On Thursday, 23rd July 2020, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) adjudicated on four cases of plagiarism.
The AJC concluded that out of the four students, three were found guilty of plagiarism and one, not guilty. Upon investigation, two of the students found guilty had a portion of their work similar to each other; and the third student pleaded guilty in a statement submitted to the committee and opted not to appear. While there has not been any record of informal resolution on file for two of the students, the cases were escalated to AJC due to its severity.
As stated in Ashesi’s student handbook:
“Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, unauthorized exchange of information or use of material during an examination, unauthorized transfer of information or completed work among students, use of the same paper in more than one course, unauthorized collaboration on assignments, and other unethical behavior. Disciplinary action will be taken against academic dishonesty” (Section 7.4)
After deliberating, the AJC arrived at the following sanction:
The 3 students found guilty will receive a failing grade for the course while the student found not guilty will receive his/her deserved grade for the course.
Advice to the Ashesi Community:
The AJC would like to remind students that careless work and a lack of academic integrity will have serious repercussions. In addition to this, the Ashesi community should remember the following:
- Students should not take for granted the examination rules and instructions given by lecturers during the examination period.
- Students should note that when caught engaging/cheating with a third party during examination/quiz both parties will be found culpable no matter the circumstance.
- Students should note that it is better to leave a question unanswered than to indulge in an unethical act.
- Students are encouraged to admit to their wrongdoings when approached by any member of the community
We trust that this case will serve as a learning experience for our community. Academic honesty is very important at Ashesi and is central to our mission: To train a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within our students the critical thinking skills, concern for others, and the courage it will take to transform a continent. Remember, this mission applies to all no matter the circumstance.