IBC Policies

Section A: Student Rights & Conduct

Student Rights and Responsibilities

An applicant will be considered for admission without regard for race, gender, age, sexual orientation, national and ethnic origin, religion, martial and family status, physical limitation or membership of the Traveller Community. Student records may be released to persons outside the College only on the request of the student or through compliance with applicable laws.

All information pertaining to the welfare of the student such as rules, fees, policies, academic performance will be available on request.
Students will only be subject to disciplinary action for academic failure, non payment of a College debt or the violation of a College rule or regulation or the rights of other students or staff members. See College rules and regulations concerning violations. Students are free to use college facilities such as the computer room, library or reading room outside of class time.

Students are entitled to raise any concerns or submit any views regarding any aspect of their education within the College. See our student feedback policy. Students are secure against any unreasonable invasions of privacy. Students are protected by and therefore must abide by the laws of the land.

Violation of Rules and Regulations

In the following circumstances students may be subject to disciplinary action:

The physical abuse of any person or any action that threatens or endangers their health and safety
Theft or damage to College property
Unauthorized entry to College Property
Disruption and/or obstruction of the day to day business of the College
Knowingly providing false information to the College
In any case of where an alleged violation has taken place the student will meet with the College’s Principal and the matter will be discussed and sanctions (if any) will be determined.

Academic Failure

In a case where a student’s academic performance is deemed unsatisfactory the College will issue a letter informing the student of its concerns. Upon the receipt of a second warning letter the student will be placed on academic probation for a period of one month. If, after this time the student is deemed to have made no effort to improve his or her performance then the College can exclude the student by vote of the academic council.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity centers on the importance for respect, honesty and accountability in academic matters. Students at IBC are bound to the following standards to facilitate the maintenance of academic standards.

Introduction
Infinity Business College considers the acts of plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, and falsification as academic malpractice. As such, where proven, it is subject to the implementation, in the first instance, of academic procedures.
Definition of ‘Plagiarism’
‘The reproduction or paraphrasing, without acknowledgement, from public or private (i.e. unpublished) material attributable to, or which is the intellectual property of another, including the work of students.’

The college recognises that plagiarism may be of written and also non-written form and therefore this regulation covers all assessment, which includes the following:
Essays, dissertations, reports, projects, tutorial work, journals, etc.

Definition of ‘Cheating’
‘Acting dishonestly, before, during or after an assessment or examination in such a way as to seek to gain unfair advantage or assist another student to do so.’
Fabrication
Inventing or falsifying any information in an academic exercise.
Falsification
The intentional or unintentional falsification of academic records or any official College document.

Procedures for cases of suspected plagiarism, cheating, fabrication or falsification for all assessment and exams are governed by those guidelines set down by the awarding Institute or body.

In-House Assessment

If during the marking process a marker/examiner suspects a case of plagiarism, or if there is suspicion that an act of cheating or any form of academic dishonesty may have occurred, the marker/examiner shall cease the marking process for the assessment item. In the case of suspected plagiarism the marker/examiner shall check whether or not the assessment item carries a disclaimer statement signed by the student concerned and whether or not advice about appropriate referencing and/or avoiding plagiarism was given to students.

The marker/examiner shall prepare a brief report noting the extent of suspected plagiarism or cheating in the assessment item and any details arising from discussion with the Academic Co-ordinator. The brief report on suspected plagiarism or cheating and the affected assessment item shall be forwarded as soon as convenient to the Principal of the College. The Principal shall decide in consultation with the Academic Co-ordinator as appropriate whether or not further procedures need to be followed. If the Principal decides not to pursue the matter further then a note must be made at the next programme review meeting. The affected assessment item must be marked in accordance with the given marking scheme.

If the Principal decides to pursue the matter further then a meeting with the student concerned must be held. The student must be advised that a meeting is to be held to investigate the suspected case of plagiarism, cheating, fabrication or falsification and that the student will be asked to offer an explanation to the assembled parties. The student will be allowed to attend the meeting if they so wish. The reporting lecturer will outline the reasons for suspicion, and where appropriate the extent of the dishonesty in the assessment item. The student will be able to respond. The academic committee will consider in private the facts of the case as presented. The student will be informed in writing of the outcome of the sub-group decision, including the imposition of any marking penalties. The academic board will record the outcome of the decision.

Penalties that may be applied in cases where it is established that academic dishonesty has been committed shall differ in severity dependent on the extent and nature of the dishonesty ascertained. For all cases of academic dishonesty the assessment item so affected shall be marked disregarding all sections/parts that are plagiarised or which contain an element of plagiarised material. Only the actual work of the student concerned shall be awarded marks in accordance with the given marking scheme. In the severest cases of academic dishonesty (including multiple cases for the student concerned) it may be determined that the imposition of programme termination or deprivation of the award is required.

