Board strives for academic honesty among students

KRISTIN AGOSTINELLI STAFF WRITER KMA724@CABRINI EDU

The Academic Honesty Board is set up to help maintain students’intellectual integrity here at Cabrini. The board deals with students who have been caught cheating or plagiarizing by their professors and provides appropriate punishment for the severity of their offense.

The Academic Honesty Board consists of the Dean for Academic Affairs, four full-time faculty members, four full-time undergraduate students and a student from the Accelerated Degree Program. When summoned for a hearing, there must be at least three faculty members and three students present in order to hear the case.

Depending on a student’s situation, there can be different forms of violation for academic honesty. Stated in the Cabrini College Undergraduate Catalog, cheating and plagiarizing violations include soliciting information regarding an exam or test from another student, to using a source in a paper or presentation by using exact words or paraphrasing without proper citation.

Other violations include falsification or fabrication of information, theft or destruction of intellectual property and facilitation of academic dishonesty.

If it is a student’s first offense against academic honesty, the professor will determine the punishment for the student using the guidelines set by Cabrini. Any infringement committed in the same course after that will result in a failing grade for the course without the opportunity of a withdrawal. Any punishment determined after that shall be heard by a hearing of the board.

The Academic Honesty Board at Cabrini is not set up to intimidate students, but rather to guide

“The board hopes to increase opportunities for students to increase their awareness of the importance of academic honesty and to increase the students’ level of understanding of ways they can apply academic honesty in their course work.” ber of the board, said. donors participating in the blood drive. She said it is the best way she can think of to save someone’s life. “It can take only 20 minutes out of my day, but it could mean the rest of someone’s life,” Flick said.

The Academic Honesty Board also upholds the appropriate punishment for a student who may be caught violating academic honesty. For instance, if caught cheating, a student may be punished by having to rewrite the paper, receiving a lowered grade on the paper or taking a reduction of their grade for that particular course; however, if caught a second time, the student may suffer suspension or even expulsion from the college if the situation comes to that degree.

When a student commits a first violation, the professor will meet with the student and discuss the charge that is being put against him or her. Also, the professor must complete an Academic Honesty Violation Charge Form, which states the violation and assigned penalty given to the student.

For “first-timers,” donors must remember to bring proper identification. It is suggested to increase fluid intake and eat normally before giving blood. Also, be prepared to tell volunteers the name of the medications being taken and the reasons why the medications are being taken. The

Red Cross advises that donors to relax, but that it is okay to be a little nervous.

Potential donors that will be too busy the day Cabrini will be holding the blood drive, but still want to donate blood, can call the toll-free number 1-800GIVE LIFE or visit www.pleasegiveblood.org. Otherwise, for additional information, please contact Ashley Szweda at aas722@cabrini.edu or Christa Angeloni at cma722@cabrini.edu .