1. Academic integrity at UB: Status & Initiatives
December 14, 2016
Faculty Senate Executive Committee
Elaine R. Cusker, Associate Dean
James Jensen, Professor Environmental Engineering

2. Overview Academic Integrity Prior to 2006
Academic Integrity 2014 Explorations
Charge
Findings
Academic Integrity Today
Campaign
Process
Lessons learned
Draft recommendations

3. Academic Integrity - Prior to 2006
Previous academic integrity initiatives and 2006
Campus wide efforts for greater education, awareness and enforcement.
Some revisions to undergraduate policies removed retention sunset clause.
Maintained relative decentralized enforcement and education.
Gradual degradation of efforts and increased inconsistencies in application and sanctions.

4. Academic Integrity - 2014 Explorations - Charge
No comprehensive effort in Academic Integrity programming since 2006
Academic & Student Affairs and University Libraries charged a working group to:
Investigate previous UB academic integrity initiatives and their effectiveness.
Assess effectiveness of current UB programs that promote academic integrity.
Identify best practices in promoting a culture of Academic Integrity at peer institutions.
Provide recommendations if an academic integrity initiative is warranted, a process, and potential timeline for implementation.

5. Academic Integrity - 2014 Explorations: Findings
Investigate previous UB initiatives and their effectiveness:
Prior campaign in 2006 initiative not sustained.
Assess effectiveness of current UB programs:
Inconsistent orientation of students and faculty, and enforcement of UB policies and sanctions.
Identify best practices to consider in promoting a culture of Academic Integrity at peer institutions:
Greater student involvement, more efficient processes, remediation for sanctioned students, transparent reporting, effective awareness campaigns.
Recommend a process, and potential timeline for implementation:
Internt’l Center for Academic Integrity Assessment Guide.

6. Academic Integrity at UB Today
Current Governing Requirements:
Undergraduate and Graduate policies
Professional school requirements
Education:
Students – orientation & classroom
Faculty – varied by unit; largely by experience
Culture:
Espouse values
Uneven understanding and enforcement
Limited commitment

7. Academic Integrity – 2015-2016 Campaign: Charge
Academic & Student Affairs, and University Libraries Leadership:
Appoint 28 member university faculty, staff, student committee to develop a plan to enhance Academic Integrity.
To devise and complete a study of the University at Buffalo to identify critical areas of concern regarding the state of academic integrity.
Consider the current methods and programs for promoting academic integrity at UB; are these approaches creating a culture of integrity.

8. Academic Integrity – 2015-2016 Campaign: Charge continued
Recommend specific programs for promoting and enforcing academic integrity.
Review and assess current faculty senate academic integrity policies to determine effectiveness.
Prepare a final report that recommends a potential plan of action to promote a culture of integrity and as needed reforms to the current policies.

9. Academic Integrity – 2015-2016 Campaign: Process
Fall 2015 to Spring 2016:
Subcommittees: Survey, Best Practices, Faculty, Student, and Professional Schools
Survey: >4,000 student and 400 faculty responses
Focus groups: Students, faculty, and professional schools
Spring 2016 to Fall 2016:
Data analysis of survey and focus groups
Fall 2016 to January 2017:
Reconvened with Policies & Framework and Culture & Education subcommittees

10. Academic Integrity – 2015-2016 Campaign: Lessons Learned to Date, Survey & Focus Groups
Education & Policy:
Standards and policy education for students and faculty
Simplification of policy
Lack of equity
Pathway for remediation
Faculty Role:
Educate students for standards of academic integrity in classroom and the discipline
Initiate actions for enforcement of university standards and policies

11. Academic Integrity – 2015-2016 Campaign: Lessons Learned to Date, Survey & Focus Groups
Administrative Role:
Coordinate campus wide orientations for faculty and students
Support faculty educational efforts and enforcement
Maintain resources for systematic and transparent reporting

12. 2015-2016 Campaign - Policies & Framework: Draft Recommendations
Revise policy to address faculty and student concerns regarding:
Complexity of the process
Inconsistent application and sanctions
Revise policy to simplify the appeal level
Permanent record regardless of level of infraction
Easier and more transparent reporting
Little role for students in adjudication or promotion
Establish a campus wide resource for promoting education

13. 2015-2016 Campaign - Policies & Framework: Draft Recommendations
Delineate minimum standards that allow for unique requirements of certain professional schools
Establish a university Academic Integrity authority with campus wide faculty/student representatives

14. 2015-2016 Campaign - Culture & Education: Working Recommendations
Overall emphasis on academic integrity as:
A learning and ethics-centered value
A core UB value - who we are
Foundational to life after UB
Communication:
Part of UB’s current and future branding
Messaging to faculty and students from campus leadership

15. 2015-2016 Campaign - Culture & Education: Working Recommendations
Education elements:
New faculty orientation; Workshops delivered by with centralized support; On-line materials
Undergraduate Orientation and UB Seminars; Infused in all courses
Graduate/Professional Students orientations; Infused in all courses

16. Campaign – Next Steps
Finalize report and recommendations to Academic & Student Affairs and University Libraries
Share and review with Faculty Senate, GSA, SA
Final recommendations to Faculty Senate
Communicate educational opportunities to campus units