Educator Academic Integrity Policy

Outlier by Savvas has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating and we expect students to hold themselves and other students to the highest standard of academic integrity. Students in Outlier by Savvas courses are expected to comply with the University of Pittsburgh's Policy on Academic Integrity and upon entering an Outlier course, every student must sign a pledge to not cheat or plagiarize and follow the Outlier student Code of Conduct (Student Outlier Academic Integrity Policy). Any student suspected of violating this obligation for any reason during the term will be required to participate in the procedural process.

Leadership Administrators and Educators managing Outlier by Savvas dual enrollment / dual credit courses within a high school are required to ensure students comply with the Student Outlier Academic Integrity Policy for all graded assessments. This includes graded coursework, quizzes, and exams. This policy aligns with requirements and policies set forth by our university transcription partners.

All Leadership Administrators, Educators, and any other school staff who may monitor academic integrity are required to sign the Educator Academic Integrity agreement and uphold the policies therein.

Any violations of academic integrity, including those related to the use of artificial intelligence, are subject to serious consequences, and must be reported to Outlier by Saavas. As stewards of academic excellence, we rely on your vigilance to ensure that all aspects of the learning process remain fair and equitable. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty will be subject to disciplinary action. Failure of a school to enforce Outlier’s Academic Integrity Policy could result in sanctions for the school.

DEFINITION OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic integrity ensures that all students have a fair and equal opportunity to succeed. Any behavior that provides an unfair advantage to one student is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Outlier encourages students to learn collaboratively, but graded assessments such as assignments, quizzes, or exams may not be discussed or shared. Each piece of work completed by a student must be solely a reflection of that student's own work.

Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:

Copying from another student’s assignment, quiz or exam.
Using unauthorized materials on assignments, quizzes, or exams.
Collaborating with another student/individual on a quiz, exam, or assignment.
Knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, soliciting, copying, or possessing–in whole or in part–the contents of an exam or the work of another student.
Substituting for another student, or permitting another student/individual to substitute for oneself in taking an exam or submitting an assignment.
Attempting to bribe another person to obtain an exam or information about an examination.
Attempting to bribe any faculty/staff or student to alter a grade.
Plagiarizing: To plagiarize is to “pass off ideas or words of another as one’s own created production without crediting the source; to present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source”(Merriam-Webster, n.d.). This can include acts of self-plagiarism, where students recycle or repurpose (either in entirety or partially) their own. If students reference the words, ideas, or phrasing of another person or from published material, they must always acknowledge their sources by citing them.
Resubmitting previously-submitted work for a new assignment or when retaking a course.
Using artificial intelligence content generators when assignments do not explicitly call or allow for them is considered plagiarism.

ADDITIONAL POLICIES BY ASSESSMENT TYPE

QUIZZES

Quizzes are multiple choice assessments that are auto-graded by the Outlier platform when submitted. Students should not review or share specific questions or answers with other students until all students have completed all quiz attempts.

CODING, WRITTEN, AND VERBAL ASSIGNMENTS

These assignments are graded by evaluators holding at least a bachelor’s degree in the subject matter they are grading (and, in some cases, graduate degrees).

If a grader identifies a possible academic integrity violation, Outlier will use the provided tools to alert the leadership administrator and school staff and apply appropriate sanctions.

If an Educator or Proctor identifies a possible academic integrity violation for an assignment, they must report it to Outlier using the provided processes.

EXAMS

Exams are assessments that are auto-graded by the Outlier platform when submitted. All schools offering Outlier by Savvas courses, regardless of modality, are required to ensure academic integrity is maintained for exams, like any other assessment.

Schools running Outlier by Savvas courses with in-classroom elements are required to administer any related exams with a live proctor.

FULLY REMOTE SCHOOLS

Remote learners’ exams use online proctoring software to detect cheating and ensure test integrity. All exams use built-in safeguards to discourage academic dishonesty. See here for technical requirements

If a proctor, Educator, or leadership administrator believes that a student has violated the Student Outlier Academic Integrity Policy, they must report it to Outlier following the processes outlined by Outlier by Savvas and instigate appropriate proceedings following your school’s policies.

IN-PERSON SCHOOLS

GENERAL EXAM POLICIES

It is the school’s responsibility to ensure an eligible proctor is available to proctor exams at a designated time and place.
It is the school’s responsibility to ensure that any individuals who will serve as a proctor have read the Educator Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Outlier Academic Integrity Policy, and have signed the Educator Academic Integrity Agreement before the exam.
All students must have access to the required technology and rapid internet access for the exam. See here for exam technical requirements.
Exams must be administered in an appropriate, secure location free from distractions.
The exam must be administered within the provided exam window during your school day (8am - 8pm ET).
An exam must be completed in a single sitting. Students must be provided with enough time to take the exam in a single sitting.
Students in a class period must take their exam at the same time and place in the same location.
The proctor will only unlock the exam for students present in person for the exam session and will lock the exam for all students after the exam session is complete.
Students can only take the exam with a proctor present and able to observe the student during the entire exam administration.
Students may not use the internet or any devices or non-permitted material or websites, including their course material. See here for approved materials
Students may not communicate with any person other than the proctor during the test and must complete their exam individually. Collaboration is not permitted.
Students may take a restroom break during the exam. Only one student may go to the restroom at a time. No materials are allowed to leave or re-enter the testing area.
The proctor, Leadership Administrator or Educator, must manage any extensions or extenuating circumstances for individual students following Outlier’s policies.
Proctors must report any academic integrity violations and students must comply with the related processes.

