Code of Academic Integrity

Lubbock Christian University is committed to building a community that is conducive to spiritual, personal, and academic growth. The values that guide LCU are based on our belief in God and allegiance to scripture. We believe these values are essential in maintaining an environment in which the needs of each individual are important. As a part of a community where God is glorified and mutual respect and dignity of others are the norm, each person shares the responsibility to uphold these guidelines.

The mission statement of LCU cites three areas of focus in its goal of changing lives: a spiritual emphasis, a quality education, and reinforcement of values. As a Christ-centered institution of higher education, Lubbock Christian University expects its stakeholders to conduct themselves with honor and integrity in academic pursuits befitting a Christian learning community and in keeping with the university’s mission.

The implications of academic dishonesty are far-reaching in their ability to erode the functions of education and research; it is therefore crucial that academic integrity be preserved at all levels of the educative/research process. Instances of academic dishonesty may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Cheating, which is the use of materials (including papers purchased or acquired from individuals, internet websites, etc.), study aids, Artificial Intelligence (AI) generated artifacts (including writings, images, formulas, media, etc.), and other elements for testing and assignments, that are not authorized by the instructor
• Plagiarism, which is the presentation of information, content, or wording that originates from another source as one’s own
• Conspiring in or aiding and abetting of dishonest behavior, such as knowingly providing materials from which another may cheat
• Falsification or invention of material for academic work

All students, by their enrollment, agree to uphold all aspects of academic integrity, as outlined in this policy, in all their academic pursuits.

Lubbock Christian University will respond to instances of academic dishonesty with disciplinary action. Consequences range from the lowering of a grade on the assignment in the course to dismissal from the university.

Once an instance of academic dishonesty has been determined by the instructor, the instructor will, as soon as possible, set up a meeting with the student and department chair. At that meeting, the instructor will confront the student regarding the instance of academic dishonesty, assign the consequences and discuss the appeal process with the student. Consequences for an instance of academic dishonesty may be in the form of:

• Lowering the grade on the assignment, even down to a grade of 0, or allowing for the “redo” of the assignment or test, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
• Removing the student from the course with a grade of F.
• Working with the Student Life Office to remove the student from university leadership positions, traveling groups that represent the university, or similar situations.

The instructor and department chair will, in writing, inform the Academic Dean, the student’s advisor, the Provost, and the Dean of Students of the instance of academic dishonesty and the course of action decided upon by the instructor.

In the case of multiple offenses of academic dishonesty by a single student, whether in a single course or for single offenses in multiple courses, disciplinary action will result in the following:

• Removing the student from the course with a grade of F
• Removal of the student from university leadership positions, traveling groups that represent the university, or similar situations
• Loss of scholarship and/or institutional funds and grants.

The following will apply at the discretion of the Provost:

• Suspension from the university for no less than one semester
• Permanent dismissal from the university

The office of the Provost serves as the clearinghouse for information on instances of student academic dishonesty. Documentation of infractions and disciplinary action will be submitted by instructors and kept on file in that office. A copy of this documentation will also be kept on file with the office of the Dean of Students.

A student who wishes to appeal a sanction(s) taken by an instructor for instances of academic dishonesty may appeal to the Academic Integrity Committee. If an appeal is made to this last level, the student may choose to be assigned a faculty member to act as mentor/advisor in preparing for this process. That assignment will be made by the appropriate dean. Students wishing to pursue this appeal process must, within three business days of the delivery of the sanction(s), submit a letter of intent to appeal to the Provost. In that letter, the student must provide background of the alleged instance of academic dishonesty, explain the nature of the sanction, and formally request a meeting with the committee. Upon receipt of this letter, and within ten (10) business days of its delivery, the Dean of Students and Provost will convene with the committee to hear the student’s appeal. The student may not bring outside witness or counsel to these academic meetings. The student may remain in the course in question until the appeals process is exhausted. The student will be notified of the committee’s decision within 48 hours.  If the occurrence of academic dishonesty is within a short course (i.e., during the summer), the timetable in this section is expedited, with five business days equaling one week.

The Academic Integrity Committee is comprised of the following individuals:

• Dean of Students
• Provost
• Academic Dean from outside the college in question
• Faculty member from within the academic area, appointed by the Academic Dean of the college in question*
• Two students appointed by the Student Senate

The student and instructor will present their cases to the Academic Integrity Committee. Decisions of the committee are final. If no violations are found, any assigned sanctions for academic dishonesty will be lifted for this infraction, and a letter recording this result will be placed in the student’s file. If a violation of the academic integrity policy is delivered, then a notation recording the instance of academic dishonesty may be placed on the student’s academic transcript.

*This faculty member may not be the instructor of the course in question or the department chair to whom the student appealed.