Standards of Ethics for Graduate Students
It is expected that graduate students of the University will maintain the highest standards of ethics in connection with all phases of their graduate work. Any form of dishonesty, including lying, cheating or plagiarizing, will not be tolerated.
Plagiarism may be defined as the act of taking the ideas and/or expression of ideas of another person and representing them as one’s own. It is nothing less than an act of theft and, as such, is subject to University disciplinary action. The penalty for plagiarism may include a failing grade for the assignment in question and/or a failing grade for the course.
Clearly, plagiarism defeats the central purpose of education, namely, to enable one to think and formulate one’s own ideas. The student who has doubts about whether or not his/her work may constitute plagiarism should consult with the course instructor prior to submitting the work. The instructor can provide clear guidance on how the student can avoid committing this act of academic misconduct.
When alleged violations of these standards occur, the following procedures will be followed:
When a graduate student’s grade has been adjusted because a faculty member has determined to his or her own satisfaction that the student was guilty of lying, cheating or plagiarizing, the student may, if he or she feels unfairly penalized, appeal the grade by following the Grade Appeal Procedure described elsewhere in this catalog.
A faculty member who adjusts a student grade because he or she has determined to his or her own satisfaction that the student was guilty of lying, cheating or plagiarizing is to immediately notify the graduate dean of this action.
For more information on Graduate Studies:
