For academic policies and requirements, see course catalog. For dates and deadlines, see academic calendar. 

Academic Integrity

Every faculty member and student belongs to a community of learners where academic integrity is a fundamental commitment. The following statement broadly describes principles of student academic conduct supported by all academic programs. It is the responsibility of every member of the academic community to be familiar with these policies.

Basic Standards of Academic Integrity

A student's registration at Rocky Mountain College requires adherence to the College's standards of academic integrity. These standards cannot be listed exhaustively; however, the following examples represent types of behavior that violate the basic standards of academic integrity and that are, therefore, unacceptable:

1. Cheating: Using unauthorized notes, study aids, or information on an examination; altering a graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading; allowing another person to do one's work and submitting work under one's own name; submitting identical or similar papers for credit in more than one course without prior permission from the course instructors. 
2. Plagiarism: Submitting material that in part of whole is not entirely one's own work without attributing those same portions to their correct source; not properly attributing words or ideas to a source even if not quoting directly; quoting from another author's work without citing that author's work, including material taken from the internet, books, and/or papers; citing, with quotation marks, portions of another author's work, but using more of that work without proper attribution; taking a paper, in whole or part, from a third-party source; copying work from another student.
3. Fabrication: Falsifying or inventing any information, data, or citation; presenting data that was not gathered in accordance with standards guidelines defining the appropriate methods for collecting or generating data and failing to include an accurate account of the method by which that data was gathered or collected.
4. Obtaining an unfair advantage: (a) Stealing, reproducing, circulating, or otherwise gaining access to examination materials prior to the time authorized by the instructor; (b) stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing library materials and/or study materials, with the purpose of depriving others of their use; (c) unauthorized collaboration on an academic assignment; (d) retaining, possessing, using, or circulating previously given examination materials, where those materials clearly indicate that they are to be returned to the instructor at the conclusion of the examination; (e) intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student's academic work; or (f) otherwise undertaking activity with the purpose of creating or obtaining an unfair academic advantage over other students.
5. Aiding and abetting academic misconduct: (a) Providing material, information, or other assistance to another person with knowledge that such aid could be used in any of the violations listed above; or (b) providing false information in connection with any inquiry regarding academic integrity.
6. Falsification of records and official documents: Altering documents affecting academic records; forging signatures of authorization or falsifying information on an official academic document, grade report, letter of permission, petition, add/drop form, graduation application, ID card, or any other official College document.
7. Unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems. This may include viewing or altering computer records, modifying computer programs or systems, releasing or dispensing information gained via unauthorized access, or interfering wit the use or availability of computer systems or information.
8. Unauthorized use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): Any use of AI which violates that expectations stated in the instructor's syllabus.

Faculty and Administrative Responsibilities

In order to implement these principles of academic integrity, it is necessary for the administration and faculty to take certain steps that will discourage academic misconduct and protect academic integrity:

1. Rocky Mountain College will regularly communicate to the College community its academic standards and expectations through its publications. Further, the College will encourage and promote open dialogue and discussion about issues affecting academic integrity.
2. Instructors should inform students of the academic requirements of each course. Such information may include (a) notice of the scope of permitted collaboration; (b) notice of the conventions of citation and attribution within the discipline of the course; and (c) notice of the materials that may be used during examinations and on other assignments.
3. Instructors should also include language in their syllabus regarding the Academic Integrity Policy and how they, in that particular course, will address proven instances of academic misconduct (i.e., the instructor's recommendation of sanctions to the Academic Standards Committee).

Academic Misconduct Reporting Process

All instances of academic misconduct will be reported to the Provost, Academic Vice President, and Director of Student Records via email. Faculty members must include the following information in the submission:

1. A description or summary of the event in question;
2. All objective evidence regarding the academic misconduct;
3. The syllabus of the class and any other relevant documentation;
4. A recommendation of sanctions if misconduct is found proven.

