The CU academic accountability policy is rooted in the values of the Accountability Big Ten TLC, where learners, faculty, and staff recognize accountability as upholding the personal and communal expectations of responsibility, integrity, and reliability. Learning at CU happens in a community where each individual is accountable to and for themselves and the community as a whole. Each community member takes ownership of their knowledge and honors the creations of others.

Our guiding questions ask:

Do you consistently follow through with commitments, including assignments, communications, feedback, and deadlines?

Do you share your thoughts with the power of your authentic voice?

Do you remain accountable to your personal goals and values?

Are you a reliable member of the community? Do you show up as your full self, ready to engage in classes, meetings, and events?

How do you communicate when you are encountering a challenge to the above?

How do you support others to be accountable to themselves and the CU community?

Guiding Principles:

College Unbound believes that respect for ideas and intellectual property rights is a critical value in academic communities. All members of the College Unbound community share responsibility in ensuring that the authentic expression of those ideas is observed.

The expression of authentic ideas is observed when community members use their own voices and words in assignments, class discussions, and communications. 

Academic communities also credit and/or document the use of unique ideas or words of another (in speech or in writing).

Students submit assignments and assessments of their own creation and development, except where the assessment protocol indicates that the student may work with another or others. Faculty provide clear instructions on group assignments and submit authentic feedback to students.

Issues or concerns will be submitted to the Academic Accountability Committee.

The Academic Accountability Committee consists of academic staff members, including at least one academic staff member who is also a CU alumnus, one instructional faculty member, and one lab faculty member. The Associate Provost for Administration, Advising, and Academic Support chairs this committee. Additional staff may be invited to join the committee temporarily if their expertise is needed for a particular situation or content area, or when a committee member is the faculty member raising the concern. In those situations, the committee member would refrain from participating in the review. Members are invited by the Provost and serve open-ended terms. 

Possible outcomes:

Academic note of caution: First documented occurrence 

Academic warning:Second documented occurrence

Academic probation is given upon a subsequent finding after an academic warning has been issued. The Academic Accountability Committee may choose to continue the student on probation or suspend the student. Suspension must be for a minimum of one semester and require an application for readmission. 

Academic dismissal: Any subsequent violation of Academic Accountability for students previously on suspension results in permanent dismissal from College Unbound. 

Decisions: The Academic Accountability Committee will provide written decisions to the faculty member, the student, and their lab faculty, and if a notice or warning is added to the student's record in Campus Cafe, the communication will also be sent to the Registrar’s Office. 

Appeals: Appeals about the Academic Accountability Committee decisions may be directed to the Provost. The Provost’s decisions are final in these matters. All decisions will be shared in writing with the student and faculty.

Students who receive an F in WWL will be required to complete a re-engagement plan with their lab faculty and a representative from academic support at the start of the following semester. The re-engagement plan will be attached to the students’ Personal Learning Plan (PLP) and cover the following:

• What course outcomes were not achieved?

• What were the barriers to successfully completing the course outcomes?

• What strategies will be used to overcome the barriers?

• What resources will be shared with the student to support them in achieving the goals of the re-engagement plan?

• If assignments were outstanding or the exhibition was not completed the student will need to submit the work by the midterm of the semester.

• The Workplace & World Lab has an updated course outcome- which now includes incorporating 2 Big 10 per semester for returning students.

• Unbound Journey is now a 1-credit General Education requirement.

• Some Core Courses are now sequenced with prerequisite requirements.

• Eight completed and credited Big 10s are required for enrollment in Capstone.

Details for these updates can be reviewed in the 2026-2027 Academic Catalog, published on CU's website here.

• LIP credit can be earned for no more than one Major Requirement (Leadership, Change, or Organizational Studies).

• Students may earn up to 40 academic credits through the LIP Sprints or LIP Portfolios. 

• Students may submit up to 4 LIP portfolios per semester if all requirements to submit are met.

See additional major Learning in Public Portfolio process updates further down this page.

College Unbound recognizes that generative artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting teaching and learning inside and outside of the classroom. As such, CU seeks to facilitate the responsible, transparent, and safe use of AI, while ensuring our commitment to advancing critical thinking and academic accountability. We also seek to inform the CU Community with an understanding of the implications of AI technology use for personal voice, data privacy, and the environmental impacts. 

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool in educational settings but should only be used in a manner that is consistent with CU’s Academic Accountability Policy and in accordance with individual instructor guidelines. When AI use is permitted by a CU instructor, guidelines for its use should be developed in alignment with CU’s Transformation Teaching & Learning Competencies to ensure these tools are used responsibly. AI-generated content is not considered a student’s own work and should never be used as a replacement for academic work or learning. 

The foundation of CU’s Academic Accountability policy recognizes and honors the knowledge creation of others. Representation of academic work other than one’s own without appropriate citation, including AI generated materials and content, is inconsistent with CU’s community expectations and college policy..

NOTE: Instructors will communicate their expectations about the acceptable use of AI tools in their courses. Students are responsible for reviewing individual course policies and understanding the appropriate use of AI in each course. Instructors are responsible for providing students with clear guidelines regarding the allowable use of AI tools. In addition, instructors are expected to discuss any expectations regarding AI usage early in their courses and include those expectations in the course syllabus.  

• Portfolios must be written for one degree requirement per portfolio

• All portfolios are assessed at the 300 level only

• Portfolios may be credited for 3, 6, or a maximum of 9 credits

• LIP Portfolios are submitted & assessed in digication

• LIP Portfolios are assessed by one Faculty Assessor

• All Lab Faculty must complete the Big 10 Assessment course in Moodle

• Lab Faculty are the single assessors for their student's Big 10s

The TEP program is shifting to a model that can assist any CU student with an interest in advancing in careers in education.

The implications of this shift include:

• phasing out the pilot dual certification program

• broadening course offerings to better meet the needs of students with diverse interests

• and expanded guidance and support for a greater range of education-related careers.

All CU students will have access to information and new resources to support them in making connections between CU’s curriculum and their career interests. Resources include: 

• Career exploration, development, and advancement opportunities through Wingspan.

• The Course Constellation Framework: Information about how CU’s degree applies to a variety of fields and roles and how CU’s offerings match to various careers. 

• Test preparation support (Praxis, MAT, GRE, & LSAT) through workshops and academic course work for credit.

Students who are interested in pursuing teaching roles will also have access to the following:

• Information about teacher certification options post-CU including resources about recommended alternative certification and graduate programs.

  1. • • • Master's Degree Opportunities- Graduate Programs Frequented By CU Graduates

         • Teaching Certification Routes- Alternative and Graduate Certification Programs

• Career support to assist students in making choices that best suit their needs and aspirations.

• Coming Soon - Stay tuned for information about our new alternative certification and graduate program with whom we are developing formal partnerships.

See the July 21, 2026 update to lab faculty for full details and some implications to lab faculty advising.