Academic Dishonesty,The Honor Code and The Academic Integrity Committee
Academic Dishonesty
Academic Dishonesty is any behavior intended to promote or enhance a student’s academic standing within the University by dishonest means. Acts of academic dishonesty are offenses against established standards of the academic community and the University’s honor code. All suspected acts of academic dishonesty are initially subject to review by the Academic Integrity Committee.
Acts of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Submitting work done by another as your own.
- Submitting your own academic work for credit more than once, whether in whole or in part, in the same course or different courses without the approval of the instructor who is responsible for assigning credit to the work.
- Giving or receiving unauthorized aid on any assignment or examination.
- Altering any University form, record, or document, or forging the signature of any University instructor or official.
- Interfering with, or attempting to interfere with, the access of others to the University computer system, or any part thereof, copying computer files, diskettes, programs, software, or manuals without proper authority, or tampering in any way with the integrity of the University computer system.
- Interfering with, or attempting to interfere with, the fair and equal access of others to the use of the University libraries or other academic resources
- Exercising plagiarism, which is the use of words, ideas, concepts, or work of another, without proper acknowledgment.
- The direct quotation of the words of another must be set off in quotation marks and acknowledged in a footnote or other acceptable form of citation. The use of paraphrased material, or the ideas, concepts, or work of another must also be acknowledged in a footnote or other acceptable form of citation. Acknowledging sources used in the preparation of an assignment solely in a bibliography does not constitute an acceptable acknowledgment of the words, ideas, concepts, or work of another used in the assignment. In any case where a student is found to have used plagiarized material, an academic penalty will be assessed.
- The direct quotation of the words of another must be set off in quotation marks and acknowledged in a footnote or other acceptable form of citation. The use of paraphrased material, or the ideas, concepts, or work of another must also be acknowledged in a footnote or other acceptable form of citation. Acknowledging sources used in the preparation of an assignment solely in a bibliography does not constitute an acceptable acknowledgment of the words, ideas, concepts, or work of another used in the assignment. In any case where a student is found to have used plagiarized material, an academic penalty will be assessed.
The Honor Code
In addition to being the oldest private military college in the United States, Norwich University has maintained a reputation for developing leaders of high principle. In keeping with this tradition, University President Major General Ernest N. Harmon, USA (Ret.) in 1951 laid the foundation for a formalized Honor Code at Norwich by commissioning a nationwide study of collegiate honor systems to be conducted by Commandant of Cadets Major General Oscar R. Cauldwell, USMC. Elements of the Honor Codes of West Point, Annapolis, and Williams College were used to form the foundation of the Norwich University Honor Code. The President, Commandant, members of the Senior Honor Society, and other leaders of the Corps of Cadets formulated the structure to administer and maintain an honor code, and with the full support of the Corps of Cadets, the Norwich University Honor Code was officially implemented in the fall of 1951.
The Norwich University Honor Code is based on the principles that a student will not evade the truth, deceive, or tolerate those who do. Stated in even simpler terms, the Honor Code requires that every student conduct himself or herself at all times in a completely honest and forthright manner. The fundamental nature of these principles precludes the necessity of legislating detailed regulations to govern conduct in matters of honor, since a student is either honest or not.
It is assumed that all students will abide by the Honor Code. Instructors may require students to write and sign either of the following statements, or such other words as shall convey the same or similar meaning, as part of any assignment submitted for academic credit: “I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment.” Signed/“I certify that this is my own original work, prepared for this assignment only, without any form of unauthorized aid.”
Failure to write and/or sign any pledge will not excuse any student from a violation of these regulations.
The Academic Integrity Committee (AIC)
AIC is comprised of members of the faculty and chaired by the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs' designee. Hearings of the AIC are held jointly with the Honor Committee. The AIC is responsible to the Faculty Senate for the implementation of University regulations involving violations of academic integrity. All suspected acts of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, must be referred promptly to the Academic Integrity Committee for a hearing. The AIC will review all available facts and authorize an appropriate academic penalty if its review confirms that an act of academic dishonesty, or plagiarism, occurred. If the student is found guilty of academic dishonesty and an academic penalty is authorized, the hearing is continued by the Honor Committee. Decisions of the Academic Integrity Committee may be appealed to the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. The Procedures of the Academic Integrity Committee describing the procedures of hearings are provided to all students charged with academic dishonesty.