THE HONOR CODE - A BRIEF OVERVIEW

THE PLEDGE

"On my honor, as a University of Colorado at Boulder student, I have neither given nor received 
unauthorized assistance on this work."

Students are encouraged to include this pledge on their assignments and tests. Additionally, the 
pledge can be found on plaques placed within classrooms throughout the campus.

VIOLATIONS

When faculty suspect dishonesty, they may either report it to the Honor Code Council office or resolve 
the issue privately with the student.  In the latter case, faculty are "expected" to report the incident to the 
Honor Code Office, so that records can be kept on the student and an appropriate non-academic sanction 
can be given to the student.

Any of the following acts, when committed by a student at the University of Colorado at Boulder, shall 
constitute academic dishonesty:

  i. Plagiarism: Portrayal of another's work or ideas as one's own;

  ii. Cheating: Using unauthorized notes or study aids, allowing another party to do one's work/exam and turning 
in that work/exam as one's own; submitting the same or similar papers in more than one course without permission 
from the course instructors;

  iii. Fabrication: Falsification or creation of data, research or resources, or altering a graded work without the prior 
consent of the course instructor;

  iv. Aid of Academic Dishonesty: Intentionally facilitating plagiarism, cheating, or fabrication;

  v. Lying: Deliberate falsification with the intent to deceive in written or verbal form as it applies to an academic 
submission;

  vi. Bribery: Providing, offering, or taking rewards in exchange for a grade, an assignment, or the aid of academic 
dishonesty;

  vii. Threat: An attempt to intimidate a student, staff, or faculty member for the purpose of receiving an unearned grade or 
in an effort to prevent the reporting of an Honor Code violation.

PROCESS

Any member of the university community may report violations to the Honor Council. If a student reports a case of 
dishonesty, the relevant faculty member will automatically be notified.

  O - An investigator gathers evidence and investigates allegations of reported violations by interviewing the accused 
student and his accuser.

  O - A closed hearing is convened. The accused student may be accompanied by an advisor who is there for support and 
can help the student through the hearing process, but this advisor cannot speak during the hearing. The Honor Council can 
appoint an advisor to the student, if requested.

  O - The investigator presents evidence, and the accused student may make a statement to the panel, and call and 
question witnesses.

  O - The deliberations are closed to anyone outside the panel.

  O - The Honor Panel will decide if the accused student violated the Honor Code. If the panel finds the student violated 
the Honor Code they will then issue nonacademic sanctions (academic sanctions are given by faculty members and are not 
controlled by the Honor Code).

  O - If a student is found guilty in the Honor Code hearing process, the faculty member will determine the academic 
sanction (grade and credit issues).  The Honor Code Council or hearing panel will determine non-academic sanctions such 
as expulsion, suspension, or probation with conditions.

STRUCTURE

The CU-Boulder Honor Code includes several organized bodies working in conjunction to ensure a fair process. The 
responsibilities of governing such a code falls on various committees and positions: the Campus Ethics Committee, the 
Honor Council, Hearing Panel, the Honor Council advisor, the adjudication director, honor investigators, and honor 
educators.

  O - The Campus Ethics Committee is made up of a diverse group of individuals from throughout campus, including 
students and faculty. The committee is responsible for providing input, recommendations, and ideas pertaining to the Honor 
Code and promoting the discussion of honor and integrity at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

  O - The Honor Council oversees the day-today operations of the Honor Code. Accusations will be received by this 
body, which will then initiate the proceedings.

  O - The Hearing Panel consists of students who hear alleged violations against students and determine if they are in 
violation of the Honor Code based on the evidence provided. The hearing panel's make-up will reflect the class standing 
and school/college of the accused (e.g., undergraduate or graduate and the Colleges of Arts and Sciences or Music).

  O - The Honor Council advisor is the vice chancellor for student affairs or a designee, who advises the Honor Council as 
to general concerns pertaining to the Honor Code and provides historic memory for the Honor Council.

  O - The adjudication director oversees the investigations, facilitates Hearing Panel meetings, and follows up on decisions 
made by the Hearing Panel.

  O - The honor investigators attain the facts with regard to the reported honor violation. Students within the university 
community fill this role.

  O - The honor educators work with the Honor Council and the student education liaison to facilitate the promotion of the 
Honor Code and educate members of the university community.

The full Honor Code is available for your review on line, at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/.

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