Penalties that may be applied in cases where it is established that academic dishonesty has been committed shall include:

Reducing the mark for the specific assessment or examination to zero
Failure in the unit
Failure in the year as a whole
Termination of programme.

If a student wishes to raise an appeal against a decision relating to plagiarism or cheating, then the student must raise the appeal with the college.See section on appeals procedure.

Note:
If academic dishonesty is suspected in a formative assessment item (i.e. one that does not count towards final classification or progression) then the Academic Co-ordinator needs to notify the student concerned of the way in which the College views academic dishonesty. No particular penalties or series of procedures needs to be followed, but the serious nature of the dishonesty must be made clear to the student.

exam submission policy

The submission of assessment material on the due date is the responsibility of the learner. IBC/BMI recognise, however, that on occasion illness or other medical conditions may impair a student’s ability to complete assigned work and with that being the case extensions will only be granted when backed up by documentary evidence such as a medical certificate.

Appeals Services

Student Responsibility

It is your responsibility to notify and consult with either the instructor, or programme department, depending on the situation, as soon as circumstances arise that are likely to affect your academic performance. It is also your responsibility to attempt to resolve all course related issues with the instructor and then, if necessary, with the Academic Director as soon as they arise. Failure to do so will jeopardise an appeal. An appeal may be filed only if the issue cannot be resolved appropriately. A cheque made payable to Infinity Business College should accompany an appeal for the sum of euro 30.

Filing Forms

There are two types of appeals which may be filed. The first is a grade appeal which must be filed with the department which offered the course you are appealing, and the second is a standing appeal which must be filed with your own department. Since the appeal of a grade may have an effect upon your standing, you must advise of any grade appeals in process if they are not being made to the same department. Clearly state for which term (Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer) and year you are filing.

Contact Information

You must specify where you can be reached within the ten (10) working days following the filing of your appeal as you may risk missing important information if you do not properly receive a response from the department/ school. You must indicate how you wish to receive the response. Note that having a response mailed will delay your receipt, and you should retain the postmarked envelope to verify the date. If you have not heard from the department within ten (10) working days of your submission date, you must check with the Principal of the College on the status of your appeal.

Grounds of Appeal

There are five grounds for the appeal of a grade:

Prejudice
Medical
Compassionate
Course Management
Procedural Error.

You must consult the Academic Council for the definitions of these grounds. Merit of Work and Recalculation are academic considerations and are not grounds for a formal appeal. If you believe that an assignment, test or exam should be remarked (Merit of Work) or that there should be a reassessment of a grade based on a calculation error (Recalculation), you must have first made the request to the course instructor within ten (10) working days of the date when the graded work was returned to the class. If the instructor did not agree to review the work or did not respond within five (5) working days, you may consult the Principal / Academic Co-ordinator who should assist in resolving the issue and who may initiate a formal reassessment at the earliest possible opportunity. If the reassessment is not done by the Principal / Academic Co-ordinator, the ground for appeal becomes a Procedural Error.

Important Note: Your mark on the work in question may go up, down or remain the same.

You must submit specific and detailed reasons, in writing to the Principal / Academic Co-ordinator, as to why the original grade was inappropriate, including any documentary evidence from course notes, textbooks, etc. Asserting that the work deserves more marks or that you disagree with the mark is not sufficient support for the reassessment. If the Principal / Academic Co-ordinator determines that a reassessment is not warranted, he/she may deny that reassessment, and inform you, in writing, of the reasons and of the right to appeal that decision on the grounds of Procedural Error.

Documentation

You are required to submit:

A typed letter indicating: the actions you took to deal with any unforeseen situation which arose during the semester which seriously impacted your academic performance. Note that failing to meet the deadlines stated in the Policy for the submission of requests for consideration will jeopardise your appeal. The actions you are requesting. Your justification for the appeal.

Medical Certificates or a letter from a doctor containing similar information accompanied by a student declaration is required.

Other documentation which supports your claim or other evidence for compassionate claims; course outlines where appropriate; semester grades where appropriate, and correspondence, if any. Be specific and clearly present all of your information. You must provide as much documentation of your claim as possible. The better the evidence you present, the stronger your claim. You are asked to sign a statement that all documentation is authentic and bona fide, and that all your statements are true. You should consult with the college for other specific requirements.

