Academic Misconduct Policy

1. Purpose

To outline the rights and responsibilities of students and staff of CIT, its agents or related parties with respect to academic misconduct.

2. Scope

All cases of alleged academic misconduct by students currently studying a VET, higher education, BSSS registered or non-accredited program at CIT, CIT Solutions or with any of CIT's agents or related parties (if applicable). It also includes all of CIT’s international students.

3. Principles

3.1 Students have a responsibility to:

1. acquaint themselves with the nature and development of good practices in maintaining academic and research integrity;
2. acquaint themselves with their obligations and expected standards of behaviour, disciplinary procedures, academic and research misconduct and grounds for suspension or exclusion; and
3. complete all assessment tasks including research and research training activities honestly and without any form of cheating, fabrication, misrepresentation, plagiarism or copyright infringement.

3.2 Teachers have a responsibility to provide to their students:

1. guidance on good practices in academic and research integrity including ways to prevent unauthorised or fraudulent access to private or sensitive information in academic work or research;
2. guidance on intellectual property (IP) rights and responsibilities, particularly when students are creating and using IP in the course of their studies;
3. explanations of what cheating, fabrication, misrepresentation, plagiarism and copyright infringement is; and
4. processes that maintain the security and confidentiality of records of allegations of academic misconduct on CIT information systems.

3.3 CIT students are expected to act with academic and research integrity during assessment events, industry placements, collaborative research activities, and/or research training.

3.4 Incidents of cheating, fabrication, misrepresentation, plagiarism and copyright infringement will be investigated as academic misconduct, and if proven can impact a student’s learning outcome.

3.5 If academic misconduct is suspected during an assessment event, the student will be allowed to complete the assessment event before action is taken.

3.6 The student must be notified promptly and in writing when academic misconduct is suspected.

3.7 Allegations of academic misconduct will be investigated by the head of department responsible for the delivery area who will determine whether academic misconduct has occurred and any disciplinary action required.

3.8 In cases of academic misconduct students will be given additional training and academic counselling. At the discretion of the head of department, the student will be given either the opportunity to re-sit an exam, complete another assessment task or be given a fail grade with no opportunity for a re-sit.

3.9 If a fail grade is awarded and the student requires a pass in the assessment event the student will be given an opportunity to re-enrol

3.10 Cases of academic misconduct involving more than one student will be treated on a case by case basis.

3.11 Cases of academic misconduct and action taken must be reported and recorded at Program Review and Improvement, for action if required. Student names should not be recorded.

3.12 The Deputy Chief Executive may, on the recommendation of a College Director, may exclude a student from a subject or program where there have been one or more instances of misconduct.

3.13 Students have the right to seek support and assistance from CIT student counsellors during the course of any inquiry.

3.14 Students have the right to appeal any decision made.

3.15 If a student is a sponsored student, such as an apprentice, the sponsor must be informed in writing of the outcome of an inquiry into academic misconduct if disciplinary action is to be taken.

4. Documentation

Higher Education Support Act 2003

Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2015

Student Code of Conduct

Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) (2017)

Information for BSSS Students

Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) 2015

CIT Policies available on website

Academic Appeals Policy

Assessment Policy

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the CIT Policy Glossary.

6. Policy Contact Officer

For more information about this policy contact the Director, Education Services.

Contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au.

7. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. The policy owner has the authority to make changes to the procedures as required.