to all students and faculty members without bias or favoritism and to provide clear expectations and standards for academic performance and behavior. PHSU will conduct impartial investigations into allegations of academic misconduct, ensuring due process for all parties involved.
Honesty: Honesty refers to being truthful, transparent, and genuine in all academic activities and interactions. This includes:
- Presenting original work, clearly distinguishing one’s ideas from those of others.
- Accurately citing and acknowledging sources, contributions, or assistance received from others.
- Truthfully reporting research methods, data, findings, and results without fabrication or falsification.
- Avoiding deception, cheating, or misrepresenting one’s academic achievements or competencies.
Academic Integrity Officer: a designated university official responsible for overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Academic Integrity Policy. The AIO ensures that reports of academic misconduct are addressed fairly, consistently, and confidentially across the institution.
Key responsibilities include:
- Receiving and reviewing reports of alleged academic integrity violations.
- Notifying involved parties and coordinating timely communication throughout the investigation process.
- Advising faculty, staff, and students on the appropriate handling of suspected breaches.
- Facilitating both informal and formal resolution processes.
- Convening and supporting the ad hoc review committees.
- Ensuring due process is followed and that all parties are treated with respect, impartiality, and transparency.
The AIO serves as a central resource for promoting a culture of academic honesty, providing guidance, education, and support to the PHSU community.
Trust: Trust refers to the confidence that students, educators, the institution, and community have in the reliability, fairness, and honesty of academic processes and outcomes. It includes:
- Belief in the authenticity and validity of students’ and scholars’ work.
- Confidence in fair and transparent evaluation methods and decision-making processes.
- Assurance that academic standards and ethical guidelines are consistently upheld.
- Reliance on individuals and institutions to accurately manage, report, and represent academic activities and achievements.
Restorative Educational Opportunity: A restorative educational opportunity is aimed at helping students, faculty, and staff learn from their misconduct, rebuild trust, and reintegrate positively into the academic community. This includes but is not limited to:
- Activities or coursework designed to deepen the understanding of academic integrity principles.
- Opportunities for students to acknowledge responsibility, reflect on their actions, and understand the impact of their behavior.
- Initiatives that repair harm done to the academic community and support the student’s re-engagement in ethical practices.
Hearing: A hearing is a formal proceeding conducted by an academic institution to review and determine whether an accused student, faculty, or staff member has violated institutional policies or ethical standards. When called, the accused person must attend a hearing. The hearing clearly outlines the accusations and evidence of misconduct. It allows the accused to present their perspective, provide evidence, and respond to allegations. It also provides the opportunity for witnesses or relevant individuals to offer evidence or clarification.
Responsibilities of Key Stakeholders
Students
Students are responsible for understanding the policies and standards by being familiar with and adhering to institutional rules regarding academic honesty and integrity. They must ensure that all submitted work reflects personal effort, understanding, and original thought. They must accurately cite and reference all ideas, words, data, and contributions of others used in academic assignments. They must refrain from using unauthorized materials, copying from others, self-plagiarizing, or engaging in any dishonest behavior. They must obtain necessary permissions and appropriately use resources, data, or materials produced by others. Students have a duty to report any observed breaches of academic integrity promptly and honestly to appropriate authorities. They must act truthfully in examinations, research activities, group work, and other academic exercises. They must take responsibility for one’s actions and accept consequences or sanctions resulting from breaches of academic integrity. Students will be required to formally acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of the academic integrity standards.
Faculty
Faculty will communicate standards, policies, and expectations related to academic integrity at the outset of courses and academic activities. In addition, faculty will:
- Foster an environment emphasizing honesty, fairness, trust, and ethical behavior in academic work.
- Develop assignments, exams, and assessments that minimize opportunities for misconduct and accurately measure student learning.
- The faculty Provide guidance on proper citation practices, plagiarism prevention, research ethics, and the responsible use of resources.
- Identify, document, and report suspected breaches of academic integrity promptly, objectively, and consistently according to institutional procedures.
- Demonstrate ethical conduct in their academic and scholarly activities, exemplifying integrity and professionalism.
