Kelley via edX: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

From the IU Student Code of Conduct: The purposes of Indiana University include the advancement of knowledge, the pursuit of truth, the development of students, and the promotion of the general well-being of society. As a community, we share a dedication to maintaining an environment that supports trust, respect, honesty, civility, free inquiry, creativity, and an open exchange of ideas. Individual rights are best protected by a collective commitment to mutual respect. A student who accepts admission to Indiana University agrees to: 1. Be ethical in his or her participation in the academic community, 2. Take responsibility for what he or she says and does, 3. Behave in a manner that is respectful of the dignity of others, treating others with civility and understanding, 4. Use university resources and facilities in appropriate ways consistent with their purpose and in accordance with applicable polices. Every Indiana University student is responsible for reading and understanding this Statement, as well as other expectations identified by individual schools or organizations relevant to an academic major, professional field, or on-campus residence. This Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct is intended to identify the basic rights, responsibilities, and expectations of all students and student groups to serve as a guide for the overall student experience at Indiana University.

The following are the procedures executed when the professor believes an academic misconduct incident (cheating, fabrication, and/or plagiarism) has occurred:

1. The professor will hold a meeting with the student, explaining what is suspected and why. The student will be given a chance to explain and the faculty will dismiss the issue if it is cleared up at this point.
2. If the issue remains unresolved, the professor will refer the problem to the Kelley via edX Program Conduct Review Committee, which will investigate the matter and recommend a course of action to the professor following the investigation.
3. Taking the recommendation Conduct Review Committee into consideration, the instructor may impose an academic sanction to fit the offense. The student has the right to appeal the sanction with the professor. The student may also seek counsel from the Student Advocates Office

A student must not use, or attempt to use, unauthorized assistance, materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise, including, but not limited to, the following:

• A student must not use external assistance on any "in-class" or "take-home" examination, unless the instructor specifically has authorized external assistance. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of tutors, books, notes, and calculators.
• Team based assignments: Students may not work with others outside of their team for the completion of team-based assignments unless the instructor specifically has authorized cross-team work.
• Individual assignments: A student may not work with other students in completing an individual assignment unless the instructor specifically has authorized joint work.
• It is at the instructor's discretion whether students may discuss concepts and methodologies when completing an individual assignment. All submitted work must be original work from the individual.
• A student may not use his or her computer to connect to the Internet or communicate with persons inside or outside of the classroom during exams not designated as open-book and open-computer.
• At the instructor's discretion,computers may be used for computations or for composing written essays during closed books exams. A student may only use a blank worksheet/document and may not use any other resource on his or her computer during the examination unless the instructor specifically has authorized use of other resources, and then only the resources authorized may be used.
• A student must not use another person as a substitute in the taking of a test or quiz.
• A student must not steal examinations or other course materials.
• A student must not allow others to conduct research or to prepare work for him or her without advance authorization from the instructor to whom the work is being submitted. Under this prohibition, a student must not make any unauthorized use of materials obtained from commercial term paper companies or from files of papers prepared by other persons.
• A student must not collaborate with other persons on a project and submit a copy of a written report that is represented explicitly or implicitly as the student’s individual work.
• For team projects, students may not work with others outside of their team for team-based assignments unless the instructor specifically has authorized cross-team work.
• A student must not use any unauthorized assistance in a laboratory, at a computer terminal, or on fieldwork.
• A student must not submit substantial portions of the same academic work for credit or honors more than once without permission of the instructor to whom the work is being submitted. (No "double dipping"—originality assumption).
• A student must not alter a grade or score in any way. Professors will make every effort to clarify what is "authorized" and "unauthorized" aid for each deliverable in the course. In the event that a professor does not make this designation clear, it is each student's responsibility to obtain clarification directly from the course professor. (Email is the preferred method for doing so to establish documentation of the agreement between the course professor and the student.) Fabrication A student must not falsify or invent any information or data in an academic exercise including, but not limited to, records or reports, laboratory results, and citations to the sources of information. Plagiarism A student must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person or authoritative source without appropriate acknowledgment. A student must give credit to the originality of others and acknowledge indebtedness whenever he or she does any of the following:
• Quotes another person’s actual words, either oral or written;
• Paraphrases another person’s words, either oral or written;
• Uses another person’s idea, opinion, or theory; or
• Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative material, unless the information is common knowledge. When using text that contains the same wording as the original, that text must appear in quotation marks with the appropriate citation. When paraphrasing text, the appropriate citation must appear in the text or in a footnote or endnote. This same use of citations is required for communicating another person's ideas, opinions, or theories unless that information is common knowledge. In no case should a student leave the reader or listener with the impression that the work is original if it is not.

Until a final decision about the alleged misconduct is reached, sanctions must not be irreversible. For example, a student cannot be asked to “stop attending class” because it is not possible to recoup the class time lost should the sanction be overturned by a committee.

1. Within fourteen (14) calendar days of receiving the student’s appeal, the instructor must report the incident to the Division of Student Affairs. The Dean of Students will send the report to the student, the dean of the school in which the student is enrolled, and Kelley’s Associate Dean of Faculty and Research.
2. Once a sanction has been imposed and the report is received, the student has fourteen (14) calendar days to appeal the sanction (if desired) by submitting a written appeal to Kelley’s Associate Dean of Faculty and Research.
3. At this point, the student will be directed to attempt resolution with the Kelley School department chair. If no resolution is reached, the matter is referred to the Academic Fairness Committee, which conducts a hearing and hands down a decision on the matter, which is final at the school level.
4. If the student believes that a serious procedural error has prevented him or her from fairly presenting the case or that a possible additional sanction imposed by the Dean of Students is arbitrary or disproportionate, he or she may appeal one last time to the Vice Provost for Faculty of Academic Affairs who will convene a campus review board to review the matter. The decision of the Campus Review Board is final.

Procedure for Grade Appeals Kelley School of Business Approved by the Academic Fairness Committee and the Academic Council November 15, 1999.

1. A student who wishes to appeal a final grade in a course should first discuss the matter with the instructor. If the student is unable to resolve the matter, the student may appeal to the department chair within two weeks after meeting with the instructor. The chair may mediate between the instructor and the student but does not have authority to change the grade without the consent of the instructor.
2. If the matter is not resolved, the student may appeal to the School’s Academic Fairness Committee by filing a written appeal with the office of the Associate Dean of Faculty and Research, who shall then forward the matter to the AFC. The point of contact is ksappeal@iu.edu. Kelley edX students have 60 days from the course end date to file an appeal.
3. The AFC has the authority to hear grade appeals and make appropriate adjustments under resolution of the Faculty Council. However, the AFC will adjust a final grade only upon a finding that the student’s rights as expressed in Part I of the Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, have been violated. Under Resolution of the Faculty Council and the Academic Council of the Kelley School of Business, the decision of the committee is final.