Pikes Peak State College places the highest value on academic honesty and integrity. Students who disregard that value deprive themselves of the learning experience they have invested in and will need for future success. Therefore, you are expected to always do your own work. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to submitting material prepared by someone else as your own; plagiarism (passing off another person’s ideas, writings, etc., as your own); failure to cite sources adequately or correctly, using electronic data sources such as the internet, phone texting, computer IM, or smart devices such as the smartwatch or AI personal assistants without express permission of the instructor, cheating on tests by using unauthorized materials; having someone else take an online test for you; sharing your work or test answers with another student to submit as their own. If you are unclear on what counts as academic dishonesty, please consult with your instructor.
If it is proven that you have been academically dishonest, the instructor will impose the appropriate penalty as indicated on the course syllabus, up to a zero grade for the test/assignment. For more severe infractions, the instructor, in consultation with the Executive Dean, may assign a failing grade for the course.
In addition, academic dishonesty violates the PPSC Student Standards of Conduct, and a report will be made to the Dean of Students for possible disciplinary action under the Colorado Community College System Student Behavioral Expectations and Responsibilities (BP 4-30). Disciplinary action may occur for any standards of conduct violations, including in-class behavior which disrupts the instructor’s ability to teach and other students’ ability to learn. Please review the Student Behavioral Expectations and Responsibilities (Code).
The introduction of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools (such as ChatGPT, and Lumen) are changing the ways we work, learn, communicate, and think. This is an exciting and challenging time, with great possibilities that also carry serious risks. At PPSC, we acknowledge that there remains a great deal of uncertainty in how to approach the use of these new tools for building online courses, creating new online pedagogies, and communicating with students in higher education. As these technologies rapidly change and evolve, we recognize that we will need to adjust our procedures more quickly than we are normally comfortable with. However, if we can center our approach to the use of AI tools with PPSC’s core values, then we can engage with these technologies in ways that will maximize benefits for students, faculty, and instructors, while minimizing risks.
This policy outlines the guidelines and ethical considerations for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies within Pikes Peak State College. Its purpose is to ensure that AI is used in a way that enhances learning, respects privacy, maintains academic integrity, and fosters an inclusive educational environment.
Artificial Intelligence, in particular generative AI, refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. These processes include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding language. Instructors may choose from amongst three policies or any combination thereof. Option 1 allows the use of generative AI in a course with proper attribution; Option 2 would allow generative AI use at specified times with proper attribution; and Option 3 does not permit the use of generative AI at all.
Absent a separate clear statement from your course instructor, the following rules will apply to the use of generative AI in Pikes Peak State College courses.
In September 2023 the US Department of Education clarified the difference between distance and correspondence education. A key change of that mandate is the requirement for “regular and substantive interaction” (RSI) between students and instructors in asynchronous online courses. RSI is defined by the Department of Education as regular and meaningful communication between students and instructors, either in real-time or through asynchronous methods as detailed in Title 34.B.VI.A §600.2. In distance education, this RSI should be apparent in course design.
While issues of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) are evolving, and PPSC encourages the use of AI as a tool for faculty and instructors within the classroom, the Department of Education has determined that “interactions with artificial intelligence . . . will not meet the statutory requirements for regular and substantive interaction (Federal Register. Office of Postsecondary Education 2020)[1].” Students can expect that their instructor(s) will continue to participate regularly and substantively in all distance education classrooms, and that AI will only be used to supplement instruction and/or to teach AI literacy skills.
[1] “Distance Education and Innovation” (2020, Sept. 9). Federal Register. Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/09/02/2020 -18636/distance-education-and-innovation
PPSC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Any student eligible for and needing academic accommodations due to a disability is encouraged to speak with the ACCESSibility Services (AS) Team. The following link provides additional information: PPSC ACCESSibility Services webpage. You can email accessibilityservices@pikespeak.edu or contact AS at 719.502.3333. Reasonable accommodations are determined through an interactive process that involves the student and AS specialists. We encourage students with accommodations to discuss them with their instructors as soon as they receive them. Self- advocating for reasonable accommodations is the responsibility of the student. AS recommends that students request for reasonable accommodations before the first week of class. But students are welcome to make accommodation requests at any time during the semester. Students and Faculty are encouraged to contact ACCESSibility Services for information and assistance at any time.
The faculty and staff at PPSC are committed to student learning and success. Therefore, students may periodically be asked to participate in an assessment activity for their program or department, or for the college. These activities might include taking a test, providing a writing sample, or speaking on a topic. They are designed to help faculty improve programs and teaching strategies and to promote student growth. For more information, visit the Assessment landing page.
