Academic Honesty

Academic honesty, expected of every student, is essential to the process of education and to upholding high ethical standards. Cheating, including plagiarism, inappropriate use of technology, or any other kind of unethical or dishonest behavior, may subject the student to severe academic penalties, including dismissal.

All work submitted for evaluation in a course, including tests, term papers, and computer programs, must represent only the work of the student unless indicated otherwise.

Material taken from the work of others must be acknowledged. Materials submitted to fulfill requirements in one course may not be submitted in another course without prior approval of the instructor(s).

Concerns about the propriety of obtaining outside assistance and acknowledging sources should be addressed to the instructor of the course before the work commences and as necessary as the work proceeds.

Instructors should indicate specific penalties for academic dishonesty in their course syllabi. Penalties, appropriate to the severity of the infraction, may include zero credit for the assignment or failure in the course. In cases of academic dishonesty where the student chooses to withdraw from a course rather than receive a course grade of F, the grade of F instead of W may be assigned at the faculty member’s discretion. In egregious cases and/or cases of repeat dishonesty, additional penalties may be determined by the dean, such as suspension or dismissal from the University. In a case of dismissal, Academic Dismissal will be noted on the transcript.

Any appeal by a student is to be made first to the instructor. If disputes of interpretation arise, the faculty member and chair will attempt to resolve the difficulty with the student. If this does not lead to a resolution, the appropriate associate academic dean of the College of Arts and Sciences or the Boler College of Business or dean of the College of Health normally will rule in the matter.

In the College of Arts and Sciences, a written report of the incident by the instructor or department chair will be sent to the dean of the college, who will keep a written record of the complaint when it is filed, and will forward a copy of the complaint to the appropriate associate dean’s office at the time. The associate dean will place a copy of this record in the student’s file and provide the student with a copy. A written record of the complaint is kept for cases of repeat violations. The associate dean will review the case and determine if, in light of other information and records, further disciplinary action is warranted.

The student has the right to appeal the accusation of academic dishonesty if the student believes it to be in error. The Policy and Procedure for Appeal of a Charge of Academic Dishonesty will be followed if a student wishes to contest a finding of academic dishonesty. Access the undergraduate and graduate policies.