WNCC 2010 Self-Study Report - Western Nebraska Community ...

insubordination of a staff member, nor will it prevent the institution from evaluating the
work and effectiveness of each and every professional staff member, nor will it constitute
an excuse for non-compliance with the institution’s policies and procedure or for a
disregard for its welfare (RR 110).
Adherence to the Code of Ethics, copyright laws, and guidelines for academic freedom help to
ensure that both faculty and staff operate in an ethical, moral, and responsible manner.
Academic Integrity Statements and the Student Code of Conduct
Not only does WNCC support faculty and staff members in the responsible acquisition and
application of knowledge, but the College supports students through academic integrity statements,
guidance for the proper use of technology, the Student Code of Conduct in the College Catalog,
and many different student organizations and resources (RR 111).
The WNCC Catalog and the Student Planner contain statements that encourage students to be
responsible, law-abiding citizens; the sections also define and warn against academic misconduct,
including plagiarism and other forms of cheating. An Academic Integrity Statement is a required
element of a WNCC syllabus, assuring that students are aware of plagiarism and of the College’s
policy regarding academic integrity, as shown by the example of the recommended syllabus
statement presented below:
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Academic integrity forms a fundamental bond of trust between colleagues, peers,
teachers, and students, and it underlies all genuine learning. At WNCC, there is no
tolerance for plagiarism or academic dishonesty in any form, including unacknowledged
"borrowing" of proprietary material, copying answers or papers, using crib sheets,
unauthorized help during exams, altering tests, or passing off someone else's work as
one's own.
A breach of ethics or act of dishonesty can result in:
• failure of a paper or an exam within a course
• failure of an entire course (blatant plagiarism or cheating on a test or quiz)
• academic suspension or expulsion from the College
Honor Code
A WNCC Pledge of Honor was developed in early 2007 for students and faculty members in
developmental-level courses. The purpose of the statement, which is designed to provide
information and then allow for student and faculty member endorsement by signatures, is defined
as follows in this statement from the introduction of the document:
Members of the Western Nebraska Community College governing board, administration,
faculty, and staff believe that a fundamental objective of the college experience is to
provide students with a high quality education while also developing in them a sense of
ethics and social responsibility. We believe that earned trust is an integral part of the
learning process and that self-discipline is necessary in this pursuit. We also believe that
an instance of dishonesty harms the entire college community. It is with this in mind that
we set forth an Honor Code at WNCC (RR 112).
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