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Proper discharge of all duties is required at Clemson University, and a student's first duty is his/her scholastic work. All students should be thoroughly acquainted with these basic requirements.
A minimum of three faculty members are to be selected for a student seeking a master's or specialist's degree, and a minimum of four faculty members are to be selected for a student seeking a doctoral degree. The majority of the advisory committee, including the major advisor, must be comprised of Clemson University faculty who hold full-time, tenure-track positions. Either the major advisor or at least half of the committee must hold rank in the program offering the degree. If a minor is declared, this area must be represented on the committee. Committee members of interdepartmental programs are to be appointed according to bylaws formulated by the program faculty and endorsed by the Graduate School that assure appropriate representation of the participating departments.
Part-time visiting and other nontenure-track faculty employed by Clemson University and faculty emeriti may serve on the committee but may not serve as chair. Persons not employed by the University may serve if they have been appointed to an adjunct faculty status. Part-time, visiting adjunct, and other nontenure-track faculty have full voting status on the outcomes of all examinations given by the committee.
The student, department, and committee members are notified of the fully constituted committee by means of the approved GS2 form.
Before a curriculum is approved, it must be reviewed and signed by the advisory committee. It is then submitted to the department chair and college dean for approval and is forwarded to the Enrolled Student Services Office for approval and distribution.
The form should be filed near the beginning of each student's program of study. Candidates for master's or specialist's degrees should submit the curriculum by the middle of their second semester and doctoral candidates no later than the beginning of their second year of study.
The GS2 may be revised as needed, but the final form must be approved and signed by all committee members and the appropriate department chair. Revised forms must be on file in the Enrolled Student Services Office in the term in which the student plans to graduate.
A $25 nonrefundable late fee is assessed to a student whose GS2 is submitted after the deadline. The fee increases $5 per day thereafter (excluding weekends and University holidays).
Students who do not properly file the GS2 risk failing to receive proper advice from their faculty committee members and research or program advisors and may face undue difficulties, including fines or delays in graduating.
To be eligible for this plan, students must have completed their bachelor's curriculum through the junior year (minimum 94 credits) and have a minimum overall grade-point ratio of 3.40. To apply, students submit an Application for Admission to a Combined Bachelor's/Master's Plan, available from the Office of Admissions, with endorsements by the program coordinator or department chair of both programs. If accepted, the student will be given conditional admission to the master's program pending completion of his/her bachelor's degree and submission of satisfactory GRE or GMAT scores, if required. Combined Plan students are not eligible for graduate appointments for financial aid until their Bachelor's degree has been awarded.
A maximum of 12 credit hours of graduate courses in the master's program may be applied to the bach-elor's program. As determined by the participating bachelor's program, graduate courses may be applied to the bachelor's degree as electives or technical requirements or by substitution of 800-level courses for required undergraduate courses. Under no circumstances can 600-level counterparts of courses required in the bachelor's program be counted toward master's requirements.
Not all programs may choose to participate in the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Plan. Those bachelor's programs that do participate may permit fewer than 12 graduate credits to count toward the bachelor's degree. Furthermore, the bachelor's programs determine the acceptability of specific graduate courses to meet their curriculum requirements, and the participating master's programs control admission of students into their programs and their courses. Students should consult individual academic units for specific requirements.
Courses are offered leading to the research degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Doctor of Philosophy. In addition, courses are offered leading to the professional degrees of Doctor of Education; Education Specialist; Master of Agricultural Education; Master of Architecture; Master of Arts in Teaching; Master of Business Administration; Master of Career and Technology Education; Master of City and Regional Planning; Master of Construction Science and Management; Master of Education; Master of Electronic Commerce; Master of Engineering; Master of Fine Arts; Master of Forest Resources; Master of Human Resource Development; Master of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management; Master of Professional Accountancy; and Master of Public Administration.
