Academic Integrity and Code of Conduct

Intellectual integrity and academic honesty are fundamental to the processes of learning and of evaluating academic performance, and maintaining them is the responsibility of all members of an educational institution. The inculcation of personal standards of honesty and integrity is a goal of education in all the disciplines of the University. 

The faculty has the responsibility of encouraging and maintaining an atmosphere of academic honesty by being certain that students are aware of the value of it, that they understand the regulations defining it, and that they know the penalties for departing from it. The faculty should, as far as is reasonably possible, assist students in avoiding the temptation to cheat. Faculty members must be aware that permitting dishonesty is not open to personal choice. A professor or instructor who is unwilling to act upon offenses is an accessory with the student offender in deteriorating the integrity of the University. 

Students must share the responsibility for creating and maintaining an atmosphere of honesty and integrity. Students should be aware that personal experience in completing assigned work is essential to learning. Permitting others to prepare their work, using published or unpublished summaries as a substitute for studying required material, or giving or receiving unauthorized assistance in the preparation of work to be submitted is directly contrary to the honest process of learning. Students who are aware that others in a course are cheating or otherwise acting dishonestly have the responsibility to inform the professor.

Students and faculty members must share the knowledge that any dishonest practices permitted will make it more difficult for the honest students to be evaluated and graded fairly and will damage the integrity of the whole University. Students should recognize that their own interests and their integrity as individuals will suffer if they condone dishonesty in others.

Academic dishonesty includes plagiarism, cheating, academic sabotage, facilitating academic dishonesty and fabrication. Plagiarism is prohibited in all papers, projects, take-home exams or any other assignments in which the student submits another’s work as being his or her own. Cheating is defined as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise. Academic sabotage is defined as intentionally taking any action that negatively affects the academic work of another student. Facilitating academic dishonesty is defined as intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another to violate any provision of the Honor Code. Fabrication is defined as intentional and unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise. 

Suspected cases of academic dishonesty may be handled administratively by the appropriate faculty member in whose class the alleged infraction occurred or referred to the Chairperson of the respective academic Department.

Standards of conduct are established through faculty, student and administrative efforts and are under continuous evaluation by the entire University community in order to assure reasonable and fair limits. At SMU, the student is assumed to have a high degree of loyalty and responsibility to the University and its well-being, as well as to himself or herself in personal, social and intellectual pursuits; the student’s behavior both on and off campus is evidence of this. 

Students at SMU are encouraged to exercise a great amount of personal freedom as well as accompanying responsibilities. Through their personal capacities for intelligent thought and action, mature students understand that there are situations in which certain behavior must be modified for the benefit of others. The University stands firm in its commitments to the rights and freedoms of students, expecting in return the same respect and concern. 

Due respect for the entire University community, faculty, staff and one’s fellow students is always expected. The University expects all students to be responsible citizens and to abide by all federal, state and local laws. The University Code of Conduct applies to students both on and off campus. It is the University’s expectation that students will avoid behaviors such as, but not limited to, the misuse of drugs and alcohol, dishonesty, gambling, hazing, or behavior that endangers or threatens to endanger the health and safety of any person. 

Students are required to identify themselves when asked by a properly identified faculty or staff member or by another student serving as a University staff member. Persons who are not members of the University community and without business on campus may be asked to leave. 

Clear disciplinary procedures are an important part of the mission of SMU as an educational institution. The intent of the system of due process at SMU is to be educational and not merely punitive for students. The goal continues to be to produce quality citizens. The purpose of the conduct review process is to encourage personal responsibility. 

Depending on the degree of misconduct, a student may be subject to sanctions ranging from an informal warning to expulsion from the University. In addition, a student may be assigned educational sanctions designed to promote personal growth and development. Should a student be asked to leave the University, he or she should do so in an expeditious and peaceful manner. The student should remain off campus until he or she receives written permission from the Office of the Dean to return to campus. In the event of such separation, a student is still responsible for University financial obligations. 

Having voluntarily enrolled as students at Southern Methodist University and assumed a place in the University community, all students are presumed to be knowledgeable of, and have agreed to abide by, the rules and regulations set forth in the Code of Conduct as outlined above.