All doctoral and advanced graduate students are subject to the policies of the Reinhardt Student Handbook.
The Honor System
Honor is the moral cornerstone of Reinhardt University. Honor provides the common thread woven through the many aspects of this institution and creates a community of trust and respect affecting fundamentally the relationships of all its members. The centrality of honor at Reinhardt University is contained in its Honor System which is embodied in the Reinhardt University Honor Pledge.
The Honor Pledge
Reinhardt University is a community of learners committed to the integration of faith and learning in the education of the whole person. As a partnership of students, faculty, and staff, we are dedicated to intellectual inquiry, academic freedom, and moral development. We are devoted to the principles of integrity, honesty, and individual responsibility. Therefore, in all our personal and academic endeavors, we will strive to represent our institution with integrity, purpose, and pride; demonstrate honest behavior and expect honesty from others; and accept responsibility for our own words and actions.
Introduction to Academic Integrity Policies
Reinhardt University provides an environment that encourages all students to learn, create, and share knowledge responsibly. As society entrusts our students and faculty to pursue knowledge and report their discoveries truthfully, any deliberate falsehood or misrepresentation undermines the stature of the University. The full text of Reinhardt University's Academic Integrity Policy is published in the University Faculty Handbook Section III, § 9.0 (Academic Integrity) and Appendix B, § 11.0 (Academic Integrity). The provisions below supplement — and do not replace — the University's institutional policy with doctoral-specific standards appropriate to the advanced nature of these programs.
Forms of Academic Dishonesty
The following behaviors constitute academic dishonesty and are prohibited in all Reinhardt doctoral programs:
- Plagiarism — Presenting the words, ideas, data, or creative work of another person as your own, whether from published sources, other students, or AI-generated content, without proper attribution.
- Fabrication — Inventing, falsifying, or misrepresenting data, evidence, sources, citations, or research findings.
- Cheating — Using unauthorized materials, assistance, or methods in any graded assessment.
- Unauthorized Collaboration — Working with others on individual assignments without explicit instructor authorization.
- Ghost-Writing & Contract Cheating — Submitting work written or produced by another person — human or AI — as your own original work.
- Self-Plagiarism — Submitting work previously submitted for another course or occasion without the explicit knowledge and consent of the instructor.
- Research Misconduct — Misrepresenting research procedures, manipulating data, or violating the terms of an approved research protocol in connection with the Applied Capstone Project.
Doctoral Addendum — Elevated Standards
Because doctoral and advanced graduate students are engaged in original scholarly inquiry and are preparing to contribute to their professional fields, Reinhardt University holds EdS, EdD, and DBA students to elevated academic integrity standards beyond those applied at the undergraduate level.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Policy
Doctoral students are expected to leverage available technologies — including artificial intelligence tools — as aids to their scholarly work. The use of AI for tasks such as literature searching, editing, formatting, and brainstorming is permitted. The use of AI to generate, substitute for, or misrepresent a student's own analysis, argumentation, or original research findings constitutes academic dishonesty.
Students must disclose any substantive AI assistance in coursework or capstone submissions consistent with program guidelines and APA 7th edition documentation standards for AI-generated content.
Research Integrity & IRB Compliance (EdD and DBA)
All EdD and DBA candidates conducting research involving human subjects as part of the Applied Capstone Project must comply with Reinhardt University's Institutional Review Board (IRB) policies and procedures. Data collection may not begin prior to receiving written IRB approval or an IRB exemption determination.
Violations of IRB protocols — including collecting data without approval, misrepresenting research procedures to participants, or breaching participant confidentiality — constitute research misconduct and are treated as serious violations of academic integrity.
Professional Conduct Standards
Doctoral students represent Reinhardt University in professional and organizational settings — particularly during synchronous sessions (defenses, consultations, advising meetings) and in the conduct of capstone research within their organizations. Students are expected to:
- Conduct themselves with professionalism and collegiality in all synchronous academic settings.
- Represent their institutional affiliation and research purposes accurately to research participants and organizational partners.
- Adhere to the ethical standards of their professional field throughout their program.
- EdS and EdD students are additionally expected to be familiar with and uphold the Georgia Code of Ethics for Educators as it applies to their professional practice.
- DBA students are expected to uphold the ethical standards of their professional field and any applicable professional codes of conduct relevant to their concentration.
Procedures for Suspected Academic Dishonesty
Academic integrity concerns involving doctoral students are resolved through the University's three-level procedure:
Level | Process |
|---|---|
Level I — Faculty Review | The faculty member meets privately with the student to present evidence and discuss the concern. If a violation is confirmed and both parties agree on a resolution, a written agreement is submitted to the School Dean and VPAA. If the student does not agree, the case advances to Level II. The student has ten (10) working days after the faculty meeting to file a written appeal with the School Dean. |
Level II — Dean's Hearing | The student submits a written account of the incident to the School Dean, with a copy to the faculty member. Upon receipt, the student's grade becomes "Incomplete" pending resolution. The School Dean, acting as arbitrator, determines whether a violation occurred and the appropriate sanction. For sanctions less than expulsion, substantial evidence is required; for expulsion, clear and convincing evidence is required. Either party may appeal the Dean's decision within ten (10) working days. |
Level III — VPAA Review | Either party may appeal the Dean's decision to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) within ten (10) working days. The VPAA reviews whether proper process was followed and determines any curative action. Only the VPAA is authorized to impose expulsion from the University. |
Sanctions
A range of sanctions is available for confirmed violations of academic integrity, from resubmission of an assignment to expulsion from the University. The severity of the sanction reflects the nature and intent of the violation, the evidence presented, and any extenuating circumstances.
At the doctoral level, violations involving the fabrication of research data, plagiarism of capstone work, or other forms of research misconduct are considered among the most serious breaches of academic integrity and will be treated accordingly in the sanctioning process.