Only students who are enrolled are eligible to use University facilities and human resources and/or receive any form of financial aid. Students who have completed all required work and who find it necessary to be enrolled during a given semester in order to use facilities or human resources may enroll in G S 799 for a minimum of one credit.
Maximum enrollment limits for graduate students refer to graduate and undergraduate credits combined. If the six-week and three-week sessions run concurrently, the total credits are not permitted to exceed the maximum for the six-week session.
Quarter-time, half-time, and three-quarter-time graduate assistants are defined as those who contribute a weekly average of 10, 20, and 30 clock hours service, respectively, to the University for the entire semester. A full-time employee is defined as anyone employed five full working days per week regardless of the employer. A graduate student who becomes employed full time while an assistantship is in force must notify the Graduate School and the department providing the assistantship. Graduate students paid solely on an hourly basis are not classified as graduate assistants but are subject to the same limitation in credit loads described above.
Enrollment Limits - Maximum Credit Hours
| Student Category | Semester | 6-week Session | 3-week Session |
| Full-time students | 18 | 6 | 3 |
| Graduate Assistants (1/4 time) | 15 | 5 | 3 |
| Graduate Assistants (1/2 time) | 12 | 4 | 2 |
| Graduate Assistants (3/4 time) | 12 | 3 | 1 |
| Full-time Employees | 9 | 3 | 1 |
Credits may be transferred for work completed at off-campus centers of accredited institutions, provided such courses are acceptable, without reservation, in degree programs at those institutions. No credit will be given for continuing education units, correspondence, extension, or in-service courses or for concentrated courses and workshops that award credit at a rate exceeding one credit per week.
All transfer credits must be verified by an official transcript from the institution at which the work was completed. Coursework completed outside the six-year time limit may not be transferred to Clemson University or validated for graduate credit. Valid transfer credits will appear on the student's transcript as credits earned.
Most graduate courses are graded on an A-B-C-D-F scale. Thesis and dissertation
research and several other graduate courses are graded on a pass/fail (P/F)
basis. Courses graded pass/fail are not included in the academic average;
however, the grade P or F is placed on the student's permanent
academic
record. Only credit hours for which a grade of P is achieved
apply toward the number of credit hours required for the degree. The accumulation
of grades of pass in thesis or dissertation research does not imply
completion of the research; such grades indicate satisfactory progress.
A minimum grade of C on all coursework must be made for the course to apply toward a degree. Graduate students must maintain a cumulative B average (3.0 grade-point ratio) in all graduate-level courses (600-level or above). In addition, graduate students must maintain an overall cumulative B average in all courses (undergraduate and graduate) since admission to the Graduate School, excluding those taken on a pass/fail basis. Finally, the student must maintain a B average in all courses listed on form GS2. Students who fail to meet these requirements become ineligible for graduation and are placed on academic probation. The probationary status will remain in effect until nine additional semester hours of graduate credit have been earned. Students who fail to remove the probationary status as prescribed are subject to academic dismissal and will not be permitted to continue in the Graduate School without the recommendation of the program coordinator and written approval of the Graduate School. Withdrawal from a course while on probation will not be allowed unless prior approval is obtained from the Graduate School. Any unauthorized withdrawal will be considered as unsatisfactory academic performance.
The cumulative B average requirements apply independently to graduate degrees. That is, a new grade-point ratio computation begins after completion of the first degree; however, when a doctoral degree is pursued after completion of a master's degree in the same major, the grade-point ratio computation continues for both degrees.
A transcript will reflect grades from courses repeated for required credits.
Audited courses do not carry credit and are not noted on the student's academic record. Auditors are not required to take tests or examinations; however, the instructor, at his/her discretion, may require or deny the auditor's participation in class to whatever extent deemed desirable.
A graduate student may not satisfy by audit a stated prerequisite for a graduate course. Additionally, a graduate student may not establish credit through examination in any course for which he/she was previously registered as an auditor.
At the student's request, the instructor shall provide a written statement of the work to be completed.
The grade of I will be valid in normal lecture or laboratory courses for 30 days after the beginning of the next scheduled session, excluding summers and irrespective of the student's enrollment status. Within this period, the student must complete the work or obtain an extension, approved by the instructor and chair of the department responsible for the course, stating the reason for the request and the length of time needed. Normally, only one request for an extension for each grade of I will be granted.
Students receiving a grade of I in unstructured, independent study courses as designated by the Graduate School must complete all work and receive a final grade within one calendar year. At the discretion of the instructor, the deadline for removal of these incomplete grades may be less than one year.
A graduate student will not be permitted to repeat any portion or reregister for any course for which the grade of I has been given. If all work is not completed by the appropriate deadlines, a grade of F will be recorded on the student's academic record.
Students who receive a grade of I while enrolled in the Graduate School remain ineligible for graduation until the incomplete work has been made up and a letter grade submitted to Registrar's Office.
Instructors have ten working days after the deadline to grade the make-up work and submit the final grade to the Registrar's Office. Work submitted by the student after the printed deadline should not be accepted by the instructor unless an extension has been approved. Requests for extensions, like the make-up work, should be submitted by the deadline printed on the make-up card. Grades of I that remain after the 10-working-day period will be converted automatically to F.
International graduate students must receive authorization for course withdrawals from an advisor in the Office of International Studies, Programs, and Services. It is important that international students not fall below the required full-time enrollment mandated by the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services.
If the student's academic advisor does not approve the course withdrawal, the student may appeal to the department chair. A refusal by the department chair may be appealed to the Dean of the Graduate School. The date on which the student withdraws on-line is the official date of withdrawal recorded by the registrar.
Failure to attend classes or verbal notification to instructors does not constitute withdrawal. Students must drop a course as described above or be credited with a failure. Students must use the on-line registration system to withdraw from a course.
Students may not enroll in 600-level courses for which undergraduate credit has been awarded, nor can graduate credit be awarded retroactively for undergraduate courses already completed.
Seniors with a cumulative grade-point ratio of 3.0 or higher may enroll in 700- or 800-level courses and may use these courses to meet requirements for the bachelor's degree; however, courses used for this purpose cannot be counted later toward an advanced degree. Alternatively, such students may take 600-, 700-, or 800-level courses in excess of the requirements for their undergraduate degrees and may request that these courses be included as a part of their graduate program if they are subsequently admitted to the Graduate School. Courses cannot be taken at the 600 level if their 400-level counterparts are required for the undergraduate degree in the same academic major as the proposed graduate degree.
A Clemson senior with a cumulative grade-point ratio less than 3.0 may apply to the Graduate School for conditional acceptance. If accepted, the student may enroll in graduate courses for inclusion in a future graduate program, subject to approval of Form GS6. The form must be turned in and accepted by the Graduate School before a student can register for graduate courses.
The credits and quality points associated with senior enrollment in graduate courses will be part of the undergraduate record.
The total number of graduate credits required for the degree is determined by the student's advisory committee, consistent with the specific program guidelines and Graduate School policy. These credits constitute the core of the student's graduate degree curriculum (form GS2). Supplemental courses, carrying undergraduate or graduate credit and chosen to broaden the student's academic experience, are not required on form GS2; however, if a listing is desirable, such courses will be listed.
The Graduate School requires that each degree program consist of a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit with at least 12 credit hours, exclusive of master's thesis research (891), in the major discipline as defined by the advisory committee, subject to degree program regulations. A minor outside that degree program, if chosen, shall consist of at least six credit hours in that area. The following conditions must also be observed:
Master of Arts or Master of Science (Thesis Option) - Each program includes a minimum of 24 hours of graduate credit and six semester hours of master's thesis research (891). At least one-half of the total graduate credit hours required by the advisory committee, exclusive of thesis research, must be selected from courses numbered 800 or above.
