The Honor Council found a sophomore in a science course not responsible for plagiarism and unauthorized assistance on a homework assignment. The instructor reported that the student submitted an identical photo of a hand-drawn diagram for an assignment. The diagram contained striking similarities to another student’s diagram. The syllabus allowed for collaboration, but students were to submit original work. In a full hearing, the reported student explained that she had shared her own diagram with another student while explaining the assignment. She was unaware that the other student had copied her image into their own assignment. The case evidence corroborated this explanation, and the student was found not responsible.
The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for unauthorized assistance and use of an unauthorized electronic device during an exam. The professor reported that the student used her phone during the exam. In an administrative hearing, the student explained that she used her phone to access a word bank that she expected to be on the exam. She argued that there was no statement on the exam or in the syllabus prohibiting the use of a phone. The Honor Council determined that the use of a phone and the word bank without explicit permission was still unauthorized. The Honor Council recommended the standard sanction of an F in the course, a one-year Honor Code probation and an educational program. The decision was upheld on appeal.
The Honor Council found a junior in a humanities course responsible for plagiarism. The instructor reported that the student submitted her paper late and included uncited content from outside sources. In an expedited hearing, the student described extreme personal circumstances around the time she completed the assignment which interfered with her judgment and ability to concentrate on the assignment. She accepted responsibility for plagiarism during the hearing. Because the paper did include a number of proper citations and the uncited material was a small portion of the assignment, the Honor Council recommended a mitigated sanction of a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction, a one-year Honor Code probation and an educational program.