Administration
The departments of Academic and Student Affairs will develop, communicate, and regularly update institutional guidelines on academic integrity, including definitions, expectations, and consequences. They will oversee consistent and fair application of academic integrity policies, including transparent investigation processes and appropriate sanctions for misconduct. PHSU will offer educational resources, workshops, and training for faculty, students, and staff on maintaining academic integrity and preventing misconduct. PHSU will promote and foster an institutional environment where all community members value, emphasize, and model integrity. They will provide faculty and staff with adequate resources and support to effectively address, report, and manage instances of academic misconduct. Administrators will ensure fair and impartial review processes for students or faculty accused of misconduct, safeguarding their rights and maintaining transparency. Administrators will regularly assess and evaluate the effectiveness of academic integrity policies, making improvements based on feedback and best practices.
Reporting and Investigation Procedures
PHSU ensures confidentiality in all aspects of academic integrity breaches; all students, faculty, and staff are subject to this policy. All cases, names of individuals, facts, evidence, and comments will remain confidential. Every effort will be made to ensure completion of the academic integrity process within 30 days of initial reports.
Informal procedure
PHSU recognizes that in some occasions, people unknowingly engage in conducts that breach academic integrity. If a faculty member is unsure whether an incident constitutes a breach of academic integrity, they should consult with their chair, program leadership, or the Academic Integrity Officer (AIO) on how to proceed. The university encourages an informal approach regarding concerns of breach of academic integrity. The observer should communicate in person/writing as soon as the breach has been observed. Discussion or presentation of evidence should allow for the resolution of the matter.
Formal Procedure
A formal procedure begins when an academic integrity breach report is filed with the AIO. The report can be filed by any university member. The AIO will notify the student through their PHSU email of the finding(s), possible sanctions, and due process steps within 48 business hours of receipt of the report.
The student must acknowledge or refute the finding(s) via their PHSU email within five (5) business days. Failure to respond within five (5) business days will be considered acceptance of responsibility.
1. If the student acknowledges the breach of academic integrity to the AIO within five (5) business days, the AIO will establish an ad hoc committee to review the evidence. The Ad Hoc committee will be a five-member body comprised of faculty/staff appointed within the university.
The committee will make a determination within five (5) business days after formation.
The ad hoc committee will send the Professionalism and Conduct Committee or Promotions Committee a formal letter with recommended sanctions for ratification.
2. If the student refutes the finding(s) to the AIO via their PHSU email within five (5) business days. An investigation begins.
The AIO and the Associate Dean of Student Affairs or designee will meet with the student. During that meeting, the finding(s) and due process will be explained, and the student will have the opportunity to present their perspective of the incident and any supporting evidence.
Afterwards, the AIO will establish an ad hoc committee to review the evidence. The Ad Hoc committee will be a five-member body comprised of faculty/staff appointed within the university. The committee will make a determination within five (5) business days after formation.
The ad hoc committee will send the Professionalism and Conduct Committee or Promotions Committee a formal letter with recommended sanctions for ratification.
Sanctions for Violations
Sanctions of current students
Sanctions will be based on whether the breach is a first or repeated occurrence, and/or the severity of the breach. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to:
The faculty may determine whether the incident is appropriate for a restorative educational opportunity and no formal sanction is applied.
The student may be required to repeat/revise the assignment or complete an alternative assignment.
The student may receive a lowered, failing, or zero grade on the examination or assignment.
The student may receive a lower or failing grade in the course in question. Pending final resolution, the student shall have the right to continue in the course without retaliation or penalty.
A student may be placed on academic probation.
If applicable, the student may be dismissed from their academic program/department per the academic program/department dismissal policy.
The student may be suspended or expelled from the University.
A permanent note in the academic record may be reported.
Sanctions Post-Award
If a breach of academic integrity is determined after credentials or awards are conferred, PHSU reserves the right to revoke them. Licensing boards will also be notified.
Due process refers to a structured, transparent, and impartial procedure that ensures fair treatment of individuals accused of misconduct. The student will be informed of the allegations, evidence, and procedures. A fair hearing or investigation will allow the student to present their perspective, respond to allegations, and provide evidence. The university will strive to conduct the process objectively, free from bias or conflict of interest. The decisions, outcomes, and rationales will be communicated.
Students are allowed to challenge decisions regarding academic integrity violations formally. The student must appeal any decision within five (5) business days. The appeal will be via a letter to the Vice President of Academic Affairs or designee. The letter must state the grounds for appeal. The Vice President of Academic Affairs will appoint an appeals committee to thoroughly review the evidence, decision, and any new evidence or rationale presented through the letter of appeal. A hearing may be held to allow the student an opportunity to present their reasoning for appeal and any new evidence. Upon completion of review, the Vice President of Academic Affairs will notify the student of the outcomes. The decision made by the appeals committee is binding, and no further appeals can be made.
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