Note

Two-part final exams

For courses with a cumulative two-part final exam, each part must be treated like any other exam, following the exam policies and processes.

Each part can be taken on a separate day like any other exam, or Educators can choose to have students take both parts in one longer exam period. Either way, Educators must ensure that students all take the same parts of the exam together, at the same time and place.

PROCTORS

It is the school’s responsibility to ensure an eligible proctor is available to proctor exams at a designated time and place.

A proctor is defined as a school staff member, who verifies student identity and supervises examination integrity.

Proctors must submit a signed Educator Academic Integrity Agreement for approval before being allowed to proctor an exam.
Proctors can not not have a personal relationship with test takers (such as a family member).
Proctors must be over 18 years of age and a member of school staff.
Proctors must be selected and managed by a school Leadership Administrator.
Individuals selected to serve as a proctor must have no vested interest in the outcome of the exam.

Falsifying proctor information or not following proctor testing procedures will result in sanctions for students and/or the school including, but not limited to, removal from Outlier courses or the course being removed from the student’s college transcript.

PROCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Review the Outlier Educator Academic Integrity Policy and the Student Outlier Academic Integrity Policy.
Sign and submit the Educator Academic Integrity Agreement before proctoring an exam.
Review and follow the instructions in the Outlier by Savvas training material and resources for how to administer and proctor the exam using the provided tools.
Enforce all policies found in the GENERAL EXAM POLICIES section for every exam they proctor.
Provide any technical support to students as needed during the exam.
Ensure the exam location remains secure and free from distractions for the duration of the exam.
Ensure students only take the exam with the proctor present and that you as the proctor are able to observe the students during the entire exam administration.
Unlock the exam only for the students who are present in the location to take the exam, and keep test information and access confidential.
Lock the exam for all students after the proctored exam session.
If there is evidence of improper conduct on the part of a student, the proctor must follow the reporting process as outlined by Outlier by Savvas and instigate appropriate proceedings following your school’s policies.

REPORTING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS

If there is evidence of improper conduct on the part of a student, the proctor, Educator, or Leadership Administrator must follow the reporting process as outlined by Outlier by Savvas using the provided tools. Outlier may also flag possible academic integrity violations for educators to review.

Upon reporting academic integrity violations, schools should instigate appropriate proceedings following your school’s policies.

Outlier may enhance provided tooling on a regular basis and provide updated instructions.

SANCTIONS FOR STUDENT VIOLATIONS

Failure to act in accordance with Outlier’s Academic Integrity Policy could result in disciplinary sanctions depending on the violation and student’s record. These sanctions are determined by Outlier’s policies.

Sanctions that may be imposed by Outlier include, but are not limited to:

Reduced or failing grade on the assessment
Reduced or failing grade in the course
Removal from the course
Notation of academic integrity penalty on the student’s official transcript
A lifetime ban from enrollment with Outlier
Any combination of the sanctions above

In addition to these sanctions, schools may follow their own processes and policies related to academic integrity for their own records.

EXAM RETAKES

An exam retake may be offered if there is evidence of improper conduct during an exam, depending on the student’s record of past infractions. Communication or tooling from Outlier will inform the proctor, Educator, or Leadership Administrator if a retake is available.

The proctor, Educator or Leadership Administrator is responsible for administering the exam retake within the exam window or within 4 business days of the original exam window (8pm ET the Wednesday after the original exam window closes), following the standard exam policies and processes. If a student does not complete the retake, they will receive a 0% on the exam.

SANCTIONS FOR SCHOOL VIOLATIONS

Failure to enforce Outlier’s Academic Integrity Policy could result in sanctions for the school, including removing students from Outlier courses, invalidating student transcripts, or no longer being eligible to offer Outlier courses.

DISPUTING SANCTIONS

Educators should submit and manage any disputes on their student’s behalf via the Academic Integrity Dashboard in the Outlier LMS. Documentation to support the reason for the dispute may be required.

EXTENSIONS

Students must ask the proctor, Educator or Leadership Administrator for any extensions.

EXTENSIONS FOR CODING, WRITTEN, AND VERBAL ASSIGNMENTS

For an extension of up to 24 hours past the original due date, the proctor, Educator, or Leadership Administrator should direct students to use the extension tool in the Student Dashboard.

The proctor, Educator, or Leadership Administrator must submit a request to Outlier for extensions greater than two business days, using the teal “?” help menu in the Outlier LMS. Documentation to support an extension may be required.

EXAM EXTENSIONS

If a student is absent the day of an exam or has an extenuating circumstance, the proctor, Educator, or Leadership Administrator is responsible for providing an alternate time for the student to take the exam within the exam window following the exam policies outlined above.

Extensions past the exam window require approval by Outlier. Proctors, Educators, or Leadership Administrators can request an extension in the Outlier LMS. Documentation may be required to support extensions for longer than two business days after the exam window closes. Review and follow the instructions in the Outlier by Savvas training material and resources.