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Touro University System Academic Integrity Policy

Policy revised August 2023

00:00:00
[A slide is shown reading "Touro's Academic Integrity Policy"]

NARRATOR: Today we will be talking about Touro University's academic integrity policy. In this PowerPoint, we will be covering Touro's academic integrity statement, how to act with integrity and to ensure fairness, what constitutes academic dishonesty, cheating, and plagiarism, and finally, the resolution of an integrity violation.

00:00:20
[A corkboard showing messages about intellectual integrity is shown]

NARRATOR: Intellectual integrity is a core value of the Touro University community. As a part of that community, you are expected to adhere to the highest standards of honesty, fairness, and professional conduct. The Touro University academic integrity policy is designed to guide students in completing their work with integrity and help faculty to foster an environment that promotes academic integrity. To read Touro's full academic integrity policy, please click the 'Statement on Academic Integrity' hyperlink.

00:00:51
[A desk with messages about academic dishonesty is shown]

NARRATOR: Academic dishonesty affects everyone in the Touro community. It undermines our shared intellectual culture, our ability to trust one another, scholastic quality, the trust of those who depend on the knowledge and integrity of our graduates, and student efforts and mastery of course material. Acts of dishonesty include cheating on exams, plagiarizing, utilizing AI tools without acknowledgement, facilitating the dishonesty of others, and lying.

00:01:21
[A lab whiteboard is shown with messages about Touro's academic integrity policy]

NARRATOR: Touro's academic integrity policy requires that students, faculty, and researchers act with integrity. This means you must properly acknowledge and cite any words, results, or ideas that are not your own. This includes words, results, and ideas from AI tools. You must properly acknowledge all contributors to a work and use no unsanctioned materials or unsanctioned collaboration. Additionally, you must treat everyone in an ethical manner. Do not facilitate academic dishonesty by others.

00:01:51
[A book is shown with messages about fairness]

NARRATOR: Adhering to principles of fairness ensures that every student is fairly evaluated based on their own work, ideas, results, and words. No student has an unfair advantage over others, students can freely develop their academic and ethical skills, and Touro University's reputation is maintained and enhanced.

00:02:11
[A desk with messages about plagiarism is shown]

NARRATOR: Plagiarism is using another's words, ideas, or results without appropriate citation or acknowledgement. This includes using AI-generated material. Failure to cite or acknowledge a source is the same as claiming it as your own original work. There is both intentional plagiarism and unintentional plagiarism. For example, improper attribution due to very poor citations.

00:02:32
[Posters about plagiarism are shown]

NARRATOR: Intentional plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, issues such as purchasing or commissioning a paper, copying any amount of another's work without attribution, using AI-generated material without both professor's permission and proper attribution, or copying clinical materials without personally performing the patient examination. Instances of unintentional plagiarism may include the failure to cite sources properly, not using quotation marks or block indentation when using another's exact words, or not making it clear when ideas were someone else's when summarizing or paraphrasing.

00:03:08
[A desk is shown with messages about cheating on an exam]

NARRATOR: Cheating is using unauthorized information, assistance, or materials to gain an advantage on school work. For example, receiving unauthorized assistance from a friend on a quiz or having ChatGPT answer an exam question for you. Unauthorized assistance is giving or receiving assistance or information in any manner. This could be person-to-person, notes, text messages, emails, or AI tools. It could also be using crib sheets or unauthorized notes unless the instructor provides explicit permission otherwise, or it could be copying from another individual's exam.

00:03:44
[A blackboard shows messages about academic integrity violations]

NARRATOR: In the event of an academic integrity violation, be it plagiarism, cheating, or use of unauthorized assistance, it will be reported. Students in breach of academic integrity are subject to sanctions. You can learn more about Touro's academic sanctions by clicking the hyperlink. There are two forms of resolution for an academic integrity violation. There is an informal resolution and there is a formal resolution.

00:04:09
[Computers showing the kinds of resolution are shown]

NARRATOR: For informal resolutions, faculty may try to resolve the issue directly with the student. Once agreed to, the faculty member may impose any range of Class C sanctions, which can be viewed by clicking the hyperlink. This informal resolution is binding and may not be appealed. Once resolved, the student must pass academic integrity tutorials. If for some reason an informal resolution cannot be reached or is deemed inappropriate, the matter will be submitted for formal resolution. This matter will be heard by a closed-door committee of faculty, and the final decision can be appealed by the student in certain circumstances.

00:04:49
[A Blackboard shows a quote]

NARRATOR: In closing, I want to leave you with words from our president, Alan Kadish, who said, "academic integrity affects every unit and individual involved in academic life" It is our hope that the policies and procedures presented in this PowerPoint will foster academic integrity throughout Touro University. Thanks for watching!

Introduction

In November 2010, President Alan Kadish appointed a broadly representative Academic Task Force to create a uniform policy for Academic Integrity across the then named Touro College and University System (TCUS). In addressing the issues raised by the President, the Touro College and University System, under the leadership of the Task Force, joined the International Center for Academic Integrity (based in Clemson University), conducted surveys of faculty, administration, and students, and examined best practices in all areas concerning academic integrity both within the Touro College and University System and throughout academic institutions nationally and internationally.

In June 2012, with the ratification of the TCUS Academic Integrity Policy, the Academic Integrity Council was appointed by the President and charged with interpretation and implementation of the policies, and to ensure that the policy was uniformly applied throughout the system. In August of that year, the Academic Integrity Statement, created for inclusion in all course syllabi, was disseminated, followed by posting of this statement on the Touro website, the college LMS and school catalogs. In 2015, a revised Academic Integrity Policy was created based on recommendations from the Council. In November of 2022, the Council was reconstituted with the change of TCUS to University status and the expansion of Touro University. The Council was charged with the following:

  1. To examine the current academic culture with regards to cheating and plagiarism, and the practices, policies, and procedures of the various Schools and Divisions of Touro University regarding the same.
  2. To consider issues concerning student plagiarism at Touro and recommend appropriate ways and best practices to eliminate the phenomenon, to the extent that it exists.
  3. To establish Touro’s policy regarding the unauthorized use of artificial intelligence (AI).
  4. To define optimal procedures for test administration and exam security—including the repeating of test questions, use of proctors, etc.—and to recommend additional policies and actions, as appropriate.
  5. To recommend a comprehensive structure and framework at Touro to ensure Academic Integrity throughout its schools, campuses, and programs.

The original Task Force sought to define policies and procedures that are clear, uniform, and appropriate to address current issues of Academic Integrity at Touro. Touro University owes a debt of gratitude to the Task Force.

In developing the TUS Policy on Academic Integrity, the Task Force drew freely from exemplary policy documents that were already in place within units of Touro University.

This document contains a Statement on Academic Integrity followed by a comprehensive presentation of violations of academic integrity. It delineates procedures in response to violations and contains recommendations for implementation of the Academic Integrity Policy. Additionally, this document provides best practices in the promotion of academic integrity to be adopted by faculty, staff, and students regarding training, test administration, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and plagiarism detection.

As President Kadish initially instructed the TCUS Task Force, “Academic integrity affects every unit and individual involved in academic life.” It is our hope that the policies and procedures contained herein will foster academic integrity throughout Touro University.