02-028 Student Academic Integrity Policy

Last Update: June 11, 2026

Approved: June 11, 2026 by Zvi Szafran

Policy Contact: Provost/VP for Academic Affairs

Supersedes:

The State University of New York at Canton is an institution of higher learning where academic excellence is embraced, and the highest standards of academic integrity are practiced.

I. SCOPE

Students
Faculty
Academic Affairs Division

II. POLICY STATEMENT

The State University of New York at Canton holds its academic community to the highest standards of academic integrity.We believe that for students to have successful careers in their chosen fields, they must master their own course work and not imitate or copy human or computer-generated content and claim it as their own. Academic integrity is essential to the College’s educational mission, and violations of this policy are considered a serious matter.

Students are therefore expected to comply with all academic integrity standards described in the SUNY Canton Code of Student Conduct, Rights, and Responsibilities which can be found in the Student Handbook. Breaches of these academic integrity standards will result in a variety of penalties depending on the severity of the problem.

The purpose of the Student Academic Integrity Policy is to:

Disseminate the College’s set of rules and principles governing student academic
Ensure that faculty and students are aware of and understand their responsibilities with respect to student academic integrity; and
Ensure that there is a clear framework with respect to the processes and procedure for investigation and resolution ofcharges emanating from breaches of the student academic integrity

III. POLICY

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

Student responsibilities relative to the educational experience include:

Demonstrating academic honesty: Students must avoid dishonest practice, including plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic misconduct. Examples of academic dishonesty also include misuse of software, data, equipment, or networks or any act that compromises academic integrity.
Reporting academic integrity violations: Violations of academic integrity should be reported directly to instructors, department chairs, or the academic dean responsible for the course where the infraction happened, who will then determine the validity of the claim and report to the Provost.

FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES

Faculty responsibilities relative to the educational experience include:

Affirming the importance of academic integrity: Faculty have the responsibility to make clear, in words and actions, that as an institution of higher learning, SUNY Canton is committed to academic integrity.
Clarifying expectations of students: Faculty are expected to include a statement about student academic integrity in syllabi and review in class.
Reporting student academic integrity violations: Violations of student academic integrity should be reported directly to the faculty member’s department chair or the academic dean responsible for the course where the infraction happened, who will then determine the validity of the claim and report to the Provost.

IV. DEFINITIONS

DEFINITIONS OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Plagiarism: Using someone else's words, ideas, or products of another source without proper credit given (Please consult the Avoiding Academic Dishonesty section below for appropriate formatting.).
Fabrication: Manufacturing facts, statistics, or other forms of evidence, including in laboratory reports and in research.
Misrepresentation: Presenting someone else's work, computer work, computer-generated content, or other material as one's own.
Unauthorized AI Use: Unacknowledged and/or unapproved use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in completing one’s coursework, or presenting work largely created by generative AI as one’s own work (Please consult the Avoiding Academic Dishonesty section below for further discussion on generative AI.).
Cheating: Completing or attempting to complete an assessment for another student, letting someone complete your work for you, or allowing another student to copy an assignment.
Buying and/or selling assessments or answers to assessments.
Exam Misconduct: Looking at others’ papers, using unauthorized aids, unapproved communication with others, or otherwise not following the assignment’s rules.
Forgery: Faking official college documents, grade sheets, change of grade forms, transcripts, and the like.

AVOIDING ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Citing Sources

Citing sources allows an individual to use content or ideas that are not their own. If you quote a source or paraphrase or summarize from a source, you must use an appropriate format to identify that source, and you must cite it. In writing a paper, you must show, in the body of the paper, the source of that information (using an appropriate format), and providedetailed information about the sources in a bibliography or footnote (again, using appropriate formatting). In a formal presentation, you must acknowledge the source on your exhibit (slide, graph, chart).

Citing sources serves many functions: It demonstrates that you have completed your research, it gives credit for the work created by other individuals and/or entities, and it provides additional information to others for their research and/or additional questions. You should always cite sources for, including, but not limited to: published materials, digital and AI-generated materials, recorded materials (audio and visual), the spoken word (including interviews and conversations with experts), images (photos, figures, tables, digital), and data.

