Academic Integrity Policy


PURPOSE

The purpose of the Policy on Academic Integrity is to establish standards of academic conduct and affirm the College’s commitment to delivering high-quality academic programs grounded in academic excellence.  

POLICY

Hudson County Community College (“College”) and its Board of Trustees (“Board”) believe that academic integrity is central to the pursuit of education. For students at the College, this means maintaining the highest ethical standards in completing their academic work. In doing so, students earn college credits by their honest efforts. When they are awarded a certificate or degree, they have attained a goal representing genuine achievement and can reflect with pride on their accomplishment. This is what gives college education its essential value. When students act dishonestly in meeting their course requirements, they lower the value of education for all students.

The Board delegates to the President the responsibility to develop procedures and guidelines related the implementation of this policy, including, but not limited to, defining what constitutes a violation of the principle of academic integrity and related disciplinary measures. The Office of Academic Affairs shall be responsible for implementing the procedures and guidelines developed for this policy.

Approved: August 2026
Approved by: Board of Trustees
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Academic Integrity
Scheduled for Review: August 2029
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

Procedures

Academic Integrity Procedure

Violations of the principle of academic integrity include:

  • Cheating on exams. 
  • Reporting false research data or experimental results. 
  • Allowing other students to copy one’s work to submit to instructors. 
  • Communicating the contents of an exam to other students who will be taking the same test. 
  • Submitting the same project in more than one course, without discussing this first with instructors. 
  • Submitting plagiarized work. Plagiarism is the use of another writer's or an application’s words or ideas without properly crediting that source. This unacknowledged use may be from published books or articles, the Internet, AI tools, or another student's work. 
  • Using artificial intelligence and/or machine learning tools/aids to complete an assignment (e.g., essay, research paper, discussion forum, exam, quiz, etc.) and represent the work entirely as one’s own.

When students act dishonestly in meeting their course requirements, they lower the value of education for all students. Students who violate the college’s policy on academic integrity are subject to failing grades on exams or projects, or for the entire course. Serious cases may be reported to a School Dean or director for further disciplinary action, including suspension or dismissal from HCCC.

Approved: August 2026
Approved by: Cabinet
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Academic Integrity
Scheduled for Review: August 2029
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

Course-Level AI Syllabus Statement Procedure

To support academic integrity and responsible use of emerging technologies, Hudson County Community College requires that faculty clearly communicate expectations regarding artificial intelligence (AI) in their courses.

Faculty will include a course-level syllabus statement communicating expectations regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the course. These expectations may vary depending on the learning goals of the course, discipline norms, and assignment design. Faculty may adapt institutional template statements or develop their own language appropriate to the course.

Faculty may choose approaches such as:

  • Permitting AI use with disclosure and documentation 
  • Permitting AI use for specific stages of the learning process (e.g., brainstorming, editing, research support) 
  • Restricting AI use for particular assignments or assessments 
  • Prohibiting AI use when necessary to evaluate specific learning outcomes 
  • Prohibiting AI use in the course

When AI use is permitted, faculty may require students to disclose how AI tools were used or otherwise demonstrate their understanding of submitted work.

Students are responsible for:

  • Reviewing course policies regarding AI use
  • Following instructor guidance for assignments and assessments
  • Ensuring that any AI-assisted work complies with course expectations and accurately represents their own learning and understanding

Failure to follow course-level AI expectations may be treated as a violation of the College’s Academic Integrity Policy.

Approved: August 2026
Approved by: Cabinet
Category: Academic Affairs
Subcategory: Academic Affairs
Scheduled for Review: August 2029
Responsible Department: Academic Affairs

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