For Faculty
Reporting Instances of Dishonesty in the Classroom
In order to effectively assess the pervasiveness of academic dishonesty at Middlesex Community College, faculty are encouraged to inform the Office for Community Standards when a violation occurs. In most cases, this information will be used for tracking purposes only. The Symplicity platform is used by the MCC Student Assessment and Intervention Team to securely store information and track repeat concerns. The MCC SAIT Referral Form can be used to submit a student name and description of cheating/plagiarism. Check the “No Action Needed” box if this will be handled per the syllabus and no further action is requested. This form can also be used to request consultation and/or potential follow-up with the student via the conduct process.
Discipline for Academic Dishonesty
The Middlesex Community College Code of Conduct includes Academic Dishonesty on its list of infractions yet this policy recognizes the right of faculty to manage their class, including addressing directly with students issues of cheating/plagiarizing.
The College supports appropriate faculty response in lieu of or in addition to the conduct process. When academic dishonesty is suspected, a faculty member may choose to issue a failing grade. Faculty are asked to identify their expectations and procedures in their course syllabus and ensure these are followed consistently and with due process. While faculty are encouraged to develop procedures for responding to violations in their classrooms, these may include referring the matter directly to the Office of Community Standards for administration under the Code of Conduct.*
Faculty may contact communitystandards@middlesex.mass.edu or 978-656-3174 to consult on individual cases. For particularly egregious instances or if there is evidence of repeat violation, the Code of Conduct may be employed in addition to the classroom response.
The Conduct Process at MCC is designed to be educational. While consequences for academic dishonesty tend to be punitive, the sanctions are designed to ensure the infractions do not reoccur and to support the accused student’s personal and social development. Sanctions are determined on a case-by-case basis.
*Where the issuance of a failing grade by a faculty member for academic dishonesty will result in a student’s dismissal from a program (for example in nursing and other health care programs), the charge of academic dishonesty shall be directly referred to the Office of Community Standards for administration, which shall be completed, where practicable, within thirty (30) days.
How to Get Involved
The conversation about MCC’s proactive approach and response to academic integrity concerns is ongoing. Faculty and staff interested in participating in the discussion should e-mail communitystandards@middlesex.mass.edu to get on a distribution list to receive information about upcoming webinars and dialogues.
Over the years, faculty and staff have expressed passion for making a difference and various committees and working groups have formed. See links below for more information.
2016 Mini-grant Recommendations