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Student Life

Academic Ethics Code of Conduct

The purpose of this code is to encourage and promote positive learning and ethical student behavior, define behavior violating academic ethics, specify procedures for the determination of the facts of the alleged misconduct, and to define penalties. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain the highest ethical standards in academic achievement within the positive learning environment provided by the College.

Guidelines for Academic Ethics

Students assume full responsibility for the content and integrity of the course work they submit. The following is a guide to assist students in observing positive behavior in academic ethics:

Students must do their own work and submit only their own work on examinations, reports and projects, unless otherwise permitted by the instructor.
Students can benefit from working in groups. They may collaborate or cooperate with other students during take-home exams, only if specifically authorized by the instructor in the class syllabus or at the time of the exam.
Students must follow all written and/or verbal instructions given by instructors or designated College representatives prior to taking exams, placement assessments, tests, quizzes, and evaluations.
Students are responsible for adhering to course requirements, including conduct and attendance in the course, as specified by the instructor and/or department.
A student that suspects another student of academic misconduct is encouraged to report the incident to the instructor.

Academic Ethics Misconduct

Students enrolled in the College assume the obligation of conducting themselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards. Actions constituting violation of the Academic Ethics Code of Conduct include, but are not limited to, the following:

Cheating, which is intentional deceit, or an attempt to deceive, during the pursuit of academic course work.
Plagiarism is representing the work of others as one’s own. The use of another’s words, ideas or information without acknowledgment is also plagiarism.
Collusion is obtaining or giving a student unauthorized assistance on material in any course work.
Theft of instructional and test materials is the unauthorized acquisition of instructional and/or testing materials.
Misrepresentation/Fraud is using false records, false identification papers, unauthorized identification cards, or computer access to services and falsifying records or knowingly withholding pertinent information.

Sanctions for Academic Ethics Violations

When an instructor suspects academic ethics violations has occurred, he/she shall inform the student of the general facts or conduct upon which the allegation is based, including (as appropriate) the date, time and place when alleged conduct took place. If the instructor determines that it did not occur, no further action is necessary.

If the instructor determines the violation did occur, the instructor will apprise the Associate Dean of the situation and the chosen course of action.

If the action is not otherwise specified by department policy, the instructor may choose to:

warn the student of unacceptable behavior;
issue an alternative assignment, project or examination;
reduce the grade, or assign a failing grade for the assignment, project, or examination;

With consent from the Associate Dean, or instructional manager, the faculty may choose to:

remove the student from the course and issue the appropriate administrative grade
assign a failing grade for the course; The instructor shall notify the student, in writing, of the charge(s) and the resulting action. This communication will also be sent to the Associate Dean.

On the recommendation of the instructor and Associate Dean or instructional manager, the Dean may choose to suspend or expel the student from the program. In this case, the Dean shall notify the student, in writing, of the charge(s) and the resulting action. This communication will also be sent to the instructor and Associate Dean.

All Academic Ethics Code violations will be recorded by the Academic Division in which the violation occurred and tracked as part of the student’s record. Three (3) Academic Ethics Code violations will result in suspension from WCTC for a period of two (2) years. Prior to re-enrollment after that period, the student will be required to meet with the Director of Student Development. Any further Academic Ethics Code violations after re-entry will result in permanent expulsion from the College.

Appeal Process for Academic Ethics Violations

In order to have a decision reviewed for an appeal, the student must provide, in writing, justification as to why at least one of the following criteria are met:

Evidence did not warrant a finding of responsibility.
Hearing was not fair or the process outlined in the Code was not followed.
Sanction is not appropriate for the violation.

The student should submit, the nature and cause of the complaint and desired outcome(s) to the supervisor of the instructor or administrator from whom the sanction came.

If sanctioned by the instructor, the student should attempt to resolve the issue through a discussion with the instructor and Associate Dean(s), or the instructional manager, within seven (7) college calendar days. These calendar days do not include days the college is on break for holidays as specified on the academic calendar. A college day is defined as a day classes are in session.

If the complaint remains unresolved, the student shall submit, in writing, the nature and cause of the complaint and desired outcome(s) to the Dean, or designee, and then meet with the Dean, or designee, within seven (7) calendar days of the initial meeting, in an attempt to mediate the problem. The Dean will send copies of that communication to the instructor and Associate Dean, or Manager. After the meeting, the Dean, or designee, will provide a response to the student, in writing, within seven (7) calendar days. Copies of this communication will again be sent to the instructor and Associate Dean, or Manager. If the issue remains unresolved after the written response from the Dean, the student may, within ten (10) calendar days after receiving the Dean’s or other staff member’s written response, request in writing, to the Director of Student Development, or designee, a hearing with the Board of Review.

