The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for plagiarism on a midterm paper. The student used online sources for various portions of the assignment but did not include a bibliography. In an administrative hearing, the student accepted responsibility and shared documentation of “substantial personal challenges” with the Honor Council. The Council refused to consider the document as evidence but used the information as compelling reasons for mitigation of the student’s punishment. The student received a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on their record.

The Honor Council found a senior in a humanities course responsible for plagiarism on an essay. The professor looked at an online source cited in the paper and found that the student’s entire paper, including the title, was copied verbatim from that source. In an expedited hearing, the student received a zero on the assignment, a two-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on their record. Because this course was used to satisfy the continued writing requirement, the Honor Council also added that the final grade in the course could be no higher than a C, as students are required to demonstrate an understanding of the writing process and appropriate use of sources in continued writing courses.

The Honor Council found a senior in a social sciences course responsible for plagiarism on a PowerPoint presentation based on a previous essay assignment. Many portions of the presentation quoted information that was not cited. In an administrative hearing, the student explained that she received no instructions about citing sources in the presentation and thought that it was not necessary since it was the same information cited in the paper. The Honor Council determined that the sources should be cited regardless of specific instruction. The Honor Council recommended a zero on the assignment, a one-letter grade deduction in the course and a two-year mark on the student’s record.

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