A note regarding sources: Be aware that any source of information may not be valid or reliable. This is especially true for information found on the internet or produced by generative AI. You may wish to discuss potential sources with your instructor before using them in an assignment.

A note regarding formatting: Every discipline has a preferred formatting style. Ask your instructors about theirpreferences. Widely-used styles include: Modern Language Association Style (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Council of Science Editors Style (CSE).

For more detailed information about how to cite sources, refer to Citing Sources collection under Research Materials on the SUNY Canton Southworth Library's webpage.

Quoting and Paraphrasing

Quoting: Direct quotes should be used when exact wording is needed for accuracy, to lend weight to an argument, and/or when the language is especially descriptive. Authors show that they are quoting when they name the source in an introductory phrase, use quotation marks or indent long quotes, and cite sources appropriately. IF YOU DO NOT DO THESE THINGS, IT IS PLAGIARISM!

Paraphrasing: Paraphrasing is using your own words to restate the words of another. Using synonyms, changing sentence structures, and modifying the tense and parts of speech are examples of paraphrasing. Even when paraphrasing or summarizing, it is still best to cite your source.

Please refer to Appendix A for examples of paraphrasing, quoting, and plagiarism.

Common Knowledge

Facts and statistics should generally be cited. An exception to this rule is material that is classified as “common knowledge.” Examples of common knowledge include general information that most people know (“the United States fought on the side of the allies in World War II”), specific data that can be found in a general handbook of a subject (such as a melting point for a chemical listed in the CRC Handbook of Chemistry), or information that is likely known by the average educated reader and is unlikely to be challenged. If in doubt, consult your instructor or cite the material.

Please refer to Appendix B for a common knowledge test.

Generative AI

Generative AI refers to any artificial intelligence applications that produce human-like content including, but not limited to, text, images, audio, video, data and information, or that are used to solve mathematical or logical problems. When using generative AI in your work, be aware that AI outputs might include bias, prejudice, inaccurate and misleading information, or plagiarized and unethically obtained information.

When using AI, you should critically evaluate all of its outputs and adhere to the principles of academic integrity. If the use of generative AI is permitted, all materials obtained using generative AI must be fully cited and referenced. For more detailed information about how to cite sources, refer to the Citing Sources collection under Research Materials on the SUNY Canton Southworth Library’s webpage.

Collaboration

There are instances in which working with others is inappropriate. Find out from your instructors how much collaborationis acceptable for each project and assignment. Be aware of the difference between acceptable collaboration and what would be considered inappropriate (and therefore cheating!).

V. OTHER RELATED INFORMATION

None

VI. PROCEDURES

At SUNY Canton, the authority is given to the faculty to determine grades for work submitted in their courses and to determine the integrity of that work. Faculty reserve the right to seek more information to determine if coursework submitted has, in fact, violated the College’s student academic integrity policy.

Due process: Students have the right to due process before and after formal disciplinary sanctions are imposed by the College for violations of the Code of Student Conduct – as provided in the published procedures of this Code or other official College publications. No change in the status of any student shall occur for disciplinary reasons until after the student has been given notice of, and opportunity for, a formal hearing – except instances in which the student’s conduct constitutes a threat to persons or property as deemed by the Dean of Students Office, President of the College, University Police, or a combination thereof.

The information below outlines the College’s process for handling student academic integrity violations.

VIOLATION LEVEL	DEFINITION	MINIMUM SANCTION	NOTIFICATION SENT FROM THE PROVOST TO
One	First-time clear violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy.	Zero on the assignment in question with a warning that additional sanctions will be incurred if further violations occur. The instructor may require the student to successfully complete an Academic Integrity course to be requested from the Center for Learning Design, Innovation, and Online Instruction at cldioi@canton.edu before evaluating any further work from the student. Less obvious cases, like poor citation, are up to the instructor’s judgment.	Student Instructor
Two	Second violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy.	Lowering of a full course grade.	Student Instructor Academic Advisor
Three	Third or major violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy	Grade of F in the course. Possible suspension from the College.	Student Instructor Academic Integrity Committee Registrar Dean’s Office Academic Advisor
Four	Fourth or egregious violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy.	Suspension from the College	Student Instructor Academic Integrity Committee Registrar Dean’s Office Academic Advisor Financial Aid Billing

Please be aware that some violations of the Student Academic Integrity Policy such as, but not limited to, buying and/or selling course materials, uploading of course assessment materials to external websites without explicit permission from the instructor, and identity falsification may be considered major or egregious violations of the Student Academic Integrity Policy and will increase the sanction level. The College reserves the right to impose any of the sanctions, regardless of level, up to and including suspension from the College, given the severity of the violation.

