The Cleveland Institute of Music is committed to:
- The pursuit of excellence and professionalism;
- Musical and academic integrity;
- Freedom of expression;
- And the pursuit of truth in teaching and learning.
As demonstration of this commitment, CIM strives to foster a safe and healthy creative, learning and work environment for all members of our community, and maintains that academic honesty and integrity are at the core of the education at CIM.
CIM's community is built on and committed to this principle of truth in teaching and learning—something that is essential for the integrity of our entire educational process. As members of this learning community, students and faculty have a responsibility to uphold this principle, by respecting the integrity of another's work, by taking responsibility for their own work, and by acknowledging the importance of the ideas and opinions of others. CIM's community has a shared responsibility in upholding standards of academic integrity.
For students, the importance of academic integrity begins during the admissions process, when applicants verify that all materials submitted for admission consideration are valid, accurate, and a true representation of the individual's work and abilities. Admission to CIM is based, in part, on the integrity of these materials presented, and may subsequently be revoked if found not to be true.
The importance of academic integrity is reinforced during new student orientation, and faculty may include additional course specific guidelines regarding integrity in classes. Students enrolled at CIM are expected to complete their academic and practical work at CIM and in all work through the Joint Program at CWRU with the highest degree of academic integrity. Any work submitted by a student must represent his or her own efforts. All forms of academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and obstruction are violations of academic integrity standards. Any student suspected of an act of academic dishonesty is subject to disciplinary action. Students enrolled in courses at CWRU are also bound by the Academic Integrity Policy of CWRU. Any alleged violation of university policy will be acted upon accordingly, with findings shared with and disciplinary action taken by CIM.
Faculty members have specific responsibility to address suspected or reported violations and should seek counsel from the Associate Dean of the Conservatory about the basis for suspicion and an appropriate course of action. If the demonstrated infraction is a first offense, the Associate Dean and faculty member may agree to have the faculty member address the issue directly with the student, with an appropriate recommendation for action, or to defer such decision until the student meets with the Associate Dean. Students suspected of academic integrity issues may also seek counsel from the Dean of the Institute or from another academic advocate not directly involved with the alleged violation.
While CIM hopes that such issues may themselves become learning opportunities, CIM reserves the right to impose sanctions, if appropriate, should issues of academic integrity be demonstrated. Sanctions may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Letter of documentation for the student file
- Formal warning
- Reduced or failing grade for the assignment in question
- Reduced or failing grade for the course in question
- Reduction or loss of CIM’s institutional merit-based aid
- Restrictions on leadership activities or opportunities
- Academic probation
- Suspension
- Separation from the Institute.
In the case of a second offense, or at any time at the request of the student, the Associate Dean will have the case heard by an Academic Integrity Review board. This group will be comprised of faculty representatives from the student's applied division and the Core Curriculum division, as well as a student representative from the Student Government Association. The determination of the Academic Integrity Review board can be appealed by the student to the Dean of the Institute, whose decision is final. A serious infraction or a second offense typically results in separation, and the transcript then reflects such separation, with all penalties detailed in the Conservatory Catalog.
Students may consult with their individual faculty for advice and guidance on this issue as it pertains to a particular class, so that instructors can explain their particular expectations for ethical academic conduct. In support of an understanding of plagiarism, CIM has a reference section concerning this issue at https://libguides.cim.edu/plagiarism