CNU Policy and Practices for Student Verification and Identification/Proctoring
CNU shares the same common concern in online education as all Universities:
• How do you know who’s doing the work for the credit?
• Is the student who they say they are?
The California National University for Advanced Studies (CNU) verifies the identity of the students who are completing its courses and programs. Students must access their courses through the secure Blackboard portal, where they must enter their unique username and password. The passwords and user id can not be shared.
The California National University for Advanced Studies (CNU) monitors technological improvements in order to identify more effective methods for verifying student identity and to assure that each student earning credit in a course is the person who completed all of the relevant work. To achieve this, The California National University for Advanced Studies (CNU) follows these procedures:
1. Students who are enrolled in an online course must always be required to enter their user ID and a password to access their online course (through the Blackboard portal). Login takes place through a secure connection.
2. Professors determine when proctored examinations are required.
CNU documents online student identity processes through: ApplyYourself – Online Student Application (applicants are required to have a password in order access their online application; and electronically affirm their id through submission of the application), through the Admissions process (transcript submission; and evaluation test results (CLEP, TOFEL, WES); the Blackboard walkthrough, in the Faculty and Student Handbook (both available online).
These solutions are being used in addition to current academic integrity tools, such as publicizing policies for cheating and ethical violations, secure web browsers, plagiarism detection databases, (Turn-it-in and Viper), encrypted test question banks.
Students applying for admission to a undergraduate/graduate degree program at California National University for Advanced Studies (CNU) must submit the following items:
• An official high school transcript or its equivalent.
• A Military ID or DD214 for those who qualify for military tuition assistance (TA).
• A resume, curriculum vitae or list of professional accomplishments.
• Transcripts of previously earned credit to be evaluated for possible transfer to a CNU program.
Unofficial transcripts will be accepted to expedite transfer credit evaluation. Students who are admitted to the University must submit official transcripts within the first semester.
• Information of unethical behavior is provided to all students; to help students understand the difference between collaboration on assignments and cheating, and plagiarism is identified in the Student Handbook.
• Information on academic integrity can be found in the Blackboard Student Document file (Student Handbook) and Faculty Documents (Faculty Handbook).
• Instructor’s expectations are stated in the syllabus for the students with regards to student assignments.
• Students are informed that they are expected to submit to the University for approval, the name of a Proctor, their address, and means of contact; by completing the required Proctor Information Form.
That the site for taking any exam is to be determined by the professor. That a proctor should be a citizen of the community that holds a position of integrity, such as a workplace supervisor, a librarian, teacher, minister, rabbi, law enforcement officer, etc. That a Proctor CANNOT be a friend, family member, or anyone related to you by marriage.
• University is committed to enforcing the identification policy and in supporting faculty and staff in the handling of academic integrity matters.
• Faculty report every suspected violation (unethical behavior, plagiarism and acts upon it).
• All users are reminded to close the browser after logging out of their computers, Blackboard and ApplyYourself.
Sample of Unethical Behavior:
• Giving someone access to online class logins and passwords. Providing others access to the online classroom can lead to expulsion.
• Submission of work that is not your own
• Cheating on exams
CNU CONSISTENTLY:
• Affirms the importance of academic integrity.
• Promotes an environment of trust in the classroom.
• Encourages student responsibility for academic integrity.
• Clarifies expectations for students.
• Develops fair and relevant forms of assessment.
• Reduces the opportunities to engage in academic dishonesty.
• Challenges academic dishonesty when it occurs.
• Helps define and support campus-wide academic integrity standards.
TOEFL - When Applicant's Native Language is other than English
Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not earned a degree from an appropriately accredited institution where English is the principal language of instruction must demonstrate college-level proficiency in English through one of the following for admission:
Undergraduate: A minimum score of 500 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), or 61 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), a 6.0 on the International English Language Test (IELTS) or 44 on the PTE** Academic Score Report. Master's Degree: A minimum score of 530 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) or 71 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS) or 50 on the PTE Academic Score
Report; First Professional Degree or Professional Doctoral Degree: a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), or 80 on the Internet Based Test (iBT), a 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS), or 58 on the PTE Academic Score Report.
• A minimum grade of Level 3 on the ACT COMPASS's English as a Second Language Placement Test;
• A minimum grade of Pre-1 on the Eiken English Proficiency Exam;
• A minimum Bl English proficiency level identified within the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) standards and assessed through various ESOL examinations, including the University of Cambridge; (1/12)
• A transcript indicating completion of at least 30 semester hours of credit with an average grade of "C" or higher at an appropriately accredited* accredited college or university where the language of instruction was English;
"B" or higher for Master's, First Professional Degree or Professional Doctoral Degree.
• A transfer transcript indicating a grade of "C" or higher in an English composition course from an appropriately accredited* college or university; "B" or higher for Master's, First Professional Degree or Professional Doctoral Degree; or
• Undergraduate only: A high school diploma completed at an appropriately accredited/recognized high school (where the medium of instruction is English).
Transcripts not in English must be evaluated by an appropriate third party and translated into English or evaluated by a trained transcript evaluator fluent in the language on the transcript. In this case, the evaluator must have expertise in the educational practices of the country of origin and include an English translation of the review.
*Accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or an accepted foreign equivalent that is listed in the International Handbook of Universities.
** Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). For more information on this test, visit www.pearsonpte.com
California National University for Advanced Studies Page 1 of 2
Rev. 01/06/2014