Master of Arts or Master of Science (Nonthesis Option) - Each program includes a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit, none of which may be master's thesis research. At least one-half of the total graduate credit hours required by the advisory committee must be selected from courses numbered 800 or above.
Professional Master's DegreesEach program includes a minimum of 30 hours of graduate credit. Except for professional programs in the College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities that require a thesis, research credits (891) may not be included in the program requirements. Any additional requirements for these degrees are described under the colleges which offer the degrees.
The accumulation of grades of Pass in thesis research does not imply completion of the research, but only indicates satisfactory progress.
The requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways: by completing a course in the approved language through 202 (or equivalent) with a B or better or by passing French, German, or Spanish 151. The requirement must have been completed within six years prior to the student's finishing the graduate degree. Upon the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of Languages, knowledge of another language may be approved if adequate justification can be presented that the language is not native to the student and that a proper testing procedure can be established. Any expense incurred in obtaining assistance for such testing must be paid by the student.
The Department of Languages also administers a foreign language translation test three times annually. Applications, available in the Department of Languages, must be filed at least three weeks before the test date.
Members of the faculty, as well as members of the Graduate Curriculum Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School, are invited to attend the examination. Within five days after the examination, the examining committee, through form GS7, will notify the Graduate School of the results of the examination. A student who fails a final examination may be allowed a second opportunity only with the recommendation of the advisory committee. Failure of the second examination will result in dismissal from the Graduate School. A majority decision is required; dissenting members of the examining committee may forward a minority report to the Graduate School.
Work leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree is planned to give the student a comprehensive knowledge of his/her field of specialization and a mastery of the methods of research. The degree is not awarded solely on the basis of coursework completed, residence, or other routine requirements. The final basis of granting the degree is the student's grasp of the subject matter of a broad field of study, competence in planning and conducting research, and ability to express him/herself adequately and professionally orally and in writing. In addition, the candidate for the Doctor of Education degree must arrange with the advisory committee to engage in an internship appropriate to his/her field of professional service.
The advisory committee aids the student in developing a degree curriculum which includes the selection of specific courses and their sequence. Although no minimum coursework requirements exist for the doctoral degree, committees are encouraged to require courses other than those that directly support the dissertation research. Work in the minor field or fields, if required, normally comprises 12?24 hours in courses carrying graduate credit. A minimum of 18 hours of doctoral research is required. Should the direction of study or research interest change, the student may request the appointment of a new advisor.
The accumulation of grades of Pass in dissertation research does not imply completion of the research, but only indicates satisfactory progress.
To receive the Doctor of Philosophy degree, the student must complete at least 15 hours of graduate credit including research credit hours (991) on the Clemson University campus in a continuous 12-month period.
For students employed substantially more than half time, a statement specifying the manner in which the residence requirement is to be satisfied shall be formulated by the advisory committee and be included in the graduate degree curriculum. Also, upon completion of the final examination, the student's committee will forward to the Graduate School a statement approved by the department chair and college dean certifying that residence requirements have been met.
Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Dean of the Graduate School. Major advisors seeking an exemption to this policy must submit an academic plan for the student that is signed by the major advisor and the department chair.
The requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways: by completing a course in the approved language through 202 (or equivalent) with a B or better or by passing French, German, or Spanish 151. The requirement must have been completed within six years prior to the student's finishing the graduate degree. Upon the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of Languages, knowledge of another language may be approved if adequate justification can be presented that the language is not native to the student and that a proper testing procedure can be established. Any expense incurred in obtaining assistance for such testing must be paid by the student.
The foreign language requirement must be satisfied in a six-year period prior to the awarding of the doctoral degree. The Department of Languages also administers a foreign language translation test three times annually. Applications, available in the Department of Languages, must be filed at least three weeks before the test date.
Written consent and research plan - The student must have the written consent of his/her dissertation advisor, full advisory committee, department chair, college dean, and the graduate dean. Prior to departure from campus, the student must submit a written plan for the research effort to the advisory committee for approval. The plan should include a discussion of the problem and intended scope of the investigation and should be structured in terms of a specific time frame.
