2011-2012 Archived Catalog Information

Cheating on examinations, plagiarism and/or improper acknowledgment of sources in essays or research papers, and the use of a single essay or paper in more than one course without the permission of the instructor constitute unacceptable academic conduct.

It is dishonest to buy, sell, download, borrow, or lend papers. It is unacceptable to make up or falsify data that are supposed to be collected from survey, experimentation, or other means. Work that you represent as your own should be your own; if not, the source should be properly identified. This applies to lab reports, computer projects, and group projects, as well as to individual assignments. Each instructor should fully explain the requirements of the course and the applicable policies regarding academic dishonesty.  Because Suffolk University holds its students strictly accountable for their adherence to the highest standards of academic honesty, it is expected that graduate students know what does and does not constitute acceptable behavior.

Instructors who suspect academic dishonesty should report incidents to the Office of Student Affairs. The dean of students will hold a hearing to determine if the charges have merit. The dean of students will report the determination on the charges to the appropriate departmental committee or program director, which will decide upon the sanctions. The sanctions may include an automatic grade of F in the course, suspension, enforced withdrawal, dismissal from the University, or appropriate lesser penalties if warranted by the circumstances.  Written notification of the action taken should be delivered to the student in a timely fashion. The student has the right to appeal this decision in writing to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences within 30 days of receipt of written notice of the action of a department. The final determination of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, which may refer to both the determination of culpability and to the sanctions imposed, will be based on an investigation or a hearing with the student.