I.PREAMBLE

The students, faculty (i.e, any person hired to conduct classroom activities or research at the university), and administrators of the College of Business (CoB) recognize that honesty and integrity are fundamental expectations in the academic and business communities. Accordingly, we hereby establish this Policy to be adhered to by all CoB administrators, faculty, and students.

II. FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS’ RESPONSIBILITIES IN SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

The faculty and administrators of the CoB share responsibility with our students for implementing the CoB’s Academic Integrity Policy. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, accepting responsibility for:

A. Informing students that every student enrolled in a CoB course is automatically bound by the college's Academic Integrity Policy. Additionally, faculty will include the following paragraph in their course syllabi that references the Academic Integrity Policy:

Because this course is offered in the College of Business, all students enrolled in this course will adhere to the CoB’s Academic Integrity Policy, as stated on this page.

B. Clearly specifying parameters of permissible and impermissible conduct in specific contexts, such as course assignments.

C. Ensuring that examinations are properly proctored.

D. Whenever feasible, updating and modifying examinations and other graded assignments.

E. Responding to violations of this Policy according to the established procedures (see “Procedures for Responding to Violations of Academic Integrity Policy”).

F. Communicating information regarding violations of this Policy and proceedings of the Academic Conduct Committee only to the Chair of the Academic Conduct Committee, the relevant CoB Department Chair, the Associate Dean of the CoB, the Dean of the CoB, the appropriate administrator of student affairs for the CoB, and persons who are present at any proceeding held by the Academic Conduct Committee.

G. Treating all students in a fair, nonarbitrary, and nondiscriminatory manner.

H. Using students’ work for their own purposes only with their knowledge, permission, and proper crediting.

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III. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES IN SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY

Academic dishonesty threatens the entire University community. It undermines the personal and intellectual development of our students. It is unfair to those who do not cheat because it devalues their efforts to learn and the grades they have earned through honest effort. It is unfair to graduates because it degrades the reputation of the CoB and undermines the value of their degrees. It is unfair to faculty because it trivializes their efforts to educate and assess the progress of their students. Finally, it is unfair, as well as harmful, to the student who engages in it because it interferes with his or her moral and intellectual development.

According to this policy, cheating is the unauthorized and inappropriate behavior as defined by the instructor. However, academic dishonesty can take many forms, but not limited to, the following:

A. Preparation of Course Work

1. Plagiarism (copying words, concepts, or ideas from any source and submitting the material as one's own without acknowledging the source by the use of footnotes, quotation marks, or both).

2. Submission of the same or substantially similar assignment to two different faculty members, without permission of both.

3. Unauthorized use of outside sources or another student's material.

4. Citation of sources not actually used in preparation of an assignment.

5. Providing to or receiving from any source assistance inconsistent with the instructor's expressed expectations regarding collaboration.

6. Revealing information to other students regarding pending written or other assignments, unless authorized by the instructor.

7. Falsification of data or results from research or laboratory experiments; deliberate written or oral misrepresentation of results in all matters of research and reporting.

8. Obtaining course assignment answers in a manner or from sources not authorized by the instructor (includes but is not limited to inappropriate use of the Internet).

B. Examination Behavior

1. Unauthorized use of books, notes, papers, calculators, or other materials or devices during exams.

2. Taking an exam for another student, or permitting another student falsely to identify himself or herself in taking an exam.

3. Receiving unauthorized help from or giving help to another student during an in-class or take-home exam.

4. Taking longer than the allotted time to complete an exam.

5. Revealing information to another student about an examination which has not been returned to students by the instructor or has not been authorized by the instructor.

6. Obtaining examination answers in a manner or from sources not authorized by the instructor (includes but is not limited to inappropriate use of the Internet).

7. Altering answers on an examination after it is given back by the instructor in an attempt to change one’s grade.

C. Communications

1. Knowingly making a false charge under this Policy.

2. Disclosing information about any charge or proceeding under this Policy to anyone other than the Chair of the Academic Conduct Committee, the relevant CoB Department Chair, the Associate Dean of the CoB, the Dean of the CoB, and the persons who are present at any hearing held pursuant to this Policy.

3. Knowingly giving false information to a member of the faculty to request an alternative date or time for an examination or assignment.

4. Knowingly giving false information to another academic institution or a prospective employer about academic performance.

D. Use of the University Libraries and Library materials

1. Improperly removing materials from a library (e.g., by failing to sign out materials or falsifying an authorizing signature).

2. Intentionally misplacing materials within a library.

3. Marking, cutting, or otherwise defacing library materials.

E. Use of Computer Facilities

1. Unauthorized use of a computer file, program, user name, user ID or user password.

2. Making unauthorized copies of software licensed by the University or acquired for use in a course.

3. Interfering with others' use of computer programs or facilities (i.e., imposition of a "virus," "worm," or other malware or alteration of a class program).

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IV. POLICY VIOLATIONS

All members of the CoB community are strongly encouraged to report all suspected violations of this policy. A faculty member who is responsible for a course may respond to a violation within the context of the course in the manner he or she deems appropriate in accordance with the University of Southern Mississippi Student Handbook and will report the violation and his or her disposition of the violation using the “Academic Misconduct Incident Reporting Form” to the Associate Dean of the CoB. Instances of academic dishonesty may also be referred to the Academic Conduct Committee of the CoB by a faculty member, administrator, or student. When the Committee, after holding a hearing on a complaint, determines that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty, it may recommend an appropriate sanction.

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• Faculty & Administrators Responsibilities
• Student Responsibilities
• Policy Violations
• Academic Misconduct Incident Reporting Form

• Advisement & Registration Procedures
• Advising Schedule
• Core Course Requirements for Business Students
• FAQs
• Graduation Information
• Important Dates
• MS Community College Transfer Equivalencies
• Prerequisites
• Wall Street Journal Partnership

• Change of Major Form
• Change of Minor Form
• Override Form
• Petition for Change of Academic Status
• Petition to Transfer Credits