You must retain a copy of the form you file and all of the documents you attach. You should also retain the date stamped letter if you pick up the response in person, a hard copy of the dated e-mail if you receive the response by e-mail, or the postmarked envelope from a mailed response to your appeal, as proof of the date of receipt.

Internet Usage Policy

The Internet is a free information resource provided by IBC to enhance the learning, teaching and research of students and staff alike.
Users must be aware that the World Wide Web is an unregulated information network, enabling access to ideas, information and images. Users are required to be responsible in their use of the World Wide Web.
IBC cannot guarantee the accuracy of information on the World Wide Web, nor can it accept responsibility for, or supervise content which may be accessed inadvertently or otherwise by a user.
Users may not use IBC’s computer facilities to engage in activities which waste IBC resources (people, networks, computers and financial).
Students may not use IBC computer facilities to create, host or transmit material which is designed to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to others
IBC accepts no responsibility for damage, loss, costs or expenses arising either directly or indirectly from use of IBC’s free Internet based computer reference services.
Users may not use IBC’s computer facilities to engage in activities which would destroy the integrity of computer based information.
Users may register with any of the free e-mail address services. However, inappropriate mail must not be sent or received. IBC cannot accept responsibility for any communication received or sent by personal e-mail account holders.
The use of chat room facilities is not permitted.
Users may not create, access, copy, store, transmit, download or publish any material which is obscene, racist, defamatory or illegal, or causes harassment or gross offence to others or constitutes a breach of copyright laws or licensing agreements.
No user may use the Colleges Internet facilities to deliberately circulate any virus.
Students may not use the IBC workstations as a staging ground to gain unauthorised access to IBC networks or computer systems or to any other network or computer system
Students may not obstruct the work of others by consuming large amounts of system resources or by deliberately crashing any library computer system
Students may not make any attempt to damage computer equipment or software
Students may not make any attempt to alter software configurations in a malicious manner
Students may not make any attempt to cause degradation of system performance
Students may not use any workstation for illegal or criminal purpose
All users are required to indicate their compliance with IBC’s Acceptable Use Policy before access will be facilitated. IBC reserves the right to take such action, in accordance with IBC’s Terms and Conditions, as it deems appropriate against students who violate any conditions of the Acceptable Usage Policy.
All registered students must sign the Acceptable Usage Policy.
Penalties for failing to comply with IBC’s Internet Usage Policy will depend on the seriousness of the offence, and will be in accordance with current College procedures.

Classroom Conduct

The following rules governing conduct are posted throughout the College and in every classroom.

No entry into class if more than 15 minutes late
No sleeping during class
No eating during class
Mobile phones must be switched off during class time.
Students must have all necessary materials in class; paper, pen etc.
Any student who does not abide by the above conditions on any three occasions will get a written warning. Two written warnings will result in suspension or expulsion.

Programme Delivery

We are committed to high-quality teaching, learning and service. Our academic staff is engaged in the provision of an education that meets professional accreditation needs, is critical, well informed, up-to-date and innovative. Our lecturers are highly qualified, have a deep understanding of the subjects they teach, use appropriate instructional methods, and participate in sustained, intellectually rigorous professional learning regarding the subjects they teach. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning processes is central, we believe, to our continued drive for excellence, relevance and quality.

Review of Programmes / Learner Feedback

We believe the integration between programme delivery and learner feedback is critical to the success of our students and of our courses. Each one of our modules is embedded with comprehensive assessment procedures and complimented by timely and detailed feedback.

Communication with Learners

We are committed to the free-flowing exchange of information between learners, staff and other stakeholders. We define ‘information’ as anything relevant to the members of our teaching faculty, student body and outside interests. We endeavour to seek feedback on all our programmes; from structure to delivery, in order for them to remain vital and relevant to stakeholders and students alike.

Fair and Consistent Assessment of Learners

We will strive to ensure that the assessment of our learners is fair and consistent and accounts for individual needs, is integrated across all programmes, is in-line with national best practice and orientated entirely towards the progress and achievement of our student body. The purpose of assessment, as we see it, is to produce feedback to the College on the performance of its curriculum, learning process, and/or services, thereby allowing us to improve our programmes. We do not see it as an evaluation of individual students, faculty or staff per se. Successful assessment is borne of the College’s overall mission and educational purpose. Our assessment policy retains College-wide support among the faculty and administration and provides feedback to the aforementioned and students alike. Ultimately it leads to improvement and has imbedded in it a process for self-evaluation.