If the student is originally sanctioned by the Associate Dean as described in section 1A above, the student must initiate the appeal process with the Dean.

If the issue remains unresolved after the written response from the Dean, the student may, within ten (10) college days after receiving the Dean’s or other staff member’s written response, request in writing, to the Director of Student Development, or designee, a hearing with the Board of Review.

If the student is originally sanctioned by the Dean, the student may, within ten (10) calendar days after receiving the Dean’s written response, request in writing, to the Director of Student Development, or designee, a hearing with the Board of Review.

Board of Review for Academic Ethics Misconduct Appeal

The Board of Review consists of three (3) members. These members will come from a trained pool of five (5) students, five (5) administrators, and five (5) instructors, and there will be one Board member from each of these categories. The Director of Student Development will select three members from this pool for each Board of Review hearing, making efforts to ensure representation of each constituency. The college’s attorney may be present to act as an advisor, but will not be a voting member. In order for student peers to sit as members of the Board of Review, all involved students must sign a release and authorizations to have students sit on the Board. If appropriate authorizations are not obtained, the Board of Review will proceed without student representatives. The Director of Student Development, or Designee, will serve as the Chair of this committee. The Board of Review is advised by this person and the Chair does not participate in the hearing but serves as a resource during the deliberation and sanctioning phases of the hearing. This Chair has access to a student’s conduct history, and will make it available to the Board of Review when appropriate.

Board of Review Procedures

If an accused student, with notice, does not appear before the hearing board, the information in support of the alleged violation(s) will be presented and considered in the student’s absence. If no defense is offered, it is reasonable for the hearing officers to infer that no defense is available.
All persons will be asked to affirm that their testimony is truthful and will be admonished that furnishing false information to the WCTC may result in additional violations of the Academic Ethics Code of Conduct.
The complainant, accused student, and their advisers, if any, will be allowed to attend the entire portion of the hearing at which information is received, excluding deliberations of responsibility and sanctioning. Admission of any other person to the hearing will be at the discretion of the hearing board chair and/or the Director of Student Development.
In hearings involving more than one accused student in the same situation, the Director of Student Development may permit the hearings concerning each student to be conducted jointly.
The complainant and the accused student(s) have the right to be assisted by an adviser they choose. The adviser must be affiliated with WCTC, unless a special waiver is granted in advance by the Director of Student Development. The complainant and the accused student are responsible for presenting his or her own information at the hearing, and therefore, advisers are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any hearing. Advisers who do not observe this restriction can be removed from the hearing by the Chair or the Director of Student Development. No replacement adviser will be permitted. The Dean or Associate Dean, or manager, will also be present at the hearing.
The complainant, accused student, and the hearing board may arrange for witnesses to present pertinent information to the board. Witnesses will provide information to and answer questions from the hearing board. Questions may be suggested by the accused student and/or complainant to be answered by each other or by other witnesses. This will be facilitated by the board with such questions directed to the chair rather than to the witness directly. Questions of whether potential information will be received will be resolved at the discretion of the chair of the board.
Pertinent records, exhibits, and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by a board at the discretion of the chairperson.
All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the chair of the board.
The hearing board will determine, by a majority vote, whether the accused student has violated each section of the Academic Ethics Code of Conduct which the student is accused of violating. The board’s determination will be made on the basis of whether it is more likely than not that the accused student violated the Student Code of Conduct. The Board of Review may consider the record of the original hearing with the conduct officer, but is not bound by it.
Formal rules of process, procedure and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in civil or criminal court, are not used in these proceedings.
Hearings (excluding deliberations) will be audio tape-recorded. The tape recording will be kept until the Vice President of Learning & Student Services has rendered his or her decision, after which the tape will be erased.
The Chair will prepare a written deliberation report to the Vice President for Learning & Student Services, detailing the finding, how each Board of Review member voted, the information cited by the Board of Review in support of its finding, and any information that the Board of Review excluded from its consideration, and why. This report should conclude with any recommended sanctions. This report should not exceed two pages in length, and must be submitted to the Vice President for Learning & Student Services within 48 hours after the end of deliberations. The VP may make appropriate modifications and then will implement the final determination. This determination will be sent, in writing, to the student, complainant, dean, Associate Dean or manager, and copied to the members of the Board of Review.

Grade Dispute

Students who wish to dispute a grade received on a test, essay, homework, performance, computer program project, etc. may do so informally by discussing the matter with the instructor who issued the grade. However, the instructor’s decision, except as outlined below, is final and may not be further appealed.

Final Grade Dispute

When a student believes that the final grade he or she has received in a course is inaccurate or unjustified, the student must be able to provide justification for the appeal and the student must use the following procedures to dispute the grade.