Reports of all academic integrity violations are recorded in the Provost’s Office.

Notification Process

An instructor who believes they have evidence of academic dishonesty shall take the following action:

Notify the student of the allegation in writing, using the standard email template below. Notify the student of the time, date, and place of the meeting to review the allegation, which should occur within five class days after the student is made aware of the allegation. This meeting can occur in person, through an online platform (Teams, Zoom, etc.), or on the phone.

Email template for Academic Integrity Violations:

Dear (Student),

SUNY Canton prohibits students from engaging in dishonest academic behavior (as outlined in the College Catalog, Student Handbook, and Student Academic Integrity policy). It appears that you may have violated this policy. I would like to meet with you on (DATE/TIME) to discuss this matter. This is a required meeting, so if you are not available to meet during this time, please email me with three dates and times that work for you between now and XX [insert last day of the 5-day period]. This meeting can occur in person, through an online platform (Teams, Zoom, etc.), or on the phone. This is the first step in the College’s Student Academic Integrity Policy process. Failure to meet within the next five class days will result in the matter being referred to the Provost’s Office.

Sincerely,

(Faculty Name)

Should the instructor or student not come to the meeting, the matter should be referred to the Provost’s Office. Referrals can be completed as follows: instructors – submit the student Academic Integrity Reporting Form; students - email provostoffice@canton.edu.

Possible Meeting Outcomes

The options below outline possible meeting outcomes and any further action that should be taken.

The student and instructor both attend the meeting and determine the charges should be dropped:

After discussion, there is agreement that a violation of the College’s Student Academic Integrity Policy did not occur. The matter is considered closed, and no further action is necessary.

The student and instructor both attend the meeting, and the student accepts responsibility and sanctions:

The instructor determines the appropriate sanction using the chart above, which will be recommended to the Provost’s Office for final decision. The student is notified that after the Provost’s review of the recommendation, the sanction could be the same, lesser, or harsher. The Provost’s Office will notify the student and instructor of the final, approved sanction via SUNY Canton email no later than two class days after the recommendation is received.

The student and instructor both attend the meeting, but disagree on whether a violation occurred or on the appropriate sanction:
- Within two class days of the meeting between the instructor and the student, the instructor will contact the Provost’s Office to request a Student Academic Integrity Committee review. The instructor will provide documentation about the allegation and supporting evidence to the Provost’s Office at provostoffice@canton.edu. The instructor will copy the student on all correspondence. In a case where the instructor fails to provide documentation and supporting evidence within this time frame, the matter will be dismissed without prejudice.
- Within two class days of the instructor contacting the Provost’s Office, the student will also provide documentation and supporting evidence to the Provost’s Office at provostoffice@canton.edu. In a case where the student fails to provide documentation and supporting evidence within this time frame, the instructor’s proposed sanctions will be reviewed directly by the Student Academic Integrity Committee, who will make a recommendation to the Provost.
- The Student Academic Integrity Committee consisting of a faculty member from each of the three schools and a Student Government Association representative will meet at the earliest possible opportunity but no later than two class days following notification. The committee will review the documentation and make a recommendation to the Provost.
- The Provost will give due consideration to the committee’s recommendation and will make a final judgement. The Provost’s Office will notify the student and the instructor of the outcome and sanctions no later than two class days after receiving the recommendation of the committee.

The Provost’s decision is final and cannot be appealed on the basis of this policy.

