Academic Dishonesty or Complicity
Dishonesty
Cheating, plagiarism, and any other misrepresentation of work are prohibited. In the instance of papers written outside of class, academic dishonesty includes plagiarism.
Plagiarism Statement
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. According to The College Writer: A Guide to Thinking, Writing, and Researching (Van Rys et.al., 2018, p. 434), plagiarism is defined as “using someone else’s words, ideas, or images (what’s called intellectual property) so they appear to be your own. When you plagiarize, you use source material—whether published in print or online—without acknowledging the source.” In essence, plagiarism is using any type of intellectual work—intentionally or unintentionally—as one’s own creative thought or work. The most common form of plagiarism is when a student reproduces or submits another person’s words or sentences as his or her own without citing the original author. Even if the words are changed and are not verbatim, if the context and thought of the structure of the words remain the same, it still constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism may also include self-plagiarism: that is, when a student submits for course credit a version of his or her work that has been submitted for a previous class or assignment without explicit permission from the course professor. A specific form of plagiarism is the use of any form of Generative Artificial Intelligence, commonly called AI. See AI policy below.
University policy includes three steps or levels of discipline during a student’s academic career. First offense: professor/student conference and resubmission of the assignment; second offense: failure of the assignment; third offense: failure of the course and referral to the Provost. A record is maintained.
Academic dishonesty also includes obtaining or referring to a copy of an examination before it has been distributed by the professor. During examinations, academic dishonesty includes referring to written information without the approval of the professor, or receiving written or oral information from a fellow student.
A student who assists another in the forms of dishonesty mentioned above is also guilty of dishonesty. A faculty member may impose academic penalty on the student who violates this section in his/her class, and/or may report the student to the Executive Vice-President of Academic Affairs.
Academic dishonesty may result in dismissal.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Statement
Baptist University of Florida is committed to working from and equipping students to work from a biblical/Christian worldview. Use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly, and other AI writing or generative tools) and work generated by AI is considered academic dishonesty and may result in disciplinary actions, including failure of the assignment or course and referral for further disciplinary proceedings. A student should not submit AI-generated text as his/her own original work. AI-generated content must not replace critical thinking, original research, or analytical tasks assigned in the course. Academic research must provide a primary, academic, and original source that is properly cited.
University policy includes three steps or levels of discipline during a student’s academic career. First offense: professor/student conference and resubmission of the assignment; second offense: failure of the assignment; third offense: failure of the course and referral to the Provost. A record is maintained.
While AI detection tools are useful, it is understood that there are instances in which a false detection may occur. For this reason, students may appeal any decision within fourteen (14) days of receiving notification. To appeal: submit a written request to the Appeals Committee (tgardner@buf.edu) clearly stating the grounds for appeal. Include any supporting evidence or context (drafts, writing process documentation, etc.). The Appeals Committee will review the submitted documentation within seven (7) business days. The student will be notified of the decision. Decision upheld: initial consequences stand. Decision overturned: grade/content is reinstated.
Complicity
If a student gives permission, approval, or assistance to another student to violate any section of the Code of Conduct, he/she may be charged with complicity. If a student witnesses any violation of the Code of Conduct, he/she must report the incident to the proper authority.