Within 30 calendar days from posting of the final grade, the student shall contact the faculty who issued the final grade and discuss the grade in question. If the student is unable to contact the faculty member, he or she may seek assistance through the Associate Dean.
If the student and instructor are not able to resolve the dispute and the student wishes to pursue the matter, he or she shall contact the Associate Dean within 10 calendar days of the date of the faculty member’s decision. The Associate Dean, or designee, will work to attempt a resolution.
If the Associate Dean cannot resolve the matter the student has 10 calendar days from the date of the Associate Dean’s decision to make an appeal in writing to the Dean. The Dean will meet individually with the student and the faculty member, or may choose to meet with them together in an attempt to resolve the grade. The Dean will put in writing to the student his/her decision.
If the grade is not resolved at the division office level, the student may make a written request to the Vice President of Learning & Student Services, or designee, for an Academic Appeals Board hearing within 10 calendar days of the written decision of the Dean. If the request is not filed within the prescribed time, the student forfeits the right to any further appeal. The letter requesting a hearing must include the student’s reasons for disputing the final grade.
The Vice President of Learning & Student Services may decline to refer a matter to the Academic Appeals Board due to insufficient cause to proceed; may consult directly with the affected parties to reach an appropriate resolution without a hearing.
The Academic Appeals Board will be scheduled when appropriate by the Office of the Vice President of Learning & Student Services, or designee, within 10 calendar days after receiving the written request for hearing. The student, instructor, Associate Dean or the Dean may request that the time may be extended for justifiable reasons (e.g., summer schedules and faculty availability) or extenuating circumstances. The student, the instructor, the Associate Dean, and the Dean will be notified in writing in such circumstances. All persons involved in the hearing will be notified in writing by certified mail or personal delivery of hearing time, date, and location. The Vice President of Learning & Student Services is responsible for these notifications.

Academic Appeals Board

The Academic Appeals Board shall be established to hear appeals initiated by a student to contest a final course grade received by the student.
The Academic Appeal Board consists of three (3) members. These members will come from a trained pool of five (5) students, five (5) administrators, and five (5) instructors, and there will be one Board member from each of these categories. The Director of Student Development will select three members from this pool for each Board of Review hearing, making efforts to ensure representation of each constituency. The college’s attorney may be present to act as an advisor, but will not be a voting member. In order for student peers to sit as members of the Board of Review, all involved students must sign a release to authorize students sitting on the Board. If appropriate authorizations are not obtained, the Board of Review will proceed without student representatives.
The student and instructor(s) may each have one person of their choosing present during this hearing for support, but this support person will not be permitted to speak for, or otherwise act as an advocate for the student or instructor. The Dean and Associate Dean will be present to discuss their role and findings.
After hearing all information, all participants, except Board members will be asked to leave the room. The Board will then deliberate in private. The Academic Appeals Board shall, by majority vote, make a recommendation to the Vice President of Learning & Student Services.
After receipt of the recommendation of the Academic Appeals Board and within ten (10) calendar days, the Vice President of Learning & Student Services shall render a written decision and furnish copies of the decision to the student, Dean, Associate Dean, faculty and to the Director of Student Development.
The decision of the Vice President of Learning & Student Services is final.

Academic Forgiveness

The purpose of this policy is to disregard past substandard academic performance of students when such work is not reflective of their current demonstrated ability. It is based on the recognition that due to unusual circumstances or circumstances beyond the student’s control, the past substandard work will negatively affect their academic standing and unnecessarily prolong the rate or prevent their ability to complete their current objectives.

To be considered for academic forgiveness, the following conditions must be met:

Student must have at least a two year continuous break from credit-based coursework at WCTC.
Upon returning, a student must complete a minimum of 12 credits before applying for academic forgiveness. All completed courses must have a minimum grade of C.
Student has never been granted academic forgiveness at WCTC. If the above conditions are met, the student must submit an application form for Academic Forgiveness to the WCTC Registrar. The form may be found at www.wctc.edu/forgiveness.

Upon approval by the Registrar:

The student’s transcript will be adjusted to indicate the point of forgiveness. All grades of C- and below, including WF, before the point of forgiveness will not count in the GPA, however, the courses and grades will remain on the transcript.
The student will only receive degree credit for courses in which grades of C or better were earned prior to the point of academic forgiveness, and only for courses which meet current program requirements.
Total hours for graduation will be based on all course work taken at WCTC, after readmission, as well as former course work for which a grade of C or better was earned, and credits accepted from other colleges or universities.

The student should note that:

Federal financial aid regulations do not recognize academic forgiveness.
Transfer institutions may not honor the academic forgiveness policy of Waukesha County Technical College.
WCTC’s academic forgiveness policy may be used only once and cannot be revoked, once approved.
Transcripted credit courses are eligible for academic forgiveness upon completion of 12 credits with a "C" or better. No continuous break is required.