i. institutional support and commitment to continuous improvement

School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects
Master of Architecture
Master of Architecture with emphasis in Interior Architecture
Student Handbook, which is published by the Office of Student Life, summarizes policies of academic
integrity and grievances related to harassment and discrimination, outlining the role for students,
faculty, and staff in such issues involving students.
1) Academic misconduct
The current plagiarism policy was established in a 2004 document demonstratively entitled
Plagiarism: What is it, How to Avoid It. The document was produced by the Student Life
Subcommittee, comprised of students and faculty. The document provides a discussion of
plagiarism, its intentional and unintentional forms, cultural differences in the concepts of identity
and intellectual property that effect notions of plagiarism for students from diverse cultures, and a
rundown on proper citation and ways to avoid allegations of plagiarism. Subsequently, the Flaxman
Library made a “Quick Guide” called Avoid Plagiarism. Both the guide and the quick guide are
available to students on campus, will be available in the Team Room, and are downloadable on the
SAIC website.
This most recent summation of this policy can be found in SAIC Student Handbook 2010–11,
which states that academic misconduct is “both plagiarism and cheating, and may consist of: the
submission of the work of another as one’s own; unauthorized assistance on a test or assignment;
submission of the same work for more than one class without the knowledge and consent of
all instructors; or the failure to properly cite texts or ideas from other sources.” It outlines the
procedures that a faculty member will take in reporting matters of academic misconduct, how and
when the student will be informed of any findings, how a student may formally object to accusations
of academic misconduct, and the consequences for repeated offenses.
2) Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
The Student Handbook addresses discrimination, harassment, and retaliation policies, stating that
the “School has a policy of nondiscrimination toward its students and will not tolerate unlawful
acts or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, marital status,
disability, military status, sexual orientation, including gender-related identity, or unfavorable
discharge from military service or any other status protected by local, state, or federal laws.”
The concepts of discrimination and harassment are defined, and the notion of retaliation is
roundly prohibited. How, whom, and when to notify School officials—typically beginning with a
representative from OMA—is described. The process by which the paperwork is filed, adjudicated,
and resolved is covered, and the limitations of confidentiality and legal options are explained.
3) Additional student rights and responsibilities
In addition to the plagiarism, discrimination and harassment polices and procedures, other guidelines—
such as freedom of expression, rules of conduct, alcohol policy, and parental notification policy among
others—are described in the Student Handbook, which is printed and distributed to incoming students
and faculty annually. Copies are available year-round in the Flaxman Library and the Office of Student
Affairs. The contents of the handbook are also available as downloadable PDFs on the School’s
website, such as the overview of policy information—Student Rights And Responsibilities.
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