ACADEMIC HONESTY AND CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

Class Attendance

Regular attendance at all classes is important to the progress of the student. Classes are usually small in size which gives every student an opportunity to make a contribution in each class session. The exchange of ideas and the give-and-take of discussion are vital parts of the educational process. It is therefore important and necessary that students avail themselves of the opportunities afforded by the class sessions. Careful preparation for class is an important part of the total program. Instructors are usually willing to help a student with makeup work when the reason for class absence is reasonable and unavoidable. At the beginning of each semester, each instructor should inform students of all class requirements. Failure to attend the first class may cause a student to be dropped from the course at the discretion of the instructor. Freshmen are required to attend all classes. Students on academic probation must attend all classes by order of the Academic Standards Committee.

Missed Class Policy

The policy of Lake Erie College is that students are expected to attend all classes and complete all assignments and/or examinations during the posted times. Circumstances occasionally dictate that not all students are able to attend all classes. Absences therefore fall into three main categories: a) absences because of other class activities; b) absences because of official College functions; and c) absences due to personal/medical reasons. Regardless of the reason for the absence, the responsibility is upon the student to contact his/her instructor before the absence so that a mutually agreeable solution can be reached regarding the work to be completed and how the course grade may be affected in light of the absence(s). If the student and instructor are not able to negotiate a mutually agreeable solution, the student has the option of appealing to the Dean of the area for a final verdict. In the event of absences due to personal/medical reasons in which prior notice was not possible, instructors may require students to provide documented proof of the emergency. Individual instructors may establish attendance standards in their course syllabi which become criteria for assessment and evaluation. Students accumulating absences in excess of these standards risk significantly lowering their grade, and may thereby jeopardize their academic standing as a result.

Academic-Athletic Conflicts

At the start of each semester, student-athletes must determine if any conflicts exist between their academic (classes, projects, trips, etc.) and athletic (competitions, away games, etc.) schedules. It is the student’s responsibility to discuss these conflicts with his/her instructors. No classes are to be missed for practices. Further, student-athletes must notify their instructors, and make the necessary arrangements to complete missed assignments, take exams or secure lecture notes, per the policy above. All student-athletes are required to return the Student-Athlete Missed Class Agreement to the Athletic Compliance Office within the first two weeks of each semester of in-season competition. This agreement identifies the specific dates when travel for the purposes of NCAA-sponsored competition will require the student to miss class and/or assignments, and thereby establishes a mutual understanding between the student-athlete and his or her instructors regarding how missed assignments will be handled in light of the absence(s). The agreement must be signed by each of the student-athlete’s instructors prior to being returned to the Athletic Compliance Office. Failure to return a signed copy of the agreement will result in the student-athlete waiving his or her rights to dispute the loss of credit or grade penalty resulting from the absence(s). Upon notification of any non-scheduled contest (make-up games, postseason tournaments, etc.), the student-athlete must notify his/her instructors whose classes are in conflict and make arrangements to talk face to face with them immediately.

Statement of Academic Honesty

Liberal education nurtures students in their pursuit of wisdom and truth as active members of our society. Lake Erie College provides a supportive environment to struggle with new ideas and new perspectives to reexamine fundamental values. Coursework introduces students to the beauty of classical thought and the joy of the arts, along with the depth and majesty of the sciences. Instructors engage students to think in ways that they have not thought before, to learn to speak the languages of other people, and to become better, more complete human beings. Students learn by engaging with class issues themselves and using their own voice to express their achievements.

Students who submit academic work that is not their own expression are betraying the academic mission of the College. This constitutes academic dishonesty and is treated as a serious matter at Lake Erie College. A student with three separate incidents of academic dishonesty faces expulsion from the College. Although individual faculty members determine what consequences students will face for academic dishonesty in their classes, the Office of Academic Affairs of the College is authorized to take additional action when warranted.

Academic Dishonesty Procedure:

1. A faculty member may submit a final grade to the Registrar's Office at any time during the semester as a penalty for academic dishonesty. Submission of a final grade overrides the course withdrawal dates as published by the Academic Calendar.
2. After a faculty member has imposed a penalty for academic dishonesty in his/her class, the faculty member must forward the student’s name and supporting materials documenting the case to the Registrar’s Office for a confidential file. In order to protect privacy of students, other faculty members will not have access to the file or information of its contents. The Registrar’s Office will inform the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) who will then send a letter to the student reminding him/her of this policy.
3. In the case of a second offense, the Registrar will inform the VPAA of the student’s name and status. The VPAA will inform the student by email and by U.S. Mail that a second offense notice has been received and that a third offense will result in expulsion from the College. A copy of the letter will go to the Academic Standards Committee.
4. In the case of a third offense, the Registrar will inform the VPAA of the student’s name and status. The VPAA will then recommend to the Academic Standards Committee recommending that the student be expelled from the College through a formal letter to the Committee Chair. The VPAA will inform the student by email and by U.S. Mail that the student has been recommended for expulsion for academic dishonesty. The Academic Standards Committee will meet to review the file and determine whether to implement the expulsion or take other appropriate action. The Academic Standards Committee will record the outcome of its decision in the student’s file with a copy to the VPAA and the Registrar. The Registrar will formally notify the student of the College’s decision and include a description of the appeals procedure.

Specific Offense Appeals Procedure:

1. The student must first contact the faculty member in an attempt to resolve the issue. Students must contact that faculty member immediately upon receiving notification of the imposed penalty for academic dishonesty. 2. If the issue is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, he or she must appeal to the Dean of the area. 3. If the issue is still not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, he or she must appeal in writing to the Academic Standards Committee (ASC) within one month of receiving notification of the imposed penalty for academic dishonesty. The student must present compelling documentation in writing.

Expulsion Appeals Procedure:

1. A student who receives a letter notifying him/her of expulsion from Lake Erie College for academic dishonesty will have fourteen (14) business days from the date of the letter to submit an appeal to the VPAA. To file an appeal, the student must provide evidence demonstrating that he/she was not provided adequate process or that there was some serious injustice in the decision.
2. The VPAA will provide a copy of the student’s appeal to the Academic Standards Committee of the appeal. The Committee will provide a written rationale for the expulsion to the VPAA within fourteen (14) days.
3. The VPAA will then render a decision on the student’s appeal within fourteen (14) business days of receiving that information from the Academic Standards Committee. The VPAA’s decision regarding an expulsion is final.
4. Expulsion is effective immediately upon notification to the student by the Registrar, even when the student appeals. Thus, a student may not attend classes while his/her appeal is under consideration by the VPAA.