Academic Honesty
The University is a community dedicated to learning and research, both of which include
the transmission of knowledge. In striving to learn, we are often dependent on what
others have achieved and thus become indebted to them. Courtesy, gratitude and justice
require that we make public our reliance on and use of the ideas and writings of others.
At the time of matriculation, all students are informed of the honor code as described
below, and asked to electronically sign a form indicating their understanding of same.
Plagiarism
An attempt to claim ideas or writings that originate with others as one's own is a
serious offense against the academic community. Plagiarism is not mitigated by a paraphrase
or even by an extensive rewriting of another's work. Whenever ideas or words are borrowed,
the student must give credit by citing the source. The same principle of honesty applies
to the use of modern technologies like the computer—sources of information must be
accurately credited.
A student who submits plagiarized work is subject to disciplinary action. An instructor
who discovers that plagiarized work has been submitted in fulfillment of course requirements
shall immediately inform the student, allowing him or her the chance to explain the
circumstances. If, after conferring with the student, the instructor still considers
the student's work to be plagiarized, then the instructor will compile the materials
of the case, including the piece of work that may have been plagiarized, any sources
from which the student plagiarized, and a report of the instructor's conversation
with the student. The instructor will submit these materials to the appropriate Academic
Dean.
If the student acknowledges in writing that he or she has plagiarized, the case does
not go to an Academic Discipline Committee. Instead, the instructor assigns a grade
on the work and a grade in the course, up to and including failure in the course.
The appropriate Academic Dean reviews the case and decides on a penalty beyond the
grade as necessary.
If the student does not acknowledge the plagiarism, the appropriate Academic Dean
will submit the case, with all relevant materials, to the Academic Disciplinary Committee
of the student's school. That disciplinary committee will conduct its own investigation
and will hold a hearing at which the student, representing him or herself, will be
invited to present his or her case and to respond to the committee's questions.
The committee will decide solely on whether the student did plagiarize, and will base
its decision only on the evidence, not on mitigating or extenuating circumstances.
If the committee finds that plagiarism did occur, it will convey its findings to the
instructor and to the appropriate Academic Dean. The instructor will assign a grade
to the material in question and a grade for the course, up to and including failure
in the course, and shall report these grades to the appropriate Academic Dean. The
Dean shall hold a show-cause hearing with the student on why he or she should not
be dismissed from the University, and shall decide on any penalties beyond the grade,
up to and including dismissal from the University.
If the appropriate Academic Discipline Committee decides that the work is not plagiarized,
the committee will inform the instructor of its decision. The instructor shall then
compute a grade for the piece of work and the course without regard to plagiarism,
but solely on an evaluation of the quality of the student's work. The case against
the student is then dropped.
Repeat offenses are subject to further disciplinary action including, but not limited
to, academic suspension and dismissal.
Adequate procedures for dealing with instances of plagiarism in off-campus programs
will be determined by the appropriate Academic Dean in consultation with the Director
of that program.
The standard procedure in a case of plagiarism discovered in a thesis or dissertation
is termination of work toward the degree. The standard procedure in a case of plagiarism
discovered in a thesis or dissertation after the degree has been granted, regardless
of the length of time ensuing, is revocation of the degree.
Cheating
The integrity of examinations is essential to the academic process. A student who
cheats on examinations or other work submitted in fulfillment of course requirements
is subject to disciplinary action. When cheating is discovered during the examination
itself, the instructor or proctor is to take up the examination and dismiss the student
from the examination for a later appearance before the instructor. The review of all
cheating cases and the imposition of penalties will follow the procedure explained
under "Plagiarism."
Course Requirements
Clearly there are relationships between ideas considered, texts read, and assignments
given in courses. However, students should understand that requirements are unique
to the particular course. That is, it is unethical and thus a case of academic dishonesty
to submit the same work for more than one course unless there is prior agreement between
the professors concerned about the cross-course nature of a project.
