President Richard Butwell
Upon the recommendation of the Academic Senate, I have approved a revision of the campus policy on plagiarism. All members of the university community, including students, should use the revised policy as a guide. Such activities as choreography and computer programming are now subject to the rules of plagiarism. The new statement on plagiarism for the university catalog follows; it is effective immediately.
At the heart of any university are its efforts to encourage critical reading
skills, effective communication, and, above all, intellectual honesty among its
students. Thus, all academic work submitted by a student as his or her own
should be in his or her own unique style, words, and form. When work is
submitted that appears to be original, but actually is not, the student has
committed plagiarism.
Plagiarism is considered a gross violation of the University’s academic
and disciplinary standards. Plagiarism includes the following: copying of one
person’s work by another and claiming it as his or her own, false presentation of
one’s self as the author or creator of a work, falsely taking credit for another
person’s unique method of treatment or expression, falsely representing one’s self
as the source of ideas or expression, or the presentation of someone else’s
language, ideas, or works without giving that person due credit. It is not limited
to written works. For example, one can plagiarize music compositions,
photographs, works of art, choreography, computer programs, or any other unique
creative effort.
Plagiarism is cause for formal University discipline and is justification for
an instructor to assign a lower grade or a failing grade in the course in which the
plagiarism is committed. In addition, the University may impose its own
disciplinary measures.