Binghamton University

Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science

Student Academic Honesty Code

Preamble

Like all universities, Binghamton University depends on the honesty and integrity of its faculty, staff, and students to carry out its academic mission. To fulfill this mission, every member of the Binghamton University community is charged with upholding the Code of Academic Honesty. Actions that breach the Code erode the trust of those who look to universities for honest evaluations of academic work arrived at through honest processes. Violations also may cause individual harm, including under- and over-evaluations of performance as well as inaccurate reports of performance to post-graduate schools, professional societies, and employers. With so much at stake, collectively and individually, Binghamton University views conduct in keeping with the traditions of academic honesty and integrity as the obligation of all members of the faculty, staff, and student body.

Faculty and staff are governed by provisions of the Faculty-Staff Handbook regarding professional standards on issues related to academic honesty. Questions regarding academic honesty involving faculty generally are overseen by the Professional Standards Committee of the Faculty Senate. Questions regarding academic honesty involving professional staff generally are directed to the Professional Employees Council and/or the Vice President’s office appropriate to the staff member. Thus, this document refers primarily to students and the adjudication of issues of academic honesty for students.

Binghamton University strives to create a true academic community. Such a community values the worth of both individual and collaborative efforts that promote learning and discovery. Such a community also expects honesty and integrity in the work of all its members. The policy here speaks to the work of individual students within the community. It should not be construed as arguing against the important collaborations that also occur among students on the campus. At the same time, faculty need to be clear with students about exactly when collaboration is appropriate and what types of collaboration are being fostered within their classes.

Actions Outside the Boundaries of Academic Honesty and Integrity

No set of written guidelines can anticipate all types and degrees of violations of academic honesty. To the extent that the examples below are not exhaustive, duly appointed representatives of the Watson School will judge each case according to its merits. They will be guided by the principle that academic dishonesty involves misappropriation of academic or intellectual credit to oneself or to the discredit of others. Instances of such dishonesty include:

A. Plagiarism

Presenting the work of another person as one’s own work (including papers, words, ideas, information, computer code, data, evidence organizing principles, or style of presentation of someone else taken from the internet, books, periodicals, or other sources). Plagiarism includes:

§ quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing without acknowledgement, even a few phrases failing to acknowledge the source of either a major idea or ordering principle central

§ to one’s own paper

§ relying on another person’s data, evidence, or critical method without credit or

permission

§ submitting another person’s work as one’s own

§ using unacknowledged research sources gathered by someone else.

B. Cheating on Examinations

Giving or receiving unauthorized help before, during, or after an examination. Examples include:

§ unauthorized collaboration of any sort during an examination

§ reading of an exam before it has been given

§ unauthorized use of notes, books, tapes, computers, or other aids during an examination

§ allowing another person to take an examination in one’s place

§ looking at someone else’s examination during the examination period

§ allowing another person to use one’s own examination during the examination period

§ passing examination information to students who have not yet taken the exam

C. Multiple Submissions

Submitting substantial portions of the same work for credit more than once, unless there is prior explicit consent of the instructor(s) to whom the material is being or has been submitted.

D. Unauthorized Collaboration

Collaborating on projects, papers, computer programs, or other academic assignments that has been prohibited by the instructor.

E. Fabrication and Misrepresentation

Misrepresenting or fabricating material, including misleading citation of sources as well as falsified or fabricated data or results from experiments or other analyses.

Misrepresenting facts related to academic performance, including the justification of absences, late assignments, and other activities.

F. Forgery

Imitating another person’s signature on academic documents (for example, an academic advising form or one’s own paper that is signed with respect to the time of submission) or other official documents that have an effect on academic credit (for example, a medical form submitted in support of taking a make-up exam).

G. Sabotage

Deliberately impairing, destroying, damaging, or stealing another’s work or working material. Examples include:

§ destroying, stealing, or damaging another’s lab experiment, computer program, term

paper, exam, or project

§ removing uncharged library material with the effect that others cannot use them

§ defacing or damaging library material with the effect that others cannot use them

§ hoarding or displacing materials within the library with the effect that others have undue difficulty using them

§ interfering with the operation of a computer system so it has an adverse effect on the academic performance of others.

H. Bribery

Offering or receiving any service or article with the purpose or effect of receiving a grade or other academic benefit that was not earned on the merits of the academic work.

Publication and Dissemination of the Code

Students will receive copies of the Code during orientation, when they will discuss its importance and its meaning. They will acknowledge the code and their intent to abide by its terms each semester when they log onto the registration system. Faculty will ensure enforcement of the code.

Interpretation of the Code

Violations of the Code vary in severity, so that the appropriate punishments vary. Some violations (Category I) may be handled by the instructor and student(s) involved. However, violations requiring more severe penalties (Category II) are appropriately dealt with by the Academic Honor Committee in accordance with procedures laid out in the Code of Student Conduct. The Academic Honor Committee consists of four faculty members appointed by each department. The Associate Dean will appoint one member as Chair of the Committee.

