Reaction to cheating when registering a student's presence

Guidelines on the reaction to cheating when registering a student's presence at NLA University College

Cheating when registering a student's presence at NLA University College

Cheating/forging a signature when registering a student's presence at teaching/learning activities at NLA University College where the student's presence is required is regarded as the forging of documents (Chapter 18, sections 179-182 of the Norwegian General Civil Penal Code).

The forging of documents is a breach of trust in relation to NLA University College and demonstrates a lack of solidarity with co-students. NLA University College will intervene if there is a suspicion that a student or students have cheated with regard to registering their presence.

1. Examples of cheating linked to registering a student's presence

• A student who gets a co-student to sign when he/she is absent
• A student who writes a false/different name on a document
• A student who signs his/her or another person's name at the start and leaves the teaching during the day without notifying the subject teacher of this.
• A student who, in a roll call, answers in the affirmative for a student who is not present

2. Reactions

2.1. The right to take an exam

Section 4-7 of the Universities and University Colleges Act:

(1) The board itself or the institution's appeals committee, cf. section 5-1, may annul an examination or test or recognition of a course if the student

a) by using a false diploma or by other dishonest means, has gained admission to the examination or test or to attend the course concerned, or

b) has attempted to cheat or wilfully or through gross negligence has cheated in the course of or prior to the final assessment of the examination or test concerned, or while taking the course in question.

The Universities and University Colleges Act stipulates that the university college's appeals committee has the authority to impose sanctions on students who have dishonestly gained admission to an exam or course. Obligatory learning activities are work requirements that help to form the basis for taking the exam. Therefore, if there is any suspicion of cheating when registering participation in an obligatory activity, the rules that apply to cheating in exams also apply here. This means that a student who, by cheating, has tried to obtain an advantage, may be deprived of the right to take the exam in the subject in question. If the dishonesty also applies to learning activities relating to work experience, the student may also be refused the opportunity to have work experience.

2.2. Exclusion

Section 4-8 of the Universities and University Colleges Act:

(3) A student who has behaved as described in section 4-7, subsections 1 or 2, if the board itself or the institution’s appeals committee so decides, cf section 5-1, may be excluded from the institution and deprived of the right to sit examinations at institutions covered by this Act for up to one year. This opportunity to exclude does not apply to research fellows employed by the institution where the doctorate is being taken. Other universities and university colleges covered by this Act must be informed about the decision.  The Ministry issues specific provisions concerning information routines, etc. 

In addition to annulling the right to take an exam, the board or the institution's appeals committee may decide that a student who has cheated is to be excluded from the institution.

Both the annulment of the right to take an exam and any exclusion are strict reactions. They should be considered in relation to the seriousness of the offence, the stage that the student is at in his/her studies and other circumstances.

3. Procedure

Documentation from co-students, union representatives, the subject teacher, person in charge of the subject or others who have observed factors relating to cheating must be submitted in writing and document the situation.

1. The administrative head of the course summons the student or students who are suspected of cheating to a meeting at which they are informed of the suspicion. The student is allowed to state his/her views on the matter.
2. The administrative head of the course prepares a report on this meeting.
3. If there are grounds for pursuing the case, the administrative head of the course summons the involved parties to a new meeting together with a colleague. The student is given the chance to bring a co-student or advisor with him/her.
4. The student is informed that a summary of the case, with evidence, the minutes of the meetings, etc, will be placed in the student's folder and accompany the student further in his/her studies.
5. The head of education is informed about the case and is the person who will pursue the matter if there is a question of annulling the right to take an exam or take part in work experience or of exclusion.
6. The student is to be given information on the way in which the case has been handled if an appeal is made to the appeals committee.