Academic Conduct

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Code of Conduct
Southern Union expects all members of its academic community to perform according to the highest ethical and professional principles. The entire college population must be involved to ensure this quality of academic conduct. Whether or not academic misconduct occured, and what classrooms sanctions, if any, are to be applied are matters to be determined by the respective instructor. Any student who opposes the sanction imposed by an instructor may appeal the matter through judiciary procedures. Students who receive classroom sanctions for academic misconduct may be subject, at the instructor's descretion, to disciplinary action by the Dean of Students if the misconduct also violates the Student Code of Conduct and is reported by the instructor for such disciplinary action.

Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct undermines the purpose of education. Such behavior is a fundamental violation of the trust that must exist between faculty and students in order for the College to cultivate intellectual growth and development. Academic misconduct can commonly be defined as all acts of dishonesty in an academic or related matter. Academic dishonesty includes, but it not limited to, the following categories of behavior:

  • CHEATING: use of attemped use of unauthorized materials, information, study aids, the answers of others, or computer related information.
  • PLAGIARISM: claiming as one's own the ideas, words, data, computer programs, creative compositions, artwork, etc., done by someone else. Examples include improper citation of referenced works, use of commercially available scholarly papers, failure to cite sources, or copying another's ideas.
  • FABRICATION: presenting as genuine, falsified data, citations, or quotations.
  • ABETTING: helping another student commit an act of academic dishonesty. Examples include allowing a fellow student to copy quiz/examination answers or use one's work as their own.
  • MISREPRESENTATION: falsification, alteration, or misstatement of the contents of documents, academic works, or other materials related to academic matters, including works substantially done for one class as work done for another without receiving prior approval from the instructor.

Academic Penalties
The following is a list of potential penalties that may be imposed upon any student found guilty of academic misconduct by the instructor:

  1. Requirement to submit additional work or take additional examinations
  2. A lower or failing grade on the assignment or examination
  3. A lower of failing grade in the course
  4. Automatic "F" in the course
  5. Referral to the Dean of Students

Instructors may impose other appropriate penalties as outlines on their course syllabi.

Possible Additional Penalties
The following is a list of penalties that may be imposed by the Dean of Students in addition to those imposed by the instructor, as appropriate.

  1. Reprimand: a written stastement from the College expressing disapproval of conduct. This reprimand will be retained with the student's disciplinary record.
  2. Probation: The notice of probationary status will be placed in the student's disciplinary record. Probation will be in effect for a period of one calendar year. Subsequent violations of the Code of Conduct while on probationary status will merit automatic suspension or dismissal from the College.
  3. Suspension: Suspension from the College for a period of one year. The student will receive an F in the class where the academic misconduct occured and be administratively withdrawn from other classes. The notice of suspension will be retained in the student's disciplinary record. After a period of one year, the student may apply for readmission to the College. Suspension from specific programs of study may be mandated on the first offense. Students should consult the policies of the program of study in which they are enrolled to determine the circumstances under which suspension can occur. 
  4. Dismissal: A permanent separation from the College. Students receiving this penalty ar forever prohibited from readmission to the College. The notice of dismissal will be placed in the student's disciplinary record.