Statement from the organization where research will be conducted - The advisory committee may require a statement from an appropriate officer of the organization at which the student will be located agreeing to the student's plan to complete dissertation research using the organization's equipment and facilities; the apportioning of at least 25 percent or other appropriate amount of the student's employment hours to dissertation research; the organiza-tion's release of patent rights or copyrights arising from discoveries or concepts that evolve during the course of the student's doctoral research.
Travel - The student may be required to travel to the Clemson campus, not at the expense of the University, to meet with the dissertation advisor and advisory committee as often as the committee deems necessary.
Continuous Enrollment -The student must maintain continuous enrollment at Clemson University while the research is in progress. It is the student's responsibility to make suitable arrangements with the department to maintain this continuous registration. Normally the student will not be required to register for summer sessions; however, he/she must be registered for the term that involves the review of the completed dissertation and/or the final examination.
Supervision and Reports - When doctoral research is conducted away from the Clemson campus and under the immediate direction of a dissertation supervisor who is employed by an organization other than Clemson University, in order to accommodate the student, as well as to exercise proper and necessary control over this important phase of doctoral study, the following requirements must be met:
(a) An employee, having earned a PhD and being engaged in the general subject area of the student's research, must be designated by an officer of the organization to supervise the student's research;
(b) The employee must be recommended to the provost by the appropriate college dean for appointment as an adjunct professor of Clemson University;
(c) A résumé of the research supervisor must be submitted to the student's full advisory committee for review and recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School;
(d) The research supervisor must submit a final statement regarding the dissertation research, as well as interim reports, if the committee deems such necessary; and
(e) The off-campus research supervisor cannot serve as the student's major advisor.
Satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examination must occur no less than six months and no more than five years prior to the date of graduation. For examinations consisting of several parts (for example, a written plus an oral, or a written in cumulative format), the date of completion will coincide with the date of the last examination activity. The time span from the beginning to the end of the examination, however, must not exceed 12 months. Failure of any portion that negates further examining will be reported as a failure of the examination. The student has five calendar years after the date of the completion of the comprehensive examination to complete all other degree requirements. A student who completes all the degree requirements will be invited to participate in the next scheduled graduation ceremonies.
Students may attempt the comprehensive examination only on the recommendation of their advisory committees after completion of most of the required coursework. This examination must be administered by the Clemson University program faculty offering the degree. The examining committee may be the student's advisory committee or a standing committee appointed according to published program policies. A majority decision is required; dissenting members of the examining committee may forward a minority report to the Graduate School. The chair of the advisory committee will inform the Graduate School of the result, via form GS5, within three weeks of the examination. The student's performance on this examination will determine whether he/she will be recommended for admission to candidacy for the degree.
Should the student fail to pass the comprehensive examination, he/she may be given a second opportunity if so recommended by the examining committee. A second failure shall result in the student being declared ineligible to receive the Doctor of Philosophy degree at Clemson University.
A student who fails a final oral examination may be allowed a second opportunity only with the recommendation of the advisory committee. Failure of the second examination will result in dismissal from the Graduate School.
Students who have completed all coursework, examinations, projects, and thesis or dissertation requirements and have obtained approval from the Graduate School on the final copy of the thesis or dissertation need not be enrolled in any credits to graduate or participate in the graduation ceremony.
Students who need to utilize University resources (library, advisors
and faculty, laboratories, etc.) to complete requirements during the semester
prior to graduation must enroll in at least one credit hour. Graduate assistants
completing a final semester of research or teaching assignments must enroll
in at
least nine semester hours to maintain their assistantships. Students
may register for G S 799 to help meet the requirements of this final enrollment.
Students should contact the Enrolled Student Services Office early in the calendar year in which they plan to graduate to confirm their graduation status.
