Archived Policy

ATTENTION: OUR ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY HAS CHANGED
This is the old policy for classes taken during and before Summer 2015.
Need the current policy? Starts Fall 2015.


The University of Rochester takes academic honesty and integrity seriously. We would like to educate all members of the University community about the nuances of this sometimes complex issue.

In the related resources section, students can learn how to avoid academic dishonesty and what they should know if they are accused of academic dishonesty. Faculty can find information about how to apply the policy in their courses and what they should do if they suspect academic dishonesty.

Both faculty and students can test their knowledge of the College’s academic honesty policy by taking our academic honesty quizzes:

  • Honesty Quiz #1 (consists of questions related to the academic honesty policy and board procedures)
  • Honesty Quiz #2 (consists of scenarios where one must decide whether certain acts are dishonest)

The College Board on Academic Honesty consists of eleven faculty members from the College appointed by the dean of the College and a pool of undergraduate College students selected by the All Campus Judicial Council (ACJC). One faculty member serves as chair of the board. The chair oversees the administration of the board and reviews all forms and cases submitted to the board. Each case is normally heard by four board members—three faculty members (or a designated representative) and one undergraduate student.

The College Board on Academic Honesty is responsible for reviewing all cases of suspected academic dishonesty by College students or in College courses.

The College Honesty Policy, voted on and approved by the Faculty Council, requires all faculty to report suspected dishonesty to the board, either through an Academic Dishonesty Short Form Incident Report  that allows them to address the matter directly or by forwarding a case to the board for a hearing using the Academic Dishonesty Long Form Incident Report. These forms, along with the College Honesty Policy, are available for downloading at the links below.

All questions and concerns regarding academic honesty in the College should be addressed to the board via this link.

Undergraduate education at Rochester builds on the principle that excellence requires freedom. Honesty and integrity are prerequisites of this freedom. Academic honesty in the advancement of knowledge requires that all students and instructors respect the integrity of one another's work and recognize the importance of acknowledging and safeguarding intellectual property.

As members of an academic community, students and faculty assume certain responsibilities. One of these responsibilities is to engage in honest communication. Academic dishonesty is a serious violation of the trust upon which an academic community depends. The College Academic Honesty Policy is both an articulation of the kinds of behaviors that violate this trust and the means by which that trust is safeguarded and restored.

Graduate Student Policy: The College Board on Academic Honesty handles cases involving undergraduate students in the College exclusively. Incidents of suspected academic dishonesty involving graduate students in the College must be handled according to the policy and procedures given on pages 35-38 of the Graduate Studies Bulletin.

Downloads: