On Friday, January 24^th 2025, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) adjudicated a case of plagiarism involving four (4) students in the class of 2027.

Background
Four (4) students in the Discrete Structures & Theory course were discovered to have the same solutions for an assignment during the first semester of the 2024/25 academic year. The students were in different cohorts for the class. The four students signed an informal resolution. However, one student had a prior record, and their matter was escalated to the AJC. The other three students were also subsequently invited to the hearing.

Hearing
During the hearing, it emerged that the student with a prior record had requested help from a classmate. That classmate provided a document. However, the student who asked for help plagiarised the document and submitted the plagiarised work as his submission. The student subsequently shared this document with another colleague, who also passed it on to another.

The committee also learned some additional information during the hearing:

1. The student whose work had been the source document, had used AI to answer one of the questions.
   b. The other two students who had also engaged in plagiarism had initially lied to the faculty member when they were queried.

In both situations, the committee considered these to be additional violations of the student code of conduct.

 

Verdict & Recommendation(s)
After deliberating, the AJC concluded that the student central to the incident was found guilty of plagiarism and would receive a failing grade (E) for the course and a one-semester suspension (January-June 2025). The other three who had all signed informal resolutions for participating in plagiarism, would also receive a failing grade (E) for the additional violations of the student code of conduct they had engaged in.

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 behaviour. Disciplinary action will be taken against academic dishonesty” (Section 7.4)
• A student should not knowingly provide false information or make misrepresentations to any University office. (Section 9.2).
• Ashesi University, its students, and its professional associations will not in any way condone cheating, lying, or any other misrepresentations. Moreover, anyone who willingly conceals these activities will be considered accomplices and equally culpable. (Section 7.5)

Advice to the Ashesi Community:

The AJC would like to remind students that plagiarised work and a lack of academic integrity will have serious repercussions. In addition to this, the Ashesi community should remember the following:

• Individual vs. Team Assignments: Unless explicitly allowed by the faculty, treat individual assignments as separate from team assignments. While you may explain concepts to a classmate, sharing complete solution sets is prohibited.
• No Collaboration or AI Use on Individual Work: Just as you work independently during exams, you must complete individual assignments on your own. If you need help understanding course concepts, seek tutoring from peers, faculty, or faculty interns. Do not have someone else solve questions for you—this includes using AI tools.
• Consequences of Cheating Are More Significant: Cheating has consequences far more severe than a poor grade. Engaging in honest academic work not only strengthens your learning but also helps faculty assess the effectiveness of their teaching.
• Faculty Should Consider Grading Across Cohorts: When distributing identical assignments to multiple cohorts, it is highly encouraged that an individual handles the grading to detect any potential collusion.
• Addressing Student Dishonesty: Faculty should note that denying cheating when evidence indicates dishonesty constitutes an additional violation of the student code of conduct. Multiple violations of the code of conduct should be escalated to the AJC.
• Learning from Past Infractions: It is essential to learn from previous academic integrity violations to understand the seriousness with which such cases are treated.

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.