Scholastic Integrity
- Effective Date
- August 16, 2016; amended October 6, 2022, and August 5, 2025
- Board Policy Reference
- FLB
Purpose
It is the responsibility of students and faculty to maintain scholastic integrity at the College District by refusing to tolerate any form of scholastic dishonesty. Adequate control of test materials, strict supervision during testing, and other preventative measures should be utilized, as necessary, to prevent cheating or plagiarism.
If there is compelling evidence that a student is involved in cheating or plagiarism, the faculty member should assume responsibility and address the infraction. Likewise, any student accused of having violated the Scholastic Integrity Policy is entitled to due process to resolve the allegation.
If a student has been found in violation of the Scholastic Integrity Policy, the student’s name will be forwarded to the Blinn College Student Conduct Database.
Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but not be limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and collusion.
Cheating shall include but shall not be limited to:
- Copying from another student’s test or class work;
- Using test materials not authorized by the person administering the test;
- Collaborating with or seeking aid from another student during a test without permission from the test administrator;
- Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, or soliciting, in whole or in part, the contents of an unadministered test, paper, or another assignment;
- The unauthorized transporting or removal, in whole or in part, of the contents of the unadministered test;
- Substituting for another student, or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self, to take a test;
- Bribing another person to obtain an unadministered test or information about an unadministered test; or
- Manipulating a test, assignment, or final course grades.
Plagiarism shall be defined as the appropriating, buying, receiving as a gift, or obtaining by any means another’s work and the unacknowledged submission or incorporation of it in one’s own written work.
Collusion shall be defined as the unauthorized collaboration with another person in preparing written work for fulfillment of course requirements.
Artificial Intelligence
The College District acknowledges the educational potential of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) while prioritizing academic integrity and ethical conduct. It shall be at the instructional division’s discretion, in collaboration with the Curriculum Resource Team overseeing the course, to determine the degree and manner in the way AI may be utilized in each course. The course syllabi will outline in detail the AI policy for each individual course.
Scholastic Dishonesty Resolution
If a student accused of violating the Scholastic Integrity Policy wishes to appeal the decision, the student must make an appointment with the faculty member. If the student does not appear for the appointment, the faculty member will render a decision and, if applicable, an appropriate penalty for the infraction.
After discussing the incident with the student, the faculty member may dismiss the allegation, issue a verbal warning, issue a written warning and/or assign a grade to the assignment, ranging from a zero on the assignment to an F in the course. The decision should be forwarded to the appropriate dean or designee who will forward the information for inclusion in the Student Conduct Database once the opportunity to appeal has concluded.
If a student has received an F in the course as a result of a Scholastic Integrity Violation and the penalty stands after the end of the appeal process, the student may not drop the course.
A student who has been through the Scholastic Integrity Appeal Process may not request a Final Course Grade Appeal to contest the final decision determined by the Scholastic Integrity Appeal Process.
A student who wishes to appeal the faculty member’s decision may appeal according to the process below.
Scholastic Integrity Appeal Process
The process for appealing faculty decisions shall be initiated by the student as soon as possible following receipt of the decision but shall be filed no later than the end of five school days from the notification about the infraction.
If a student does not appear for a scheduled appointment at any level of the appeal process, any decision rendered at the preceding level stands. In such cases, a communication will be sent by the appropriate Vice Chancellor for instruction informing the student that the appeal is denied based on the student’s failure to attend a scheduled meeting. Students may request to reschedule a meeting without penalty no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled meeting time.
Standard of Review
The process for appealing faculty decisions shall be initiated by the student as soon as possible following receipt of the decision but shall be filed no later than the end of five school days from the notification about the infraction. The standard of review to be used in all proceedings under this policy shall be that of fundamental fairness. Strict rules of evidence and procedure are not required so long as the proceedings are conducted in such a manner as to allow both sides the opportunity to explore the circumstances fairly and fully. Discussion regarding the same shall be made by the party who is conducting the hearing.
Level I
The meeting between the student and the faculty member shall represent Level I of the process and shall be considered an informal meeting. If the conference is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student shall have five school days from the date of the Level I meeting to appeal in writing to the dean or designee.
Level II
The conference between the student and the dean or designee represents Level II of the appeal.
Prior to or at the conference, the student and the faculty member shall submit a written statement and copies of all coursework or other appropriate documentation to the instructional dean for review.
The dean, or designee, shall hear and evaluate the student’s complaint and shall then confer with the faculty member. The dean, or designee, shall put in writing his or her findings and related decision.
If the conference is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student shall have five school days from receipt of written notification to respond to the instructional dean, who will then defer to the appeals process for resolution. The instructional dean will notify the appropriate Vice Chancellor, Instruction of this decision in writing.
If the student does not request a hearing by an appeals committee within the five school days provided by this procedure, the student will forfeit the right to any additional appeal.
Level III
The appeals committee shall be initiated at Level III of the appeal. This ad hoc committee will be composed of three faculty members from three separate divisions, one of which must be the technical area. This committee is chosen by the appropriate Vice Chancellor, Instruction, or his or her designee, and shall be chaired by the appropriate Instructional Dean.
Upon notification of the student’s decision to pursue further appeal, the Instructional Dean will notify in writing the student, the faculty member, and the appropriate Vice Chancellor that the dispute will be referred within five school days to an appeals committee for review. The Instructional Dean shall submit to the appeals committee copies of all written documentation obtained from the student and/or the faulty member and written instructions concerning assignments from the faculty member.
Within five to ten days of the receipt of the written materials, the committee chair will convene the appeals committee to review the written materials submitted and shall schedule the date, time, and location of the hearing. The committee chair will notify all parties of the hearing. The student and the faculty member shall receive written notification from the committee chair that the issue will be reviewed by the committee within the given time frame.
The hearing shall provide an opportunity for both the student and the faculty member to be heard. No new written evidence may be submitted at the hearing. If witnesses are to be presented, a list must be provided to the chairperson of the appeals committee prior to the scheduled hearing.
The appeals committee shall make a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor, Instruction who will then make a final decision and notify the student and faculty member in writing. The decision of the appropriate Vice Chancellor, Instruction is final.