On Monday, July 3rd, 2023, the Ashesi Judicial Committee (AJC) adjudicated a case of plagiarism.
Background
The IRB team flagged the thesis 2 proposal of a student from the C2023 when Turnitin reported a similarity index of 43% for their submission. Investigations carried out by the thesis coordinator revealed that the proposal submitted was similar in content to another paper submitted at another University in 2015.
Hearing
During the hearing it was discovered that the student who plagiarised, had missed several classes during the academic year and had failed to meet frequently with their thesis supervisor. Realising that the deadlines were approaching for the proposal to be submitted, the student sought help from a family member who works as a lecturer at this other University. Further investigation revealed that the student failed to meet with the supervisor even after numerous reminders were sent. The paper that was plagiarised was similar in topic and content to the student’s submitted proposal to the IRB. During the IRB review, the proposal was flagged, and the student called in for questioning. The student confessed and admitted to plagiarising.
Verdict & Recommendation(s)
After deliberating, the AJC concluded that the student would receive a failing grade (E) for the course and be suspended for one semester (August – December 2023). As stated in Ashesi’s Student Handbook:
“Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, unauthorised exchange of information or use of material during an examination, unauthorised transfer of information or completed work among students, use of the same paper in more than one course, unauthorised collaboration on assignments, and other unethical behaviour. Disciplinary action will be taken against academic dishonesty” (Section 7.4)
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:
- Students should plan their academic life well because leaving things to be done at the last minute can be very tempting for students to seek assistance elsewhere. Time management is a skill that we all need to practice.
- Students have all the support they need to achieve academic success at Ashesi. Faculty members, faculty interns, academic advisor, counsellors, peer tutors and research support are all available on campus to serve as a great support system for students in distress.
- Academic departments and supervisors should work closely with students and clearly indicate the various milestones and feasible timelines needed for students to achieve and stay on course in their capstone year. Should a student fail to meet any major milestones, they should be advised and required to defer the submission of their capstone.
- When students are submitting their work, they can refer to the Plagiarism Spectrum for more information on ways plagiarism can appear in their work.
- In addition to the above, Ashesi’s Written and Oral communication course, the Writing Centre and Library are great resources for help in submitting their work. Students especially are to take advantage of these resources.
- Students must learn from past infractions regarding academic integrity, to understand the seriousness with which 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.