3.2.1. Academic Honesty

CHCA’s purpose is to foster academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment. An essential element in the learning climate is honesty. Academic honesty is compatible with the CHCA philosophy; therefore, cheating in any form is unacceptable behavior.

*See CHCA’s Vision/Mission/Values on our website.

Academic Dishonesty is:

• Copying or getting answers from another student on homework, class work, quizzes, labs, or tests; anything where individual credit or grades are given.
• Misrepresenting the work of others as one’s own. Helping another student understand a concept is different than just helping them find a fill-in-the-blank answer which is just a short cut. Once a concept is understood the student must express it in their own words not in the identical verbiage of another student.
• Using on-line resources such as teacher’s editions and solutions guides, without the permission of the teacher.
• Downloading internet material without proper referencing.
• Submitting the same essay, presentation, or assignment more than once whether the earlier submission was at this or another institution, without prior approval.
• Any form of cheating connected to test taking; looking on another student’s paper, using a “cheat sheet”, using unauthorized information stored in a calculator, computer, or phone.
• Taking pictures of tests, quizzes, etc. for the personal benefit, sharing with others or any other reason.
• Aiding a fellow student to misrepresent the work of others as his/her own.
• Group work, while a collaborative effort, is to include an honest participation from each group member.
• Violating authorized guidelines established by instructors for individual assignments and collaborative work.
• Using computers, calculators, cellular telephones and other forms of technology in unauthorized or inappropriate ways to obtain or complete work, assignments, or examinations.

The Student is Responsible to:

• assume all work is to be done individually unless specifically stated
• not “work together” on assignments to be graded individually
• set aside sufficient time to study
• participate actively in class and attend regularly
• protect work: do not lend or borrow homework
• fully participate and contribute to group work
• learn how to attribute work properly by citation, footnote, and bibliography
• not look at another’s test or allow his/her test to be seen
• not talk during a test or about the test until all class sections have taken it
• not represent the work of any family member or anyone else as their own
• not change a test item in any way when the test is returned for review

Academic, Behavioral, and Social Contracts

• The contract provides an opportunity for a student to correct a specific problem. Specific improvement guidelines will be clearly communicated in the contract.
• The contract will last for a quarter. If the student does not improve to a satisfactory level, he/she may be asked to withdraw from CHCA or the contract may be continued for one additional quarter.
• Three types of contracts may be administered:
  • Academic – A student must perform at an expected minimum level.
  • Behavioral – A student must cease disruptive/destructive behaviors.
  • Social – A student is prohibited from participating in activities such as athletic teams, school trips, music groups, etc.

Consequences of Academic Dishonesty

First Offense:

• Student will receive a “0” on the assignment, test, or quiz.
• Parents will be contacted
• Saturday detention
• A documenting letter is placed in the student’s discipline file
• If on the National Honor Society, the matter will be presented to the NHS Faculty Council for disciplinary action
• Student will lose eligibility to be selected for NHS for one year
  

Second Offense:

In addition to the above consequences, the student’s grade for the course in which the infraction took place will be lowered to a maximum of 50% for that quarter.