A.     General Statement

Academic honesty is a matter of concern to anyone connected with Howard Community College.  A clearly and carefully thought-out policy and set of procedures can guide students and faculty members toward the accomplishment of academic honesty.  Communication of these procedures will be accomplished through the following sources:

1.  All catalogues, class schedules and course outlines will contain at least the statement:
“Academic honesty, as defined in the Student Handbook, is expected of all students.”

2.  A statement of policies and procedures will be contained in the faculty and student handbooks.

B.       Definition

1.  Academic Honesty means the use of one's own thought and materials in the writing of papers, taking of tests, and other classroom related activities.  Any student intentionally aiding another student in any infraction of the academic honesty policy is considered equally guilty.

2.  Students are expected to give full credit for the borrowing of other's words or ideas.  Intentional or unintentional use of another's words or ideas without acknowledging this use constitutes plagiarism.

There are four common forms of plagiarism:

a.	The duplication of an author's words without quotation marks and accurate references or footnotes.
b.	The duplication of an author's words or phrases with footnotes or accurate references, but without quotation marks.
c.	The use of an author's ideas in paraphrase without accurate references or footnotes.
d.	Submitting a paper in which exact words are merely rearranged even though footnoted.

3.  Misrepresentation is the submission of materials for evaluation that are not the student's own.

4.  Unauthorized use of notes or another individual’s materials, copying, using another individual’s materials, or unauthorized prior knowledge of the contents of tests, quizzes or other assessment instruments shall be considered a violation of the Academic Honesty Policy are:

C.       Penalties

The college expects academic honesty from its students.  Procedures for dealing with intentional infractions of the Academic Honesty Policy.

1.  First Infraction

For the first infraction of the Academic Honesty Policy the faculty member shall give the student a “0” or its equivalent on the paper, examination, or presentation in question.  The faculty member will notify the student and explain the reason for the grade.  This action could result in a lower final grade.  The appropriate division chairperson will be informed of the infraction in writing and the vice president of student services or designee will notify the student in writing of the consequences and implications of this infraction.

2.  Second Infraction

The faculty member shall give the student a “0” on the paper, examination, or presentation in question.  A second infraction of the academic honesty policy, either in the same course or in another course, will also result in an automatic “F” in the course in which the second infraction occurred.  Upon written notification from the appropriate division chair that an academic dishonesty infraction occurred, and a determination is made that a second infraction has occurred, the vice president of student services or designee will notify the student of the “F” for the course and make the faculty member aware that a second infraction has occurred.  The student will be dropped from the course and barred from further class participation.  In cases where the second infraction occurs in the same course, the faculty member will notify the student and explain the reason for the “F” in the course.  Otherwise, the vice president of student services or designee will notify the student of the “F” in the course.  The vice president of student services or designee will notify the director of records and registration that the student is to receive an “F” for the course.  The vice president of student services or designee will meet with the student involved and apprise the student of the implication of this second infraction.  

3.  Third Infraction 

The faculty member shall give the student a “0” on the paper, examination, or presentation in question.  The faculty member will notify the student and explain the reason for the grade.  A third infraction of the academic honesty policy will also result in an automatic “F” in the course in which the third infraction occurred.  Upon notification from the appropriate division chair that an academic honesty infraction occurred and a determination is made that a third infraction has occurred, the vice president of student services or designee will notify the student of the “F” for the course and make the faculty member aware that a third infraction has occurred.  The student will be dropped from the course and barred from further class participation.  The vice president of student services or designee will also notify the director of records and registration that the student is to receive an “F” for the course.  A third instance of plagiarism or any behavior involving an infraction of the Academic Honesty Policy will result in disciplinary action as determined by the Student Judicial Process.

Policy Manual Review/Revision:  7/1/07 (student handbook)