Statement of Policy

Honesty is the cornerstone of the academic integrity of Excelsior College. Consequently, any form of academic dishonesty is considered to be a serious violation of the ethics that form the foundation of all Excelsior College academic programs. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to: altering or misusing documents; impersonating, misrepresenting or knowingly providing false information as to one’s identity; providing false information regarding completion of course assignments, professional history, or accomplishments; cheating on examinations; plagiarism (see Plagiarism Policy), attempting to gain advance information on examination questions (i.e., for practice and operational exams) from any source, or collaborating with others for that purpose; and sharing or selling information about examination questions or content via electronic discussion groups or in any other way.

The term "students" includes: students currently matriculated at Excelsior College taking examinations and/or courses, non-matriculated students taking examinations and/or courses, non-matriculated students in the application process, individuals using OneTranscript®, formerly matriculated students currently in withdrawn status, and graduates.

Students are accountable for acts of academic dishonesty committed prior to and during enrollment and/or while taking Excelsior College courses and examinations, as well as after separation from the College through withdrawal or graduation.

Students found to have engaged in academic dishonesty at Excelsior College may be:

• Denied admission
• Denied access to College examinations or courses
• Assigned a failing grade for an examination or course
• Denied access to College services
• Suspended from the College
• Dismissed from the College

If the student has graduated, the credits and/or certificate or degree previously awarded to the student may be revoked.

Note about identity fraud: All forms of academic dishonesty are considered serious violations of the ethical standards of Excelsior College, but one that is considered particularly egregious is identity fraud. Any student who has another person impersonate or in any other way commit identity fraud in any course, exam or other academic exercise may be dismissed from the College.

Procedure

Staff, faculty, or students who believe that a student has not adhered to the Academic Honesty Policy will bring the matter to the attention of the appropriate dean or dean’s designee. The dean or designee will investigate the alleged violation, and determine what action, if any, should be taken. If action is warranted, the student will be notified of the proposed disciplinary action as well as the date it will be imposed.

In cases where the authenticity of documents submitted by a student is in question, an investigation is conducted by the director of the Office of Registration and Records. Should the documents submitted by a student be determined to be fraudulent (such as a transcript, diploma, certification, etc.) the student will be notified in writing by the registrar of the violation and the action that the College will take.

Refer to the Plagiarism Policy when considering cases of alleged plagiarism.

In response to alleged violations of the Academic Honesty Policy, Excelsior College reserves the right to take any or all of the following actions:

• Bar the student from enrolling in the College or registering for courses and examinations.
• Assign a failing grade for an exam or course.
• Suspend or dismiss the student. If the student is dismissed, the College reserves the right to revoke all credits. If the student has withdrawn or graduated, any credits and/or degree and certificate/diploma previously awarded may be revoked and the student will be asked to return the certificate or diploma.
• Suspend or terminate College services previously available to the student.
• Retain all tuition and fees paid by the student.
• Withhold course grade(s) and/or examination score(s) and official Excelsior College transcripts.
• Take other action, as appropriate.

Excelsior College has a zero tolerance policy for cases of identity fraud since it threatens the academic integrity of the institution. Students who are found to have committed identity fraud in any way will be dismissed from the College.

When there is evidence of academic dishonesty, the student will be notified in writing of the nature of the alleged violation and the action, if any, that the College proposes to take. College services to the student may be suspended following student notification.

Petition for Reinstatement to Excelsior College

A student who has been denied services or has been dismissed because of a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy may petition for reinstatement no sooner than two years from the date of the final decision. The petition must be in writing, must present a rationale for reinstatement, and shall be addressed to

Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Excelsior College
7 Columbia Circle
Albany, NY 12203-5159

The Student Appeals Committee will review the petition and supporting documents within 30 days of its receipt, and notify the student in writing of the decision.

Students who are subsequently reinstated will be governed by the academic policies in effect at the time of reinstatement.

Any certificates and/or degrees previously revoked will not be reinstated.

Right to Appeal

A student has the right to appeal any disciplinary action. A student residing in the United States has 30 days to appeal the alleged violation, whereas a student living outside the United States has 45 days to appeal. The appeal must be in writing and respond in detail to the alleged violation. If the student chooses to appeal, the appeal will be considered by the Student Appeals Committee and the student will be notified in writing of the final decision. If the student chooses not to appeal the recommended disciplinary action from the College within the required time frame, this action will be final.

If a student is found to have indeed violated the Academic Honesty Policy, Excelsior College reserves the right to take any or all of the following actions:

• Permanently annotate a student’s record to reflect action(s) taken by the College in response to the student’s violation of the Academic Honesty Policy.
• Notify educational institutions, licensing or certification boards, employers or others, who have previously received a transcript or similar certification e.g., Letter of Completion (LOC), Letter of Qualification (LOQ), of any action taken by the College.
• Prohibit reenrollment in Excelsior College except by appeal.
• Take other action, as appropriate.