Academic integrity at Adams State is woven throughout all we do. It is a daily part of our Grizzly tradition. In fact, every time a professor steps into a classroom or interacts with online students, academic integrity is of the utmost importance.
By ensuring high academic standards throughout our curriculum, we teach students integrity as we model the behavior we expect of them as individuals. Students need to know that to be part of the Grizzly tradition means that each individual must embrace academic integrity on a daily basis. Freshmen students recite the following at the Convocation:
Adams State University is a community of learners and scholars. Choosing to be part of this community involves a conscious commitment to uphold this community’s values and expectations. As a member of this community, I will embrace these affirmations so as to support the freedom of the entire Adams State community.
- I will practice academic integrity.
- I will relate to others with civility and respect.
- I will learn from differences in people, and experiences and will value the contributions each member adds to this community.
- I will uphold citizenship as a responsible member of the Adams State University community.
- In the tradition of Adams State University, I will strive for excellence and encourage it to others.
Students need to recognize that performing at a lower standard than what they are capable of is a violation of the Grizzly tradition, just as is cheating on an assignment. Students are faced with making choices on a daily basis that tests their integrity. Adams State’s responsibility is to ensure that each individual student is equipped to pass these tests of integrity.
Our academic integrity and commitment to inclusive excellence call on us to ensure that the highest standards of achievement are expected of every student. At the same time, we commit to building the academic scaffolding and institutional pathways needed by some students to achieve those standards.
In addition, Adams State reviews our policies and standards on a regular basis to make sure that students are treated in a fair and equitable manner. This review is integral to ensuring that academic integrity is maintained throughout a student’s academic career–from admission to graduation. Unfair exceptions to policies and procedures can violate our values of inclusion and excellence by creating unequal standards.
The same is true of our credentialing process. To protect the integrity of our academics, each professor is qualified and credentialed in his or her field of choice. To have unqualified faculty teaching violates the value of integrity as the University would not be providing the highest quality of education that is to be expected by each and every student. Adams State must be fair and consistent in our review of the credentials of our faculty.
Academic integrity, the foundation for inclusion and excellence, is a Grizzly tradition that we hope to instill in each and every student.
