On Monday, 6th July 2021, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) ruled on a case of plagiarism - academic dishonesty. The AJC concluded that of the two students, members of the Class of 2023, one was found not guilty and the other was guilty of plagiarism. 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 behaviors. Disciplinary action will be taken against the perpetrators of academic dishonesty" – Section 7.4
"Students are not permitted to present to their colleagues any written or electronic copy of their work unless collaboration is allowed by their faculty member" - Section 7.3
After deliberating, the AJC arrived at the following sanction:
The guilty student will receive a failing grade (E) for the course while the other student will receive his/her deserved grade for the course with a signed informal resolution with the Dean.
Advice to the Ashesi Community:
The AJC would like to further remind the Ashesi community of the following:
- Students must understand that lying to an Ashesi official is against Ashesi's code of ethics and it is a serious offence.
- Students should pay attention to the assignments/examination rules/regulations and make sure they understand what is required of them before starting an exam/assignment.
- Students should communicate with faculty about any difficulties with assignments/projects, immediately after receiving the assignment/project.
- Students must always present work that is a true reflection of their abilities.
- If in doubt about academic practices and procedures, do not hesitate to speak with your faculty.
We trust that this case will serve as a learning experience for our community. Academic honesty is very important at Ashesi and it 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 will take to transform a continent.