The University Council of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) today approved a series of modifications and additions to annul certificates, professional titles, and degrees when academic and ethical requirements have not been fully met.
In a statement, the top university announced that the changes to the rules will be accompanied by various preventive measures, even more robust.
Meanwhile, the UNAM rector, Enrique Graue Wiechers, highlighted the importance of the modifications to university rules, which address a legislative gap and emphasized the importance of students and professors acting in accordance with academic principles.
“It should not happen again that we do not have the mechanisms to manage regrettable circumstances like these,” the rector said.
What are the UNAM modifications? Among the modifications to the UNAM General Statute, it is established that:
Before starting their degree process, students must sign the university protest of integrity and honesty, in which they agree to act ethically and in accordance with university values, as otherwise, their degree may be annulled. Teachers will be responsible for academic integrity and honesty violations in the supervision and follow-up of tests, exams, theses, as well as academic works and articles, especially those necessary for any form of degree or graduation. The student, graduate, or anyone who has provided or received fraudulent assistance for graduation or degree exams will be subject to a review process, and if applicable, their exam will be invalidated. The modifications also include permanent expulsion from the university for any student whose case merits it. However, in situations where a degree is declared null, the student may opt for another form of graduation, provided that the corresponding technical council considers it appropriate.
Regulations will be modified In addition, the full University Council approved modifications to various regulations in accordance with the modifications made to the General Statute.
The General Regulation of University Studies, for example, in its article 61, establishes that exams, tests, and any other type of academic evaluation of students allow for verifying their knowledge, level of critical thinking, and original authorship in their work.
In Article 62 of the same regulation, sections g and h are added. The first refers to the fact that technical or academic councils will establish mechanisms to ensure the original authorship of works presented for evaluation, always seeking to ensure academic integrity and honesty.
The second section details that these councils will determine the invalidity of exams, the appropriateness of approving a second graduation or degree process, in accordance with the General Examination Regulation, after assessing the severity of the case.
Article 68 indicates that to obtain a bachelor’s or professional degree, all courses in the study plan must be accredited, the requirements of one of the graduation options must be met, and the university protest of academic and professional integrity and honesty must be subscribed, the university said in the statement.
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