INSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT

The University regularly engages in assessment and research to determine the adequacy and future needs of its programs. Students are expected to participate in surveys and testing. All results are confidential and do not affect the student’s grades or graduation. Placement exams are separate and are required of all students. These are used to determine appropriate class assignment in classes such as English, Math, and Hebrew.

STUDENT CONDUCT

Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner compatible with the University s function as an educational institution. This implies respect for persons and property and adherence to rules of good conduct and courtesy in all campus facilities. The Academic Senate, the Associated Students of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate Students have established standards for academic integrity. A Faculty Committee on Student Conduct and Discipline is responsible for implementing those standards, as well as standards of good conduct. Instructors may, with the approval of the Office of Student Affairs, exclude from class any student who has engaged in unbecoming conduct or any student who, in their judgment, fails to treat the obligations of the course with the proper seriousness. In such cases, a grade of F or W will be recorded, depending upon the circumstances. Depending on the nature of the case, students may appeal all such decisions to the Office of Student Affairs, or to the Provost.

THE HONOR CODE

All academic work is conducted under the Honor Code, a copy of which is available from the Office of Student Affairs. A copy of the Honor Code is provided to each student, and is published in its entirety in Appendix B of this Bulletin. All students are expected to abide by the conditions under which the Honor Code is conducted. When completing the Registration Application form each semester, students must signify that they understand and will abide by the Honor Code by signing the Registration Form.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The maintenance of academic integrity is the responsibility of every student who registers at American Jewish University, undergraduate and graduate alike. The Honor Code provides a standard of honesty and declares that compliance with the standard is to be expected. Academic dishonesty is an especially serious offense and diminishes the quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend upon the integrity of our academic programs. Such dishonesty includes:

A. EXAMINATION BEHAVIOR 
Unless expressly permitted by the instructor, the use of any external assistance during an examination shall be considered academically dishonest. Inappropriate examination behavior includes, but is not limited to:

1. communicating with another student in any way during an exam;

2. copying material from another student’s examination;

3. allowing a student to copy from your examination; and

4. using unauthorized notes, calculators, or other sources of assistance.

B. FABRICATION 
Any intentional falsification or invention of data or citation in an academic exercise will be considered a violation of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty involving fabrication includes, but is not limited to:

1. inventing or altering data for a laboratory experiment or field project; and

2. resubmitting returned and corrected academic work under the pretense of grader evaluation error when, in fact, the work has been altered from its original form.

C. PLAGIARISM 
Plagiarism is the appropriation and subsequent passing off of another’s ideas or words as one’s own. If the words or ideas of another are used, acknowledgement of the original source must be made through recognized referencing practices.

Use of another’s ideas or words must be properly acknowledged as follows:
 

1. Direct Quotation: Any use of a direct quotation must be acknowledged by footnote citation and by either quotation marks or appropriate indentation and spacing.

2. Paraphrase: If another’s ideas are borrowed in whole or in part and are merely recast in the student’s own words, proper acknowledgement must, nonetheless, be made. A footnote or proper internal citation must follow the paraphrased material.

D. OTHER TYPES OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY 
Other forms of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to

1. submitting a paper written by or obtained from another person;

2. using a paper or essay in more than one class without the instructor’s expressed permission;

3. obtaining a copy of an examination in advance without the knowledge and consent of the instructor;

4. changing academic records outside of normal procedures and/or petitions; and

5. using the aid of another person to complete homework assignments or take home exams without the knowledge and consent of the instructor.

STUDENT OBLIGATIONS

Under the Honor Code, students have a twofold obligation: individually, they must not violate the code, and as a community, they are responsible to see that suspected violations are reported. Where the Honor Code is concerned, an individual’s obligation to the entire student body as a whole and the reputation of the University transcend any reluctance to report another student.

COURSES OF ACTION

Students found to be in violation of the Honor Code or other University student conduct policies may be subject to academic penalties and/or dismissal from their academic programs, pursuant to decisions to be made by the instructor, the director of the program, or a student-faculty judiciary committee. Students may appeal these decisions as outlined in the section, Grievance Procedure, in this Bulletin.

It is University policy that suspensions, probations, and dismissals are listed on academic transcripts.

Any student dismissed from the University for violations of academic integrity, policy, or rule of conduct may apply for readmission by contacting the Office of Admissions. In evaluating this reapplication, the admissions staff will consult with the committee that originally made the decision to dismiss.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

The following is an outline of the grievance procedure to be used in the event a student has a complaint of improper treatment either by a member of the faculty or the administration:

A student with a grievance should present it, in writing, to the Office of Student Affairs;
The Office of Student Affairs will make a preliminary investigation and attempt to correct the improper action or clarify any misunderstanding;

If unsuccessful, or if the action complained of is egregious, the Office of Student Affairs shall bring the matter to the Provost, who shall appoint an ad hoc committee to make a full investigation and report to the Provost  with recommendations for action;

At all stages of this procedure, all persons involved shall be kept informed of the progress of the case’s disposition, and all parties shall have full access to an impartial hearing.

PRIVACY RIGHTS OF STUDENTS IN EDUCATION RECORDS

The federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. 123g) and regulations adopted there under (34 C.F.R. 99) set out requirements designed to protect the privacy rights of students concerning their records maintained on campus. Specifically, the statute and regulations govern access to student records and the release of such records. In brief, the law provides that the campus must offer students access to records directly related to the student and the opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate. The right to a hearing under FERPA does not include any right to challenge the appropriateness of a grade as determined by the instructor. The law generally requires that written consent of the student be received before releasing personally identifiable information about the student from records other than a specified list of exceptions. Copies of the policy and implementing procedures are available for review in the Office of Student Affairs.

A federal office and review board have been established by the Department of Education to investigate and adjudicate complaints and violations. The office designated for this purpose is the Family Policy and Regulations Office, U.S. Department of Education, 330 C Street, Washington, DC 20202 [Telephone: (202) 732-1807].

For the full text of American Jewish University’s policies related to FERPA, please see Current Students > FERPA