Category I violations are serious but may be dealt with by the instructor. Category II violations may result in letters of reprimand, probation, suspension or expulsion from the University. Behavior explicitly permitted in a course syllabus or explicitly permitted by the instructor for a specific assignment is not a violation of the Code.

A. Plagiarism. This can be either a Category I or Category II violation, depending on the amount of material that is plagiarized and the degree of premeditation. A Category I violation involves small amounts of plagiarized material, for example a single passage or a relatively minor idea. Category II violations occur when more material is plagiarized, or where central ideas are plagiarized. Category II violations may involve more planning and premeditation.

B. Cheating on Examinations. This can be either a Category I or Category II violation, depending on the level or amount of unauthorized help given or received on the examination and the degree of premeditation. Category I includes looking at another’s examination or collaborating on a small portion of the examination. Category II violations involve cheating on most or all of an entire examination, for example providing a copy of an examination to another student or allowing another student to take an examination in one’s place. Category II violations may involve more planning and premeditation.

C. Multiple Submissions. This is a Category I violation.

D. Unauthorized Collaboration. This is a Category I violation, unless it also involves Category II offenses.

E. Fabrication and Misrepresentation. This can be a Category I or II violation.

F. Forgery. This is a Category II violation.

G. Sabotage. This is a Category II violation.

H. Bribery. This is a Category II violation.

Note that misconduct involving sections E, F, G, and H in these guidelines refers only to such offenses when committed for an academic purpose as defined in the Student Academic Honesty Code; any violations involving other aspects of student life or subject to Federal, State, and/or local law are dealt with through the University Judicial System.

Category I Violations. If an instructor discovers one of these violations then the instructor should first communicate with the student regarding the nature of the charge and the evidence on which the instructor has relied in reaching the conclusion that a violation has occurred. The student should be given the opportunity to respond. If the instructor remains convinced by the preponderance of evidence that a violation has occurred, then the instructor may check to see if there is a record of a previous violation by the student. Students who are accused of a second Category I offense will be treated as being charged with a Category II offense, and referred to the committee of the School in which the offense occurred.

If there is no previous violation, then the faculty member should impose the appropriate penalty. The instructor should then fill in a Report of Academic Dishonesty Form describing the violation that occurred, and the evidence supporting that finding. The Form will also explain to the student the procedures whereby the student may appeal the decision. The student will then be asked to read and sign the form and will be provided with a copy. If the student chooses not to sign the form, the case goes to a hearing before Watson School Academic Honor Committee. The instructor will then forward the Report of Academic Dishonesty Form along with the supporting evidence to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs who will forward a copy to the Provost’s office where it will be kept on file.

Category II Violations. If an instructor discovers a Category II violation, the instructor should first communicate with the student regarding the nature of the charge and the evidence on which the instructor has relied in reaching the conclusion that a violation has occurred. If the instructor remains convinced that a Category II violation has occurred, then she/he should submit a detailed written charge with supporting evidence to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs who will facilitate the appropriate process with the Academic Honor Committee. The student will be notified of the charge and the date of the hearing, and will receive a copy of the committee procedures. The instructor should assign an incomplete grade for the student’s work, pending the outcome of the hearing. If after the hearing, the committee concludes that the charges were unproven then the faculty member should re-evaluate the student’s work in light of that finding. In determination of any penalty for Category II violations, the Academic Honor Committee will consider all relevant factors including the nature of the violation and any previous violations that may have been committed by the student. The Chair of the appropriate committee will report any guilty findings along with the supporting evidence to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs who will forward a copy to the Provost’s office where it will be kept on file.

REPORT OF CATEGORY I ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

This report concerns the following course:

Course number and name: __________________________ semester taught:__________

Part I (To be filled out by the faculty member)

I,___________________________________________(print name and title) have found that ___________________________________________(name and social security number of student) has violated Binghamton University’s Code of Academic Honesty in the following way:

I have given the following penalty in connection with the academic work affected by this violation:

I understand that submission of this form waives my right to take any additional action in connection with this incident of academic dishonesty.

Signature____________________________

Date__________________

Part II (To be filled out by the student)

I ______________________________________ (PRINT name and social security number) admit to ________________________ (describe the category of dishonesty, i.e. cheating, plagiarism) in ________________________ (department name, number, and semester). I have reviewed the Procedures of the Academic Honesty Committee of the School in which this offense occurred and understand that I have a right to a hearing before the Committee, that my signature below signifies my waiver of this right, and that this document will remain confidential to be used only if for some subsequent act I am accused of another breach of the Code of Academic Honesty. If a previous REPORT OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY FORM exists, this new act of dishonesty will automatically be reported to the appropriate school committee for a hearing. That committee may assign penalties including a letter of reprimand, probation, suspension, or expulsion. Finally, I understand that I can void this document of Admission of Dishonesty and ask for a hearing for 30 days from the date of my signature.

Signature____________________________

Date__________________

Part III (To be filled out by Provost’s Office)

Check one:

____This is a first case of Academic Dishonesty reported for this student.

____This is not a first case of Academic Dishonesty reported for this.