Due to circumstances beyond our control (i.e., natural disasters, extreme and extended inclement weather, pandemics, etc.) the college may change modes of instructional delivery to best accommodate student learning and academic success. If, for example, on-campus classroom instruction becomes unavailable or impossible (due to circumstances beyond our control), instruction may be delivered and provided online.
Individuals not enrolled in a class are not permitted to sit in the classroom while the class is in session. Faculty members are required to take attendance and anyone not on the class list will be asked to leave the classroom. The only exception to this procedure is for specially trained interpreters necessary for disabled students. Children are not permitted in classrooms during class meeting times.
Students may record a class or discussion, including in-person or online classes and discussions if one or both of the following conditions have been met (see System President’s Procedures 19-50):
Faculty and instructors may record class sessions, including in-person or online classes and discussions. Students should be informed if classes will be recorded. Class recordings by faculty/instructors are for the use of that specific class unless otherwise approved.
If you are sick, please stay home and notify your instructor.
As we move into a new phase for COVID-19, we still need to be careful to take care of each other and the Pikes Peak community. With that in mind, please practice proper hygiene:
Students are responsible for evaluating their course and instructor using the MyCourses/D2L platform. Access to the evaluation is provided through SSO (Single Sign On) via the “My Surveys” widget on any D2L course homepage. Evaluations become available shortly after the midterm point; look for announcements in your campus email containing a survey access personalized link. Faculty and administrators use the responses collected in the survey to improve classes and programs, and individual instructors use them to improve their teaching. Evaluations are anonymous. Instructors will not see the responses until they have submitted grades, and they will not be able to match responses with individual students.
See the current PPSC Catalog for important information regarding academic standards and the grading system that applies to your course(s).
Drop with a refund is possible during the first 15% of the semester. An official withdrawal may also be initiated by the student through 80% of the term resulting in a grade of “W”. A “W” grade has no credit and is not computed in the GPA. If you simply stop attending without officially withdrawing, a grade based on the total points earned will be assigned to you at the end of the semester as per the grading policy listed in the syllabus. This will usually result in an F on your grade report and may not be changed to a W once issued. Consult a current class schedule or the PPSC calendar for the exact dates.
NOTE: Your instructor cannot withdraw you; timely withdrawal is a student's responsibility.
NOTE: Students using Military and Veterans education benefits must also adhere to their benefit guidelines. Military and Veteran students who are considering withdrawing should contact the MVP office immediately to understand the potential impacts.
An incomplete will be issued only if the student has completed more than 75% of the course requirements and has an emergency that cannot be resolved prior to the end of the semester. An incomplete is rarely issued and may pose a risk to your GPA. ALL remaining work must be satisfactorily completed by the contracted date prior to the end of the next semester, or a grade of F will be issued for the course. An Incomplete (I) grade may be removed only when the remaining class objectives are completed by the date indicated on the "Incomplete Course Agreement" form or no later than the end of the next full 15-week semester.
NOTE: Active-duty Army soldiers are required to have incompletes completed within 110 days of the end of the term. The resulting grade change is made by the instructor of record and approved by the appropriate instructional division Executive Dean. Course work not completed within the allotted time will be assigned a Failing (F) grade. Students may not re-enroll in a class in which an incomplete grade is pending, since according to the College’s definition of enrollment, they are still enrolled.
A change of grade (other than from an Incomplete) is permitted only as a result of faculty/instructor or administrative error in calculating, posting, or recording a grade. A student has one full year from the time in which the grade was issued to submit a written request for a grade reevaluation to the faculty member. Any student wishing to pursue a grade change must exhaust the following options in sequence.
Examples of instructional or course concerns deal with instructor behavior, class policies, and unfair expectations or demands. Any student who wishes to pursue an instructional concern must exhaust the following options in sequence.
The mission of the Learning Commons is to promote student persistence by reinforcing the importance of supplemental support, collaborative inquiry, and independent learning. Library, Technology, and Tutoring Services have merged to allow for increased efficiency and effectiveness in partnering with students to develop lifelong learning strategies. Students can access computers, participate in workshops, or request academic assistance from tutors, faculty, and librarians to meet the academic demands of courses. There are a variety of other services and resources that can improve the overall student experience at PPSC. For more detailed information about services, we invite you to explore the Learning Commons or visit the website: Learning Commons | Pikes Peak State College. For immediate assistance, call: 502- 2400 (Library Services) or 502-3444 (Tutoring Services).