Protection for Learners (Cessation of Programme)

IBC as an education provider is subject to the Qualifications Act and as such have appropriate arrangements in place for the protection of learners on programmes of three months or more. In the event of a programme of study unexpectedly ceasing learners will be transferred to another provider offering a similar programme. To facilitate this IBC has in place a recipricol agreement with another provider to which course participants will be directed on the cessation of a programme. In the event of a programme of study unexpectedly ceasing, and when the option of transfer is not acceptable to the learner or not feasible, IBC will refund the fees most recently paid.

Complaints Procedure

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure at the earliest possible time the prompt and equitable resolution of student complaints, including those alleging discrimination on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, national origin, age, marital status or disability.

Representation

The student may be represented at any level of the complaint.

Procedure

Any student who believes that he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of the aforementioned areas by the College or its personnel may informally discuss the complaint with the Principal with the objective of reaching a reasonable solution. If the aggrieved student believes the complaint has not been resolved at the informal discussion, he or she may submit a written complaint stating his or her name, the nature and date of the alleged violation, names of persons responsible (where known), names of any witnesses, and requested action within 30 working days of the date of the informal discussion, to the Academic Committee. It shall be ensured that the aggrieved student’s rights to appropriate due process procedures are honored. If a hearing is held, the Academic Committee will consult with the College legal counsel and render a decision in writing on the complaint within ten working days. If this decision is not to the student’s satisfaction, he or she may appeal the decision within 10 working days of the receipt of the written decision.

For complaints other than those concerning discrimination, a student who has a complaint shall request a conference with the Principal, who shall schedule and hold a conference with the student. In keeping with the procedure outlined above relating to discrimination if the outcome of this conference is not to the student’s satisfaction, the student may submit a written complaint stating his or her name, the nature and date of the alleged incident, names of persons responsible (where known), names of any witnesses, and requested action within 30 working days of the date of the informal discussion,

For complaints in relation to the integrity of examinations, results and any other academic complaints please refer to the section entitled Appeals Services.

Dismissal

Students may be dismissed for:

Continued non or poor attendance, poor discipline or the issuance of two warning letters can result in dismissal.
Failure to meet minimum academic standards.
Failure to submit course completion works to the College for an extended period, except in cases where the student is taking an approved Leave of Absence.
Academic dishonesty. See section on same.
Non-payment of any amounts due to the College according to standards set forth under suspensions.
Failure to comply with IBC’s drugs policy
Failure to comply with IBC’s alcohol policy
Failure to comply with IBC’s terms and conditions

EU Students

Infinity Business College offers courses for EU students through the Business Management Institute. To access all policies relating to EU students CLICK HERE and you will be directed to the website of the Business Management Institute.

Access, Transfer & Progression

We are committed to providing current and prospective learners with all the information necessary to allow them to make informed decisions regarding their chosen programme of study. It is our intention to recognise a student’s prior learning and to promote an equitable and fair admission process whilst also providing programmes of study which facilitate learners who wish to transfer or progress to other programmes leading to recognised awards.

Please refer to your relevant course programme webpage for specific arrangements. The IBC 'Access, Transfer & Progression' Information Booklet for all programmes is available from IBC on request and upon enrolment.

Section B: Staff

Staff Recruitment & Development

It is our policy to attract and retain the most qualified, suitable and committed people available to us and to provide an equal employment opportunity to all, without regard to gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, race, family status and marital status or physical limitation, or whether members of the Traveller community. It is our policy to advertise vacancies in publications that are relevant to the nature and level of the job. Typically, vacancies are advertised in local papers and/or in the appropriate section of national papers, and on the internet. We are committed to the ongoing development of our staff and actively encourage further training and education through the Lifelong Learning Initiative; a learning that builds capacity, increases knowledge and skills, develops critical reflection, understanding and insight, and facilitates their growth and development.

Staff Induction

It is our policy across all programmes to induct new colleagues in ways that promote the highest standards of classroom practice whilst seeking to ensure the academic success of all students. We will endeavour to provide for our staff institutional commitment and support, quality mentoring and the highest professional standards.

Provision and Maintenance of Resources

The provision of a quality learning resource is our highest priority and we will strive to constantly upgrade our existing facilities in line with our own high standards and those of industry leaders. We will be all-inclusive in our approach to society, facilitating all members regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability and we will continue to pursue the highest standards in programme recognition and validation.

Communication with Staff

We are committed to providing our teaching and administrative staff with up to date and relevant information relating to the delivery and development of all programmes.

Self Evaluation of Programmes & Services

In order to improve its delivery of the education resource IBC is committed to the consistent and timely evaluation of academic programmes and services through consultation with staff, learners, other stakeholders and external evaluators.