In the Spring of 1986, at the request of the Undergraduate Student Body Government, the Undergraduate Honor Code was ratified by student referendum and approved by the Faculty Senate and by the President of the University. The code is established for the undergraduate student body, to protect the academic integrity of the University of Miami, to encourage consistent ethical behavior among undergraduate students, and to foster a climate of fair competition.
The Honor Code specifically covers four main areas:
- Cheating implies an intent to deceive. It includes all actions, devices, and/or deceptions involved in committing the act. Examples include, but are not limited to, utilizing crib notes/cheat sheet on an exam and copying answers directly from another student's exam.
- Plagiarism is representing the words or ideas of someone else as your own. Examples include, but are not limited to, failing to properly cite direct quotes and failing to give credit for someone else's ideas.
- Collusion is the act of working together on an academic undertaking for which a student is individually responsible. Examples include, but are not limited to, sharing information in labs that are to be done individually.
- Academic Dishonesty includes any other act not specifically covered that compromises the integrity of a student or intrudes, violates, or disturbs the academic environment of the University Community. Examples are attempting or agreeing to commit, or assisting in or facilitating the commission of, any scholastic dishonesty violation, failing to appear or testify without good cause when requested by the Honor Council, failing to keep information about cases confidential, supplying false information to the Honor Council and accusing a student of a violation of this Code in bad faith.
Anyone affiliated with the University, including faculty, teaching assistants, and students, may file a complaint in accordance with this code. Upon the receipt of a complaint, an investigation is completed and, if there is enough evidence, a hearing is scheduled. Upon a finding or plea of guilty by a hearing panel, a sanction is handed down. If the accused is found not guilty, the matter is over and no record of it is retained on the accused's record. The entire process, from complaint to hearing, takes approximately one month.
These Codes are established for the student body to protect the academic integrity of the University of Miami, to encourage consistent ethical behavior among students, and to foster a climate of fair competition. While a student's commitment to honesty and personal integrity is assumed and expected, these Codes are intended to provide an added measure of assurance that, in fulfilling the University's requirements, the student will never engage in falsification, plagiarism, or other deception regarding the materials he/she presents. Each student is responsible for completing the academic requirements of each course in the manner indicated by the faculty.
