Academic Conduct in UWA

The range and nature of academic practices that may be regarded as inappropriate in a university is as broad as the disciplines and specialities within it. Dealing with plagiarism or cheating has always been a part of any academic's professional undertaking. Staff are required to make professional judgements about the seriousness of the event, identify ways to guide students into more appropriate practices, and sometimes implement penalties.

Consistency in the processes and penalties used for dealing with inappropriate academic conduct across faculties or from one discipline to another can be especially difficult in a devolved system. Providing assistance in dealing with this difficult task is the focus of a new policy implemented this year in The University of Western Australia (2005), known as the Academic Conduct Guidelines. The guidelines provide a framework for determining levels of seriousness of inappropriate student conduct based on any previous instances as well as level of study, and procedures for dealing with such conduct in a manner that ensures fairness and consistency of outcomes for students and staff across all areas of the University. The guidelines include counselling provisions, in particular for entry level students, in order to provide an educative process in shaping their knowledge and working practices, and to assist them in avoiding further inappropriate practices.

Material is being developed to support this emphasis upon educative approaches, such as the construction of an online module for students. The purpose of this module is to provide students with clear information about the UWA Academic Conduct policy, including how inappropriate conduct is defined and dealt with. This module will be piloted in a number of first-year units in different faculties during the second half of this year. Initially the module will seek to raise student awareness about what constitutes ethical scholarship, academic literacy and academic misconduct. Additional discipline specific elements will be attached to the online module to provide students with typical examples of these matters in their particular areas of study. UWA staff are encouraged to participate in the development of these elements by submitting their ideas to the Academic Conduct Advisor or the Teaching and Learning Committee in their faculty.

In addition to dealing with academic conduct matters, the guidelines provide a framework for procedures to document instances of inappropriate conduct on a central confidential data-base. Such information will only be made available to authorised University staff.

UWA staff are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the Academic Policy Guidelines, in particular, their own responsibilities.

• University of Western Australia (2005). Academic Conduct - Guidelines for faculties and other teaching and supervision sections at UWA: Ethical scholarship, academic literacy and academic misconduct. Retrieved May 2, 2005, from http://www.teachingandlearning.uwa.edu.au/page/72852

Academic Conduct Guidelines at a glance

1. Guideline 1:  The use of common definitions

2. Guideline 2:  The articulation and embedding of information for students and staff

3. Guideline 3:  Proposed levels of academic misconduct

   1. 3.1: Level 1, Minor Academic Misconduct

   2. 3.2: Level 2, Moderate Academic Misconduct

   3. 3.3: Level 3, Major Academic Misconduct

4. Guideline 4:  The provision of counselling and the application of penalties

5. Guideline 5:  Plagiarism

6. Guideline 6:  Mitigating circumstances

7. Guideline 7:  Recording procedures in cases of academic misconduct

8. Guideline 8:  Use of signed coversheets/declarations

9. Guideline 9:  Principles relating to the handling of alleged academic misconduct

10. Guideline 10:  Procedural responsibilities in the handling of alleged academic misconduct

    1. 10.1: Teaching staff (including sessional staff) other than unit coordinators

    2. 10.2: Unit Coordinators

    3. 10.3: Heads of School (Academic Conduct Advisers, if delegated)

    4. 10.4: Deans

    5. 10.5: Beyond the Faculties

11. Guideline 11:  Recording procedures within faculties

    1. 11.1: Level 1, first 48 points of study, first instance

    2. 11.2: All Other levels

12. Guideline 12:  Appeals

13. Guideline 13:  Adherence to university definitions

14. Guideline 14:  Specific faculty definitions and use of levels

15. Guideline 15:  Information in unit outlines and assessment guides