South College Academic Honor Code

Honor Code Pledge

South College students are expected to demonstrate and uphold the values of respect, truthfulness, responsibility, and integrity. All students, as a member of the South College community, pledge to show their commitment to these virtues by abstaining from academic dishonesty and behaving responsibly, respectfully, and honorably in their relationships with others.

Purpose of the Honor Code

The primary purpose of the South College Academic Honor Code (the “Honor Code”) is to promote individual student honor and integrity in the best traditions of higher education. The Honor Code aims to ensure that students understand expectations and responsibilities and agree to conduct all academic activities in compliance with the principles set forth in the Honor Code.

Application of the Honor Code

The Honor Code applies, as may be applicable to the student, to the following:

1. Tests or examinations, including challenge examinations
2. Oral, written, or practical reports that are a part of a student’s academic program
3. Classroom, laboratory, clinical, student teaching, or experiential activities
4. Research activities
5. Unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, illegal downloading and unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using the institution’s information technology system (applies to academic work)
6. Other activities not listed above that are a part of a South College academic, classroom, laboratory, clinical, student teaching, experiential, or research activity and that will be used as the basis for awarding of a grade

This Honor Code governs the academic affairs of all programs at South College. Individual programs may impose additional requirements and standards for a student’s personal and/or professional responsibility and competency. Some individual graduate programs have program-specific honor code guidelines and penalties. Students enrolled in these programs will follow the respective honor code policies contained in the program handbook. Should the Honor Code violation not be resolved at the program level, the institutional Honor Code procedures will be followed.

Violations of the Honor Code

Each student is expected to become familiar with and abide by the Honor Code. The following actions are deemed Honor Code violations. Other violations, not listed below, may be considered reportable upon recommendation of a faculty member, Department Chair, School/Department Dean, or Program Director. Below are examples of violation of the Honor Code:

1. Use, give, or receive or attempt to use, give, or receive any unauthorized aid using any medium, including electronic.
2. Plagiarize or infringe upon an intellectual property right.
3. Falsify, alter, or forge data, documents, or records.
4. Falsifying, fabricating, or misrepresenting one’s credentials or any other academic achievement.
5. Collaborate with others in assigned activities when directed or instructed, either in writing or verbally, that individual effort is required.
6. Record or report fraudulent data relating to academic, classroom, laboratory, clinical, student teaching, experiential, or research activities, willfully neglect responsibilities associated with such activities, or otherwise place at risk the interests of those offering and/or supervising the activity, or a patient, or a client.
7. Assist another student in committing a violation of the Honor Code.
8. Knowingly fail to report committed violations of the Honor Code.
9. Report another student for a violation of the Honor Code without information to support such a report.
10. Exit from and re-enter an examination room or online testing session without authorization, including covering of webcam during testing session.
11. Steal, possess, misappropriate, share, or use or attempt to steal, possess, misappropriate, share, or use any examinations or other materials relating to an academic, classroom, laboratory, clinical, student teaching, experiential, or research activity unless authorized or provided by a faculty member.
12. Share files or provide information to peers without authorization (applies to academic work).
13. Download or distribute copyrighted materials using the institution’s information technology system without authorization (applies to academic work).
14. Engage in any other similar acts of dishonesty.

Honor Code Procedure

To ensure that students are treated equitably a faculty member witnessing or discovering a possible violation of the Honor Code shall carefully evaluate all available information in determining whether a violation has occurred. Upon determining that a violation has occurred the faculty member shall impose penalties as provided in the following section. In addition, any member of the South College community may file, with the Student Affairs Department, a report of a violation of the Honor Code if he or she believes there is information to support such a report.

The Penalties

Imposed by a Faculty Member:
A faculty member who determines that a student has violated the Honor Code will promptly consult with the designated official as described above to ascertain whether the student has a prior offense of violation of the Honor Code. The faculty member and/or Student Affairs Department Coordinator/director, as applicable, may impose a penalty based on whether the violation is a first, second, or third offense as set forth below.

First Offense of Violation of the Honor Code: The student may be given a grade of “0” for the examination, assignment, or other activity with the possibility of an “F” for the course at the discretion of the faculty member, and in addition, may be placed on probation or suspended for a specified period by the Student Affairs Department Coordinator/Director. If in the opinion of the Director/Coordinator, the violation is of such a grave nature that a more severe punishment is warranted, the designated official may recommend to the Dean of Academic and Student Services and the Chief Academic Officer that the student be dismissed.

Second Offense of Violation of the Honor Code: The student may be given a grade of “F” for the course, resulting in the student being required to retake the course at a later date, and in addition, may be placed on probation or suspended for a specified period by the Student Affairs Department Coordinator/Director. If the receipt of the “F” results in a student not being allowed to progress in the student’s academic program, the student will be immediately dismissed from the program and will be required to reapply for future reinstatement if eligible. The reinstatement is not guaranteed. If in the opinion of the Director/Coordinator, the violation is of such a grave nature that a more severe punishment is warranted, the designated official may recommend to the Dean of Academic and Student Services and Chief Academic Officer that the student be dismissed.

Third Offense of Violation of the Honor Code: The student will be dismissed from South College and may return only if allowed by the South College Appeals Committee following a hearing.

Appeal Procedures

If the student is not satisfied with the decision, and an appeal is desired for disciplinary actions, academic situations, and/or penalties imposed for a violation of the South College Academic Honor Code, the student will follow the Dismissal and Disciplinary Action Appeal procedures outlined in the Appeals Process section of the South College Catalog, which can be accessed at www.south.edu. Please note, a dismissal decision made by the Chief Academic Officer (CAO) for violation of the South College Academic Honor Code and/or Student Conduct Standards and Regulations is final so far as dismissal are concerned and cannot be appealed at the institutional level.