The Director of Student Records will notify the student that allegations of academic misconduct have been lodged, with specific reference to the faculty member, course, and assignment. This will occur no later than three school days after the allegations have been forwarded to the Director. The count will commence on the school day after the Director of Student Records is in receipt of said allegations. The student will be provided with an opportunity to appeal the allegations.

Student Appeal Process

1. The student shall be given the right to appeal any charge by a faculty member, although the student may choose not to appeal academic misconduct allegations. If the student chooses not to appeal, the instructor's submission will be forwarded to the Academic Standards Committee by the Director of Student Records.
2. If the student chooses to appeal, he or she shall be provided with the documentation of misconduct provided to the Director of Student Records.
3. The student has five class days from the day he or she receives documentation of misconduct to prepare his or her appeal. The count will commence on the school day after the student is in receipt of said documentation.
4. The student will submit his or her appeal, in writing (email is acceptable) to the Director of Student Records, who will forward it to the members of the Academic Standards Committee.
   1. If an appeal was submitted, the Academic Standards Committee will render a decision within five school days of receipt of the appeal, to commence the day after receipt of the appeal documentation. The Academic Standards Committee will be the final arbiter as to whether or not academic dishonesty has occurred.
   2. If no appeal was written, the Academic Standards Committee will render a decision within five school days of receipt of the instructor's submission, to commence the day after receipt of the submission documentation. The Academic Standards Committee will be the final arbiter as to whether or not academic dishonesty has occurred.
5. The Academic Standards Committee will notify the student, the instructor, the Provost, the Academic Vice President, and the Director of Student Records, in a formal letter (which may be submitted electronically) of their findings. These findings will be included in the student's file in the Office of Student Records.

Sanctions

All proven cases of academic misconduct will be penalized as appropriate under the circumstances. The Academic Standards Committee, in consultation with the instructor, will issue sanctions which may include the following:

1. Issue a private reprimand from the instructor and a member of the Academic Standards Committee;
2. Issue a formal letter of reprimand, which will be filed with the Office of Student Records for inclusion in the student's file;
3. Reduce the student's grade for the specific assignment in which academic dishonesty was proven;
4. Fail him or her in the course. If this sanction is exercised, the student may not return to attend regular class sessions without the instructor's permission;
5. Execute any appropriate combination of 1-4 above.

All proven incidents of academic misconduct will be further reviewed by the Academic Vice President, who will confer with the Provost. The Provost, in consultation with the Academic Vice President, may take the following actions:

1. Define a period of probation, with or without the attachment of conditions;
2. Withdraw College scholarship funding;
3. Define a period of suspension, with or without the attachment of conditions;
4. Expel the student from the College;
5. Revoke an awarded degree;
6. Act on any appropriate combination of 1-5 above.

Academic Standards Appeals

The Academic Standards Committee has original jurisdiction for students to be granted exceptions to academic policies of the College. Student requests for exemptions to academic policies may include requirements for graduation, the add/drop policy, and other academic policies not included elsewhere in the catalog (including, but not limited to, "Substitutions of Program Requirements," "Individualized Programs of Study," "Academic Standing," and "Academic Integrity"). However, such requests should only be made under extraordinary circumstances where the student has incurred or will incur a substantial hardship without an exception. Grades may be appealed to the Academic Standards Committee only in cases of inaccurate grade reporting. Only the student may submit a request for an exception; one may not be submitted on his or her behalf, from inside or outside the college. 

Requests for exceptions must be submitted in writing (a .pdf attached to an email is acceptable) to Student Records and must be accompanied by a letter of support from the student's advisor or an appropriate faculty member. Students should ensure that their requests reference specific policies to which they are seeking exceptions and articulate specific desired results.

Decisions of the Academic Standards Committee may be appealed to the Academic Vice President, who has terminal jurisdiction over exception requests. The sole role of the Academic Vice President is to determine if all relevant policies have been follwed, not to address the merit of the appeal or to hear the appeal again. Any appeal must be submitted, in writing (a .pdf attached to an email is acceptable), within 10 days of receipt of the Academic Standards Committee''s decision. The Academic Vice President will render a decision within 10 days of receipt of the appeal.

See also course catalog for academic policies.