A junior in a social science course was found responsible for plagiarism on an essay. In an expedited hearing, the student said she accidentally copied into her own paper a section of another student’s paper that she had proofread. The student wrote each section of the paper in separate documents before combining them into one. The Honor Council found that the plagiarism was unintentional and recommended a reduced sanction of a zero on the assignment and a verbal warning.
A junior in a natural science course was found responsible for unauthorized assistance and using an electronic device on an exam. The professor found that the student used a phone to access Canvas during an exam period. The student’s Canvas logs showed he accessed answer keys from prior assignments that closely matched his work on the exam. In a full hearing, the student denied the accusations. The Honor Council found that the evidence clearly established he had unauthorized assistance. The student had two previous Honor Council violations on record, so the Council recommended the standard sanction for a third violation, an F in the course and permanent dismissal from the University. This sanction was upheld on appeal.
A junior in a science course was found not responsible for plagiarism and unauthorized assistance on a homework assignment. In a full hearing, the student acknowledged sharing his work with another student for discussion after the assignment’s due date. In the investigation, the Honor Council found that the other student had forwarded the accused student’s work to a third recipient. The Honor Council found the student not responsible due to supporting evidence and corroborating testimony from the students involved.