Students desiring admission to candidacy must have full status admission to the Graduate School, satisfactory academic standing, and an approved graduate degree curriculum on file.
Form GS7 is also used to indicate that a student has successfully passed a written final exam for a master's degree in those departments where such examinations are conducted. In this instance, the chair of the examining committee must submit the GS7 form to the Enrolled Student Services Office within five days of the completion of the exam.
The Graduate School has delegated authority to students' advisory committees to determine the appropriate format for publication of theses and dissertations in accordance with standards acceptable to the discipline. Consequently, the Graduate School has published limited but specific guidelines for students to use in formatting their theses and dissertations. These guidelines are available on the Web.
The research advisor determines when the manuscript is suitable for initial review by the remaining committee members. Guidelines for the review process and a thesis/dissertation review form are available in the departments and the Graduate School. These guidelines are designed to produce a timely review by each committee member and to provide a measure of protection for all parties against problems resulting from lack of communication and/or attention. If the student requests, the research advisor is obligated to initiate the thesis/dissertation review form and forward it to the remaining committee members along with the manuscript. The research advisor must be familiar with departmental practices regarding the quality of the manuscript at the various review stages and of the wishes of the department chair, as an ex-officio committee member, to exercise the option of approving the thesis or dissertation in its final form.
The student, in consultation with his/her major advisor, shall provide each advisory committee member with a copy of the manuscript for initial review. This action should take place well in advance of, and not less than three weeks prior to, the final examination and defense of the thesis or dissertation. Students must prepare the manuscript in a publication style acceptable to the advisory committee. When the manuscript is approved by the advisory committee, the thesis or dissertation is presented to the Graduate School for final review and signature prior to duplication.
Committee members should normally complete the initial review in three weeks or less. Provisions of the guidelines, however, allow for additional time if necessary. Failure of a committee member to complete the initial review within six weeks may result in his/her replacement, provided the student has requested use of the thesis/dissertation review form. A second review after revisions should be completed in one week, with provisions being available for additional time.
It should be understood that a vote to pass a student on his/her performance at the thesis/dissertation defense (form GS7) does not imply final approval of the thesis or dissertation. Approval of the thesis or dissertation is given by faculty signing the approval page. The approval page should not be signed by the committee until the student has made all revisions as instructed by the committee.
Graduate School Format Approval
The Graduate School will review the thesis or dissertation to ensure that it complies with the guidelines established by the Graduate School for formatting the preliminary pages of the document, including the margins. The Publications staff will conduct its review of the document only after the student's committee chair signs form GS32 indicating that the document is prepared in a publication style acceptable to the discipline and all members of the student's committee have signed the approval page.
Students must bring a signed GS32 form as well as a copy of the thesis/dissertation to the Graduate School.Students are notified when the review is complete. Manuscripts will be signed by the Graduate School only when no changes are required. Typically theses and dissertations are reviewed within one or two days of receipt by the Graduate School. Manuscripts will not be reviewed the same day they are submitted.
Thesis/Dissertation Binding and Mailing
Following approval of the thesis or dissertation by the Graduate School, the student must pay fees associated with publication to University Revenue and Receivables in G-08 Sikes Hall.
Three copies of the thesis or dissertation, printed or photocopied on appropriate paper, are required for binding. These copies must be submitted to the Cooper Library by the deadline. Additional information is available on the Web.
For doctoral candidates, a fourth copy of the dissertation is required for microfilming and is placed with University Microfilms, Inc. of Ann Arbor, MI. An additional copy of the approval page, title page, and abstract must also be submitted, with the abstract not exceeding 350 words. Additional information is available from the Graduate School.
After a dissertation has been microfilmed and returned to the University, it is discarded. The Cooper Library is responsible for binding theses and dissertations and for distributing them according to information supplied on the Thesis/Dissertation Binding and Mailing Form.
Exceptional cases may arise, however. The guidelines below shall apply to any sponsored projects requiring that results be kept confidential.
