Intellectual Integrity Officer (Part-Time)

Direct Reporting Line

Head: Academics

Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa, and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

The IIE Varsity College, Nelson Mandela Campus has a vacancy for an Intellectual Integrity Officer:

The Intellectual Integrity Officer (IIO) is responsible for investigating and managing academic integrity cases across all faculties, ensuring adherence to institutional policies, and promoting a culture of academic integrity and honesty. This role involves evaluating assessments flagged by lecturers for suspected academic dishonesty, which involves thorough interrogation of the assessment and maintaining meticulous records while collaborating with lecturers and students throughout the investigation.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate an in-depth understanding of intellectual integrity, plagiarism and ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). This role requires strong analytical skills, keen attention to detail, and proficiency in navigating administrative tools and platforms. Equally important is the ability to engage with flagged students with sensitivity and understanding yet adhering to policy requirements.

Evaluation And Decision-Making

1. Receive and evaluate assessments flagged for plagiarism / academic dishonesty / unethical use of AI, to determine appropriate penalties, but with particular focus on upskilling the errant students in a supportive and developmental manner. The goal is to effectively educate and develop the students, so that they do not continue to plagiarise, leading to higher level offences.
2. Evaluate the nature of the academic transgression, in relation to the assessment instruction, within the parameters of relevant institutional policies and procedures.
3. Utilise similarity and AI detector tools, such as Turnitin, for thorough analysis of assignments and interpretation of reports, noting inconsistencies and preparing summaries of findings for further investigations.

Workflow Management

1. Maintain accurate records on MS Excel trackers, and other institutional academic tracking systems.
2. Select the appropriate prescribed communication to be sent to the student, stipulating dates for resubmission and academic integrity development intervention.
3. Ensure accurate communication is sent to relevant stakeholders, within the stipulated deadlines and compliant to relevant policies, including the POPI Act.
4. Record errant students on the institutional administrative system.
5. Track that the re-submissions have taken place.
6. In the case of intentional academic dishonesty and/or repeat plagiarism offences, refer the cases to the Campus Disciplinary Officer (CDO) for disciplinary investigation, which requires compiling comprehensive case evidence binders with detailed history and supporting documents.
7. Track consistency of academic integrity policy adherence across all faculties.

Training And Development

1. Liaise with the Teaching and Learning Specialist in promoting Intellectual Integrity across the campus.
2. Liaise with the Information Specialists and Writing Centre Student Consultants in coordinating and implementing academic writing, referencing and intellectual integrity student support and workshops across faculties.
3. Liaise with the academic lecturing team by providing training and support in effectively promoting academic honesty in the classroom, but also identifying and managing academic dishonesty.
4. Provide intellectual integrity and academic writing support to students (individually or in groups) to correct and prepare flagged assignments for resubmission. These developmental sessions focus on accessing credible resources, analysing and synthesizing information, paraphrasing, referencing and ethical use of AI. This support is captured on the student intervention tracker.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree. Postgraduate Qualification will be preferable.
2. A Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) degree with English as a major OR a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with English as the major AND a PGCE with English as specialization.
3. Alternatively, Honours degree will be advantageous.

Minimum Work Experience Requirements

1. Well-developed academic writing skills.
2. Proficiency in MS office (specifically MS Excel), data tracking, PDF compilers and document management.
3. Strong communication skills for interacting with students, lecturers, and administrators.
4. Strong administration skills with meticulous attention to detail.
5. Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret academic tools and reports.
6. Skilled in utilizing similarity and AI detector platforms (e.g. Turnitin) to screen and evaluate flagged assessments.
7. Proficiency in academic/learning management systems and understanding of academic integrity policies.
8. Tertiary lecturing and marking experience would be an advantage.
9. Knowledge of Harvard, APA and Legal Referencing Styles (footnotes) would be advantageous.
10. Knowledge of the research practice would be advantageous.

Working Conditions

1. Please note that this is an Independent Contractor role.

Salary

1. Competitive salary commensurate with experience and hours worked.

Application Response

1. Due to the high volume of CVs received, please note that personal contact with all applicants may not be feasible. Only candidates whose qualifications and skills closely align with the position requirements will be contacted for interviews.

Technical Support

1. Should you experience technical difficulties applying for the position, kindly use the following URL for further assistance: https://hire.simplify.hr/ContactUs.

The IIE's Varsity College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. However, preference may be given to previously underrepresented groups in accordance with the South African Employment Equity Act.