The Pledge: "As a member of the William and Mary community, I pledge on my honor not to lie, cheat, or steal, either in my academic or personal life. I understand that such acts violate the Honor Code and undermine the community of trust, of which we are all stewards."
What you should get out of this presentation 1. What constitutes a violation of the Honor Code. 2. Tips for preventing Honor Code violations. 3. Consequences of violations. 4. Honor Code Procedures
Your reputation is your most important asset. Cheating, lying, or stealing will destroy our law school s reputation and YOUR reputation. Violations are easy to avoid, and very easy to catch. Ignorance of the Honor Code is never an excuse.
The Code s Definition of Cheating Cheating is the act of wrongfully using or taking the ideas or work of another in order to gain an unfair advantage. Includes, but is not limited to: Plagiarism; Giving or receiving unauthorized assistance on tests, quizzes, assignments, or exams; Using or consulting unauthorized materials or unauthorized equipment on tests, quizzes, assignments, or exams; Using any material portion of a paper or project to fulfill the requirements of more than one course without prior permission; Intentionally commencing work or failing to terminate work on any examination, test, quiz or assignment according to the time constraints imposed; and Failing to follow instructions for an assignment or examination despite knowing or having reason to know that such conduct would result in an unfair academic advantage. "Assignments" include any work, required or volunteered, submitted in conjunction with a College-sponsored event or activity (i.e. need not be submitted for academic credit).
The Code s Definition of Plagiarism Plagiarism is the presentation, with intent to deceive or with reckless disregard for proper scholarly procedures of a significant scope, of any information, ideas, or phrasing of another as if they were one s own without giving appropriate credit to the original source.
The Code s Definition of Lying Lying is the presentation of false information with the intent to deceive. Lying includes, but is not limited to: 1. Misrepresenting oneself or one s accomplishments for the purpose of gaining an academic advantage or an advantage in opportunities for employment or other co- curricular activities. 2. Falsifying College documents including alteration or forgery. 3. Providing false or misleading information to the Honor Council or Student Conduct members during the course of an investigation or hearing of an alleged violation of the Honor Code or Student Code of Conduct. Lying within this context may be charged as a separate offense.
The Code s Definition of Stealing Stealing is the intentional taking or appropriating the property of another, including property of the College, without consent or permission and with the intent to permanently or substantially deprive the owner of the property. One does not receive rightful permission if it is induced by fraud or deception. This includes theft of the academic work product of another.
Prevention is our Goal We do not want to see accusations. If you work to avoid committing a violation, you will avoid it. When in doubt, ask an Honor Council Justice.
Making an Accusation If you suspect someone of committing a violation, confront him or her and give them an opportunity to explain the situation. If you are not satisfied with the explanation, present your accusation to the Chief Justice. Accusations are not optional. If you suspect someone committed an Honor Code violation, you must report it.
What happens when the Honor Council receives an accusation of a violation? 1. The Chief Justice will determine whether the accusation is trivial. 2. If the accusation is not deemed trivial, the Chief Justice appoints an Investigating Committee to investigate the charge. 3. The Investigating Committee submits a report to a Sufficient Evidence Panel. 4. The Sufficient Evidence Panel determines if the charge is sufficiently supported by the Evidence. 5. If the evidence sufficiently supports the accusation, the charge goes to a Hearing Panel for a determination of guilt or innocence. 6. If the accused if declared guilty, the Hearing Panel decides the appropriate sanction.
The Consequences of a Violation Once a student has been found guilty an Honor Code violation, the Council first considers separation from William & Mary, which includes expulsion. If the Hearing Panel decides that separation from William & Mary is not appropriate, it may consider lesser sanctions, such as probation.
Reporting Violations, Questions, Comments Andrew Steinberg, Chief Justice alsteinberg01@email.wm.edul; or lawhonor@email.wm.edu Jessica Hou, Deputy Chief Justice jxhoux@email.wm.edu