1. The University shall not accept awards that require research results to be kept confidential forever. A definite term of confidentiality shall be stated in a written nondisclosure agreement and shall not exceed one year beyond the date of notification to the sponsor that a manuscript suitable for publication has been prepared. Exceptions may be granted by the University administration only under unusual circumstance (e.g., national security, national emergency, classified activities, or certain confidential agreements).
2. Students associated with confidential projects must have prior approval for the use of results in preparing reports, theses, or dissertations in fulfillment of degree requirements. The Graduate School will normally not accept a thesis or dissertation that must be held in confidence for more than one year. Documents submitted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements will be retained by the Graduate School (or the department in the case of project reports for nonthesis programs) in accordance with the nondisclosure agreement. The student's thesis or dissertation defense shall not be open to those not bound by the nondisclosure agreement.
B. Academic dishonesty is further defined as:
1. Giving, receiving, or using unauthorized aid on any academic work;
2. Plagiarism, which includes the copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing the work to one's own efforts;
3. Attempts to copy, edit, or delete computer files that belong to another person or use of Computer Center account numbers that belong to another person without the permission of the file owner, account owner, or file number owner;
C. All academic work submitted for grading contains an implicit pledge and may contain, at the request of an instructor, an explicit pledge by the student that no unauthorized aid has been received.
D. It is the responsibility of every member of the Clemson University community to enforce the Academic Integrity Policy.
A. Structure
The Academic Integrity Committee is composed of seven members as follows:
1. Five tenured members of the faculty; one member from each college elected by their respective collegiate faculties. Faculty members will be elected, serving for a period of two years. Terms commence with the fall semester.
2. Two members of the graduate student body are nominated by the Graduate Student Body President, through an application and interview process in the spring semester, approved by the Graduate Student Senate, and appointed by the provost for terms of no more than two years. Students must have a 3.0 grade-point ratio at the time of appointment and must have completed nine hours by the end of the spring semester. Nominations will be made in the spring semester with terms of service commencing with the fall semester.
3. The committee consists of one standing board, hereafter referred to as a hearing board, which will hear the cases of academic dishonesty. The hearing board convenes when there is a case to be heard. For summer sessions, the Dean must maintain a hearing board to hear cases.
4. The hearing board is comprised of a faculty member from each college and two students. Quorum, for a hearing board, is one student, two faculty members, and the chairperson. Decisions by the hearing board will be by majority vote.
5. The chairperson will be elected from within the Committee's membership. The chairperson is a voting member of the Committee.
6. Before hearing any cases, a new member of the committee must undergo a training session with the Dean of the Graduate School.
7. The Dean is the administrative coordinator of the Academic Integrity Committee.
B. Procedures
The use of the title "Dean" refers to the Dean of the Graduate School, the Associate Dean of the Graduate School, or a designated appointee.
1. When, in the opinion of a faculty member, there is evidence that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member shall make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty, including a description of the misconduct, to the Dean. At the same time, the faculty member may, but is not required to, inform each involved student privately of the nature of the alleged charge.
2. When, in the opinion of the student, there is evidence that another student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, he/she should contact the faculty member for the course to discuss the incident. After being contacted, if, in the opinion of the faculty member, there is evidence that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, the faculty member shall make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty, including a description of the misconduct, to the Dean. At the same time, the faculty member may, but is not required to, inform privately each student involved of the nature of the alleged charge.
3. When the Dean has received a formal charge of an alleged violation, he/she will contact privately the student involved to notify him/her of the charge and at the same time will provide the student with a copy of the charge and a copy of the procedures that the Academic Integrity Committee has adopted, pursuant to number 6 below.
4. The Dean will convene the board of the Academic Integrity Committee within 14 calendar days of informing the student of an alleged violation. All students will be presumed innocent of a violation until found guilty by a hearing board.
