Student Honor Code

The School of Education & Human Development is committed to the Honor Code of the University of Colorado Denver.

A university's reputation is built on a standing tradition of excellence and scholastic integrity. As members of the CU Denver academic community, faculty and students accept the responsibility to maintain the highest standards of intellectual honesty and ethical conduct in completing all forms of academic work and internships associated with the University.

Education at CU Denver is conducted under the honor system. All students entering an academic program should have developed the qualities of honesty and integrity, and each student should apply these principles to his or her academic and subsequent professional career. All students are expected to achieve a level of maturity which is reflected by appropriate conduct at all times. The type of conduct which violates the School of Education & Human Developments Student Honor Code may include but is not limited to the following:

Academic Dishonesty

1. Plagiarism
2. Cheating
3. Fabrication, falsification and deception
4. Multiple submissions
5. Misuse of academic materials
6. Complicity

Violation of any University of Colorado Denver or School of Education & Human Development policy

1. Intoxication
2. Unprofessionalism
3. Disruptive or disorderly conduct or any violation of the Student Code of Conduct

Academic Dishonesty

Students are expected to know, understand, and comply with the ethical standards of the University. In addition, students have an obligation to inform the appropriate official of any acts of academic dishonesty by other students of the University. Academic dishonesty is defined as a student's use of unauthorized assistance with intent to deceive an instructor or other such person who may be assigned to evaluate the student’s work in meeting course and degree requirements.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own required appropriate identification and acknowledgment, regardless of the means of appropriation. The following are considered to be forms of plagiarism when the source is not noted:

1. Word-for-word copying of another person's ideas or words.
2. The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another's work).
3. The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory).
4. Fabrication of references (inventing or counterfeiting sources).
5. Submission of another’s work as one's own.
6. Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged.

Acknowledgment is not necessary when the material used is common knowledge.

Cheating

Cheating involves the possession, communication, or use of information, materials, notes, study aids or other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic exercise, or communication with another person during such an exercise. Some examples of cheating include:

1. Copying from another's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance from another during an academic exercise or in the submission of academic material;
2. Using any electronic, or digital, or technological or other device when its use has been disallowed;
3. Collaborating with another student or students during an academic exercise without the consent of the instructor.

Fabrication, Falsification and Deception

Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information, e.g., creating results not obtained in a study or research. Falsification, on the other hand, involves deliberately altering or changing results to suit one’s needs in an experiment or other academic exercise. Deception is providing false information or knowingly withholding information.

Multiple Submissions

This is the submission of academic work for which academic credit has already been earned, when such submission is made without instructor authorization.

Misuse of Academic Materials

The misuse of academic materials includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Stealing or destroying library or reference materials or computer programs;
2. Stealing or destroying another student’s notes or materials, or having such materials in one’s possession without the owner’s permission;
3. Receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an assignment when such assistance has been forbidden by the instructor;
4. Illegitimate possession, disposition, or use of examinations or answer keys to examinations.
5. Unauthorized alteration, forgery, or falsification;
6. Unauthorized sale or purchase of examinations, papers, or assignments.

Complicity in Academic Dishonesty

Complicity involves knowingly contributing to another’s acts of academic dishonesty.

Intoxication

This is defined as being under the influence of drugs or alcohol in any University setting, classroom setting, practicum/internship, professional development school/site, computer lab or shared student space that compromises the student’s ability to learn and participate in educational activities, interferes with the learning process of other students and/or customers and clients of the School of Education & Human Development. Students who have difficulties with alcohol and/or other substances may seek assistance from services available on campus such as the CU Denver Student/Community Counseling Center. 

Unprofessional Behavior

Any conduct including electronic communications, both on and off campus, that interfere with the student’s ability to maintain professional standards as defined in program handbooks, professional codes of ethics, University policies or procedures or reflects poorly on the student, School of Education & Human Development or University is prohibited.

Disruptive or Disorderly Conduct

Disruptive or disorderly conduct in any University setting or partner setting, such as the disregard of rights of faculty, staff, administration and peers, threatening behaviors in any medium of communication and sexual harassment are examples of disruptive and disorderly conduct and a violation of the University Code of Student Conduct is prohibited. The Code of Student Conduct can be found by visiting the Office of Community Standards and Wellness website.

All proceedings concerned with academic dishonesty are confidential to the extent permitted by law.

A student accused of academic dishonesty has the right to:

• admit to the charges and accept the penalty imposed by the instructor. If the student admits to the charges, the faculty member will invoke an appropriate penalty, which could include the issuance of a failing grade in the course. If the faculty member believes further action is warranted, then the faculty member may request a hearing of the Academic Ethics Committee, which will determine if further action is necessary;
• dispute the charges or the penalty by following the Student Academic Appeal process.

Procedures for faculty encountering academic dishonesty 

In order to facilitate the accusation process, it is suggested that faculty members include in their syllabi a statement concerning their policy on matters of academic dishonesty. 

1. A faculty member who suspects that a student may be guilty of academic dishonesty should react quickly. S/he should gather as much evidence as possible as rapidly as possible: e.g. gathering names of and impressions from potential witnesses, listing potential references that may have been plagiarized, or retaining any hard copies of evidence, such as "cheat sheets" or tests that might have been copied and/or copied from. S/he should commit as many details of the incident to writing as quickly as possible as details regarding an incident can be quickly forgotten.
2. When a faculty member has evidence suggesting that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty, the student should be confronted with the evidence at a meeting, preferably held in the faculty member's office within five (5) working days of the discovery of the alleged incident.
3. After the meeting described above, the faculty member should determine the appropriate penalty for the act of dishonesty. This penalty, as determined by the faculty member, may be a failing or zero grade for the assignment in question or a failing grade in the course. The penalty should be consistent with any information published in the faculty member's syllabus. If the faculty member feels that issuance of a failing grade is an insufficient penalty, then the faculty member may request a formal meeting the Associate Dean over SEHD academic program.
4. After determining the appropriate penalty, the faculty member should present the student with a written letter describing the alleged violation. Copies of this letter should be given to the student’s faculty advisor, the Associate Dean of academic programs and a copy should be place in the student’s file housed within the Student Services Center.

This letter must include: 

• a detailed description of the incident that resulted in the allegation of academic dishonesty;
• a statement of the penalty that will be imposed on the student;
• attachment: The SEHD Student Academic Appeal Process

Procedures for faculty that encounter violations of policies other than academic dishonesty

Violations of the student honor code that are unrelated to academic dishonesty should also be considered serious and reported to the School of Education & Human Development Associate Dean for Academics. The appropriate offices including campus police, CU Denver Office of Community Standards and Wellness and other appropriate offices may be contacted to report the violation. Consequences and outcomes will be determined by the appropriate parties given the severity of the offense.