School Policy on Academic Integrity

  • Each student at GTBC is responsible to maintain honesty and integrity in all academic work. This means that dishonest behavior such as cheating, plagiarism or fabrication will result in disciplinary action.

    Cheating includes practices such as copying from another student’s exam, making answers available to another student, using hidden notes, or any other means of giving or getting dishonest academic advantage.
    1. Plagiarism is presenting another person’s ideas or words as one’s own. Plagiarism includes taking 3 or more words directly from an author without citing their source; as well as using another person’s distinctive ideas, phrases; or using paraphrased arguments or lines of thought without citing their source.
    2. Fabrication is inventing or falsifying information or citations in academic work.
  • Students who are found cheating, plagiarizing or fabricating will normally receive a zero grade on the exam, paper, or quiz on which the offense occurred. Typically the students involved will be interviewed by the Academic Dean and/ or Academic Board to explain their behavior and why they should not be suspended from the school.
  • Depending upon the circumstances and the attitude of Student (s) during the above interview, a range of disciplinary actions may be implemented, including the following.
    1. Award of failing grade for the course.
    2. Letter of warning written to the pastor of the student, with a copy to the student’s file.
    3. Reading a public statement of confession to the gathered student body. (Any such statements must be pre-approved by the Academic Dean).
    4. Suspension from the school for a specified time, with certain conditions specified for re-entry.
  • It is important to understand that students who observe cheating by other students,are themselves liable for their knowledge, and are therefore responsible to stand for righteousness by reporting their observations to the school staff. If it is later shown that a student knew about cheating, and failed to report it, that student may also face disciplinary measures.
  • A student found cheating, plagiarizing or fabricating a second time will normally be dismissed from the school.