2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

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request for review must be made in
writing to the individual indicated in the
decision letter and must be received
within ten calendar days (or as indicated
in the hearing outcome letter) after the
student receives notice of the hearing
outcome. For more information about
the discipline process for undergraduate
students, please visit the Office of Judicial
Affairs and Community Standards Web
site at www.studentaffairs.columbia.edu/
judicial affairs.
Discipline Process for Graduate
Students
When sufficient evidence exists, a student
is charged with a particular offense
and a hearing is scheduled. Present at a
hearing for graduate students are the
charged student and at least two members
of the Office of Graduate Student
Services staff. At the hearing, the student
is presented with the evidence that
supports the accusation against him or
her and is asked to respond to it. The
student may then offer his or her own
evidence and suggest other students
with whom the deans or their designee
might speak. On the basis of the
strength of the evidence and the student’s
response, the deans or their
designee reach a determination and
notify the student of their decision after
the hearing. The student can be exonerated,
found guilty of the accusations, or
found not guilty due to insufficient evidence;
if he or she is found to have
committed an infraction, the penalty can
range from a warning to disciplinary probation
to suspension or dismissal. The
student may also be barred from certain
University facilities or activities. An
accused student has the right to appeal
a decision that results from a disciplinary
hearing. The appeal must be made in
writing within the time period specified in
the letter regarding the decision, and to
the person specified in the letter.
Confidentiality
In general, under University policy and
federal law, information about Dean’s
Disciplinary proceedings against a student
is confidential and may not be disclosed
to others. A limited exception to
this principle is that the outcome of
Dean’s Disciplinary proceedings alleging
a crime of violence may be disclosed
both to the accuser and the accused.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty includes but is not
limited to intentional or unintentional dishonesty
in academic assignments or in
dealing with University officials, including
faculty and staff members.
Here are the most common types of
academic dishonesty:
• plagiarism (the use of words, phrases,
or ideas belonging to another, without
properly citing or acknowledging the
source)
• cheating on examinations
• unauthorized collaboration on an
assignment
• receiving unauthorized assistance on
an assignment
• copying computer programs
• forgery
• submitting work for one course that
has already been used for another
course
• unauthorized distribution of assignments
and exams
• lying to a professor or University officer
• obtaining advance knowledge of
exams or other assignments without
permission
A student alleged to have engaged in
academic dishonesty will be subject to
the Dean’s Discipline process (see page
233).
Students found responsible for academic
dishonesty may face reports of
such offenses on future recommendations
for law, medical, or graduate
school. The parents or guardians of
students found responsible may also
be notified.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity defines a university
and is essential to the mission of education.
At Columbia students are expected
to participate in an academic community
that honors intellectual work and
respects its origins. In particular, the
abilities to synthesize information and
produce original work are key components
in the learning process. As such,
academic dishonesty is one of the most
serious offenses a student can commit
at Columbia and can be punishable by
dismissal.
Students rarely set out with the intent
of engaging in academic dishonesty.
But classes are challenging at Columbia,
and students will often find themselves
pressed for time, unprepared for an
assignment or exam, or feeling that the
risk of earning a poor grade outweighs
the need to be thorough. Such circumstances
lead some students to behave
in a manner that compromises the
integrity of the academic community,
disrespects their instructors and classmates,
and deprives them of an opportunity
to learn. In short, they cheat. If
you ever find yourself in such circumstances,
you should immediately contact
your instructor and your adviser for
advice. Just keep in mind how hard you
have worked to get to this point in your
academic career, and don’t jeopardize
your Columbia education with a moment
of unwise decision making.
The easiest way to avoid the temptation
to cheat in the first place is to
prepare yourself as best you can. Here
are some basic suggestions to help you
along the way:
• Understand what your instructors
deem as academic dishonesty and
their policy on citation and group
collaboration.
• Clarify any questions or concerns
about assignments with instructors as
early as possible.
• Develop a timeline for drafts and final
edits of assignments and begin preparation
in advance.
• Avoid plagiarism: acknowledge people’s
opinions and theories by carefully
citing their words and always indicating
sources.
• Utilize the campus’s resources,
such as the advising centers and
Counseling and Psychological
Services, if you are feeling overwhelmed,
burdened, or pressured.
• Assume that collaboration in the completion
of assignments is prohibited
unless specified by the instructor.
Plagiarism and Acknowledgment
of Sources
Columbia has always believed that
learning to write effectively is one of the
most important goals a college student
can achieve. Students will be asked to
do a great deal of written work while at
Columbia: term papers, seminar and
laboratory reports, and analytic essays
of different lengths. These papers play a
major role in course performance, but
more important, they play a major role in
intellectual development. Plagiarism, the
use of words, phrases, or ideas belonging
to another, without properly citing or
SEAS 2009–2010