A new Academic Integrity Office is one step closer to creation after the University Senate passed a previously tabled motion on Wednesday by the Vice Chancellor and Provost’s Committee on Academic Integrity.

The VCPAI, with the leadership of Elet Callahan, a professor in the School of Management, proposed the Academic Integrity Office to create a uniform system of recording violations of academic integrity between the various schools and colleges at Syracuse University. The motion was tabled at last month’s meeting so the committee could gather more faculty feedback on the subject.

Callahan presented the motion to the senate again Wednesday to much debate from a representative of the College of Law and other senators.

Margaret Harding, a professor in the College of Law, said that the new motion would hinder the process that the school already uses to investigate academic integrity violations. She spoke at length about how the College of Law uses its academic policy to ensure that a student’s behavior is reported to the bar, often disregarding reminders that the issue was only up for debate for 20 minutes.

‘It’s important to the law school that we’re asked not to sign this policy,’ Harding said. ‘We have our own honor code tailored to our own procedures.’

Harding attempted to continue, but was cut off by Vice Chancellor Deborah Freund, who was running the meeting in Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s absence.

Callahan replied to Harding’s statements by saying that the VCPAI and representatives from the College of Law have spoken about the difference in procedures. However, the committee still openly disagrees with the school’s position. Callahan also said that SU’s legal counsel advised that a non-uniform academic integrity policy across all schools and colleges has the potential to lead to legal trouble.

But Harding, speaking without being recognized by Freund, said even if College of Law students take courses in other schools at SU, notice could still be given in the case of a violation of academic integrity.

Freund then said she would only like to hear from senators on the issue, keeping in mind that a vote had to be made within a few minutes. Harding objected to this, saying she was invited to the USen meeting and it was unfair not to allow her to speak.

Bruce Carter, the chair of the agenda committee, reminded the senate and Harding that only senators were allowed to speak without being called on. Harding left the meeting shortly after.

Other senators brought up issues such as the $150,000 price tag for the new Academic Integrity Office and the fact that it could overlap some of the responsibilities of the Office of Judicial Affairs. The senate committee on student life, with the support of the Student Association and the USen student caucus, also stated its support of the VCPAI. The motion passed with the favor of a large majority of senators.

Another motion was passed by USen which approved a recommendation by the academic affairs committee to create a uniform policy for non-tenure track faculty to gain promotions. If the policy is implemented in the future, hundreds of faculty members could have the opportunity to gain full-time employment at SU.

Published on February 15, 2006 at 12:00 pm