5. A charge of academic dishonesty in a course must be made within 14 calendar days of the date printed on the grade report for the semester or session in which the course is completed. If an I (Incomplete) is given in a course, the grade in the course is considered to be final when the I is made up.
6. The Academic Integrity Committee will adopt its procedures prior to the first case heard by a hearing board. In addition to providing the student with a copy of the procedures, as stated in number 3 above, the Dean will provide a copy of the procedures to the involved faculty member and also the hearing board members. The Dean will also retain copies of these procedures. The procedures must afford both faculty and students the opportunity to present their cases and the opportunity for rebuttal.
7. In cases in which there is a finding of guilt, the faculty member may consult with the Dean to consider any past precedent established regarding academic penalties levied in similar cases. Faculty members must inform the Dean of the academic penalty for a student found guilty by a hearing board.
8. The Dean is responsible for notifying the registrar and all other appropriate University personnel of the finding of guilt and the academic penalty. The Dean retains all records of academic dishonesty cases and their findings in accordance with the University's Records Retention Policy.
C. Penalties
1. Upon a finding of "not guilty" by a hearing board, all records relating to the charge will be destroyed.
2. Upon a finding of "guilty" by a hearing board, the Dean will notify the student and faculty member of the decision immediately. If the offense is the first for the student, then the faculty member has the ability to determine the academic penalty, which shall not exceed a grade of F for the course.
3. If the finding of guilt is not the student's first offense, the student will receive a grade of F for the course, will be suspended from the University for one or more semesters, and may be permanently dismissed from the University. The hearing board will determine the period for which the student will be suspended or, if applicable, permanently dismissed. Suspension or dismissal requires the notification of the President of the University.
4. Upon a finding of "guilty" by a hearing board, additional penalties may be imposed by the department or program, for those students enrolled in a degree program.
D. Appeals
1. Students do not have the option to appeal a decision of guilt rendered by the hearing board, whether it is the first, second, or any subsequent offense. Students do not have the option to appeal the penalty determined by the faculty member for first offenses or to appeal the grade of F for the course given for second offenses.
2. For offenses resulting in suspension or permanent dismissal, students have the option to present written information to the President of the University to appeal the length of the suspension or to appeal a decision of dismissal. Students must present information in their defense, as allowed in this paragraph, to the President within five working days after receipt of written notification of the suspension or dismissal; however, as stated in number 1 above, students cannot appeal a decision of guilt rendered by the hearing board.
B. Plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty, includes the copying of language, structure or ideas of another and attributing the work to one's own efforts.
C. All academic work submitted for grading contains an implicit pledge and may contain, at the request of the instructor, an explicit pledge by the student that no unauthorized aid has been received.
D. Academic dishonesty includes attempts to copy, edit or delete computer files that belong to another person or use Computer Center account numbers that belong to another person without the permission of the file owner, account number owner, or file number owner.
B. A student guilty of the second offense of academic dishonesty will receive a grade of F for the course, will be suspended for one or more semesters, and may be permanently dismissed. Suspension and dismissal require approval of the President of the University.
1. The instructor will inform the student in private of the nature of the alleged charge of academic dishonesty and will simultaneously request in writing that the department chair verify from the registrar if the incident is a first offense.
2. When this information has been received, the instructor will notify
the student in writing of the charge of academic dishonesty and the penalty
recommended by the instructor and approved by the chair of the department
in which the course is
taught. The notification will further state that if the student regards
the charge as unfair, the student has seven days from the date of receipt
of notice to file a grievance with the Graduate Student Grievance Committee.
3. If no grievance is filed by the student, the instructor will forward copies of the written notification to the dean of the college and to the registrar.
4. Should the act of dishonesty not be in the college of the student's major, the registrar will notify the major department chair.
5. A charge of academic dishonesty in a course must be made within 45 calendar days of the date printed on the grade report for the semester or session in which the course is completed. For grades that replace an original grade of I (incomplete), the 45 days begin the day the I is converted to the final grade.