Academic integrity is the moral code and ethical policy of scholarly work. It requires the adoption of educational values and the maintenance of academic standards. Academic integrity and honesty are central components of a student's education, and the ethical conduct maintained in an academic context will be taken eventually into a student's professional career. Academic integrity is essential in a community of scholars searching and learning to search for truth. Anything less than total commitment to integrity undermines the efforts of the entire academic community. Both students and faculty are responsible for insuring the academic integrity of the university.
This policy applies to the academic conduct of all persons who have ever matriculated at Michigan Technological University, whether or not the person is enrolled at the time an allegation of academic misconduct is made.
This policy addresses academic misconduct in course work. Allegations of misconduct in research or publication are addressed under Misconduct in Research, Scholarly and Creative Endeavors Policy.
Procedures (Appendix A) to ensure fairness and due process for all parties involved in any apparent violation of the Academic Integrity Policy have been developed, and will be reviewed every five years by the Office of Academic and Community Conduct in consultation with the Graduate School and members of the University Conduct Board.
I. Definition of Academic Misconduct
Michigan Tech defines academic misconduct as any attempt to create or assist in creating an unfair advantage for an individual or an unfair disadvantage for other members of the university community.
II. Types of Academic Misconduct
Plagiarism: Copying another's work or ideas and calling them one's own or not giving proper credit or citation. This includes but is not limited to reading or hearing another's work or ideas and using them as one's own; quoting, paraphrasing, or condensing another's work without giving proper credit; purchasing or receiving another's work and using, handling, or submitting it as one's own work.
Cheating: Unauthorized use of any study aids, equipment, or another's work during an academic exercise. This includes but is not limited to unauthorized use of notes, study aids, electronic or other equipment during an examination; copying or looking at another individual's examination; taking or passing information to another individual during an examination; taking an examination for another individual; allowing another individual to take one's examination; stealing examinations. Cheating also includes unauthorized collaboration. All graded academic exercises are expected to be performed on an individual basis unless otherwise stated by the instructor. An academic exercise may not be submitted by a student for course credit in more than one course without the permission of all instructors. [i.e. self-plagiarism]
Contract Cheating: The outsourcing of student work to third parties (Lancasterand Clarke, 2016, p.39). Third parties may include but are not limited to family and friends; academic custom writing sites; legitimate learning sites (e.g., file sharing, discussion, and micro-tutoring sites); legitimate non-learning sites (e.g., freelancing sites and online audio sites); paid exam takers; and pre-written essay banks (Ellis, Zucker, and Randall, 2018, p.2). Most online help sites have honor codes and/or copyright policies. Students should ask their professors whether or not they (students) are authorized to use online help sites. Students should only upload content to these websites that they have made or are otherwise authorized to post.
Fabrication: Intentional and/or unauthorized invention or alteration of any information or citation during an academic exercise. This includes but is not limited to the unauthorized changing or adding an answer on an examination and resubmitting it to change the grade; inventing data for a laboratory exercise or report.
Facilitating Academic Misconduct: Allowing or helping another individual to plagiarize, cheat, or fabricate information.
III. Sanctions under the Academic Integrity Policy.
Sanctions under the Academic Integrity Policy will be applied according to the Academic Integrity Procedures.
See Appendix A, "Academic Integrity and Honesty Procedures" for more information.
Senate Policy 109.1
Senate Procedure 109.1.1
Revised:
05/27/2025 - Revised to contain the text from former Senate Policy 109.1.
12/08/2016 - Annual Review: No changes made to content.
03/31/2015 - Annual Review: To reflect current practice, the email address for questions
is now policy@mtu.edu. No changes made to content.
02/12/2014 - Annual Review: Updated Michigan Tech and Handbook banners, no changes
made to content.
03/13/2013 - Annual Review: "Senate Proposal 1-10, Introduced to Senate: September
9, 2009, Tabled and returned to committee: September 23, 2009, Approved by Senate:
October 7, 2009, Approved by Administration: October 19, 2009, Senate Proposal 8-06,
Approved by Administration: April 6, 2006, Revised Proposal 08-02, and Amendments
to Proposal 27-95" now reads "Senate Policy 109.1" and "Senate Procedures 109.1.1"
07/18/2011 - Annual Review: Was previously 3.2.2; to reflect current University titles
and practice, MTU is now Michigan Tech and the email address for questions is now
hbwebmaster.
10/21/2010 - Revised to reflect Proposal 1-10.