VII. FORMS

Academic Integrity Reporting Form

VIII. AUTHORITY

None

IX. HISTORY

This policy was created and developed through an adaptation of information in the following policies and documents:

Fashion Institute of Technology: Academic Honor Code, Policy AA007
Westchester University: Office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Academic Integrity
The College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Academic Integrity at ESF Policy and Procedure
SUNY Brockport: The Policy on Student Academic Dishonesty
SUNY Oswego: Academic Integrity Policy

X. APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: EXAMPLES OF PARAPHRASING, QUOTING, AND PLAGIARISM

Original Source	Accurate Quoting	Plagiarism	Paraphrase
Because of their unique perspective, Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and as a consequence they think about it less than anyone else. When Americans do think about globalization, they think of the global economy as an enlarged version of the American economy. Thurow, L. (1993). Fortune Favors the Bold (p. 6). New York: Harper Collins.	Lester Thurow (1993) asserts that the American reaction to globalization is different from that of the rest of the world in that “Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and as a consequence… think about it less than anyone else.” (p. 6). Why is this accurate? The writer has introduced the quotation with his/her own words and has indicated where exact words of the source begin and end. S/he has also named the source in an introductory phrase. (Complete Thurow reference appears in bibliography)	The American view of globalization is unlike that of the rest of the world. Because of their unique perspective, Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and therefore think about it less than anyone else. (Thurow, 1993). Why is this plagiarism? Although the writer has identified the source, s/he has not put quotation marks around his words, thereby allowing the reader to think the words are the writer’s, not Thurow’s.	Thurow (1993) maintains that because Americans see globalization simply as a bigger form of their own economy, they are less concerned about it than is the rest of the world. Why is this acceptable? The writer has kept the meaning of the original passage without copying words or structure. Words like globalization and Americans are generic terms (i.e. terms that are commonly used for the concept they illustrate- it is difficult to find synonyms for them). Thus you may use these words without placing them in quotation marks. (Complete Thurow reference appears in bibliography).

Original Source

Accurate Quoting

Plagiarism

Paraphrase

Because of their unique perspective, Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and as a consequence they think about it less than anyone else.

When Americans do think about globalization, they think of the global economy as an enlarged version of the American economy.

Thurow, L. (1993). Fortune Favors the Bold (p. 6). New York: Harper Collins.

Lester Thurow (1993) asserts that the American reaction to globalization is different from that of the rest of the world in that “Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and as a consequence… think about it less than anyone else.” (p. 6).

Why is this accurate?

The writer has introduced the quotation with his/her own words and has indicated where exact words of the source begin and end. S/he has also named the source in an introductory phrase.

(Complete Thurow reference appears in bibliography)

The American view of globalization is unlike that of the rest of the world. Because of their unique perspective, Americans fear globalization less than anyone else, and therefore think about it less than anyone else. (Thurow, 1993).

Why is this plagiarism?

Although the writer has identified the source, s/he has not put quotation marks around his words, thereby allowing the reader to think the words are the writer’s, not Thurow’s.

Thurow (1993) maintains that because Americans see globalization simply as a bigger form of their own economy, they are less concerned about it than is the rest of the world.

Why is this acceptable?

The writer has kept the meaning of the original passage without copying words or structure. Words like globalization and Americans are generic terms (i.e. terms that are commonly used for the concept they illustrate- it is difficult to find synonyms for them). Thus you may use these words without placing them in quotation marks.

(Complete Thurow reference appears in bibliography).

APPENDIX B: COMMON KNOWLEDGE TEST: WHICH OF THE STATEMENTS BELOW WOULD NEED TO BE CITED?

The growth of the human population has long been of concern to environmental scientists.
Answer: No, citation is not needed as the information is widely known.

According to a 2024 study, the world’s population is expected to continue growing for another 50 or 60 years, reaching a peak of around 10.3 billion people in the mid-2080s.
Answer: Yes, citation is needed because of the specific reference to a 2024 study, and the average person would not be aware of the statistics.
Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2024

Future population growth will be driven by high fertility rates in the Global South.
Answer: Yes, citation is needed as most people would not be aware of exactly where population growth is projected to take place.
Source: Populationmatters.org, 2024

As an intergovernmental agency, the United Nations facilitates dialogue on worldwide issues such as global population and its impact on human rights and economic development.
Answer: No, citation is not needed as the information is widely known and likely would not be challenged.

XI. FREQUENCY OF REVIEW AND UPDATE

Policies will have a normal review period of every five (5) years unless required otherwise.