Faculty Handbook

I. 4.8 The Honor System

The functions of the honor system are to communicate the meaning and importance of intellectual honesty to all students of the university; to articulate and support the interest of the community in maintaining the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs; and to identify, sanction, and educate those students who fail to live up to the stated expectations with regard to those standards. The honor code is the university policy that defines the standards of student conduct in academic affairs. Details may be found in the Constitution of the Virginia Tech Honor System.

II. 4.8.1 Offenses and Sanctions

The honor system classifies offenses into one of six categories depending upon the severity of the offense and the circumstances of its occurrence. Each classification carries several sanctions, one or more of which may be imposed on those convicted of violating the honor code. These include probation, temporary or permanent grade of "F," university service, suspension, and dismissal.

Among common offenses are:

cheating, i.e., giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid, assistance, or unfair advantage on any form of any academic work;

plagiarism, i.e., copying the language, structure, ideas, and/or thoughts of another and passing it off as one’s own;

falsification and tampering with records;

purchased work and work for hire.

Any attempt to commit one of these acts is a violation of the honor code as well.

III. 4.8.2 Faculty Participation

Although the Virginia Tech honor system is a student program, the support of the faculty is an essential ingredient in making the system an effective and efficient means of handling academic violations. Faculty members are encouraged to support the honor system and are expected to abide by procedures designed for the effective implementation of the honor code.

Any suspected violations should be reported promptly, in writing, to the chief justice. Forms for this purpose are available from all department offices and from the honor system office. The chief justice will assign the case to an associate justice in the college with the most relevant substantive expertise according to procedures set forth in the Virginia Tech Honor System Investigative Procedures Manual. By a majority vote, the investigative panel may advance a case to a college judicial panel, which determines innocence or guilt and recommends sanctions. The honor system review board reviews the decision; it may return a case for rehearing or reinvestigation, overturn verdicts, or forward recommendations to the provost. Once the provost has imposed a sentence, the faculty complainant will be advised of the verdict and will be informed of the classification assigned to the offense, the sentence that has been imposed, and the rationale thereof.

In order to protect the accuser and the accused, a faculty member bringing charges of an honor code violation has the right to decline discussion of the case with the accused, or, with the written permission of the accused, to have witnesses present at such a discussion. The faculty member will receive a copy of the case coordinator’s report summarizing the evidence in the case. A faculty member involved in a case is expected to cooperate with honor system personnel, appear before the judicial panel if requested, and maintain confidentiality.

In addition, the honor system offers the following guidelines to faculty:

1. When an alleged violation is detected, the suspected student(s)’ paper should not be collected until the test is completed, as this would be contrary to the student(s)’ right of presumed innocence. However, any evidence that would be necessary in an investigation should be collected immediately. The test should be graded without prejudice and the alleged violation should be reported to the honor system. Grades should not be adjusted in a course to compensate for suspected dishonesty.

2. If a professor suspects that a student or students are cheating, it is permissible to speak with the suspected student(s)—after the test or other work has been completed—and indicate these suspicions. However, it is not permissible to penalize or berate the student(s) or to take any other action that might affect the student(s) or violate the student(s)’ rights to due process.

3. A statement is to be included on each course syllabus about the honor system and its application to the particular course.

4. Faculty members are not required to proctor quizzes, tests and examinations. Faculty are expected to personally administer the examination and to remain within reasonable proximity of the examination room to answer questions which may be raised by the students. However, it is not a compromise of the honor system to stay in the room or visit frequently, when a test is being given. In fact, precautionary measures in the spirit of reducing the opportunity for cheating are advisable, especially in large classes. Seats should be spaced in examination rooms whenever possible. Alternate test forms may be used. In some rare cases such extreme measures as requiring ID when a test is handed in may be necessary to prevent organized "paid substitutes" from taking tests for other students. Under no circumstances can measures be taken that would compromise student(s)’ rights. The responsibility for providing, explaining and disseminating information regarding honor practices and the honor system is shared by the faculty, along with the students and other university personnel.

IV. 4.8.3 The Honor Pledge

The Virginia Tech honor pledge is as follows: "I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment."

The pledge is to be written out on all graded assignments at the university, and is to be signed by the student. The honor pledge represents both an expression of the student’s support of the honor code and an unambiguous acknowledgment that the student has, on the assignment in question, abided by the obligation that the honor code entails. In the absence of a written honor pledge, the honor code still applies to an assignment,

	Faculty Duties/Handbook
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The Faculty Handbook outlines several duties of faculty members with respect to the Honor System • A statement on the Honor System should be in the course syllabus. • Grades are NOT to be adjusted for suspected dishonesty. • Faculty participation in the Honor System and encouragement of students to abide by the Honor System are expected. I. 4.8 The Honor System The functions of the honor system are to communicate the meaning and importance of intellectual honesty to all students of the university; to articulate and support the interest of the community in maintaining the highest standards of conduct in academic affairs; and to identify, sanction, and educate those students who fail to live up to the stated expectations with regard to those standards. The honor code is the university policy that defines the standards of student conduct in academic affairs. Details may be found in the Constitution of the Virginia Tech Honor System. II. 4.8.1 Offenses and Sanctions The honor system classifies offenses into one of six categories depending upon the severity of the offense and the circumstances of its occurrence. Each classification carries several sanctions, one or more of which may be imposed on those convicted of violating the honor code. These include probation, temporary or permanent grade of "F," university service, suspension, and dismissal. Among common offenses are: cheating, i.e., giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid, assistance, or unfair advantage on any form of any academic work; plagiarism, i.e., copying the language, structure, ideas, and/or thoughts of another and passing it off as one’s own; falsification and tampering with records; purchased work and work for hire. Any attempt to commit one of these acts is a violation of the honor code as well. III. 4.8.2 Faculty Participation Although the Virginia Tech honor system is a student program, the support of the faculty is an essential ingredient in making the system an effective and efficient means of handling academic violations. Faculty members are encouraged to support the honor system and are expected to abide by procedures designed for the effective implementation of the honor code. Any suspected violations should be reported promptly, in writing, to the chief justice. Forms for this purpose are available from all department offices and from the honor system office. The chief justice will assign the case to an associate justice in the college with the most relevant substantive expertise according to procedures set forth in the Virginia Tech Honor System Investigative Procedures Manual. By a majority vote, the investigative panel may advance a case to a college judicial panel, which determines innocence or guilt and recommends sanctions. The honor system review board reviews the decision; it may return a case for rehearing or reinvestigation, overturn verdicts, or forward recommendations to the provost. Once the provost has imposed a sentence, the faculty complainant will be advised of the verdict and will be informed of the classification assigned to the offense, the sentence that has been imposed, and the rationale thereof. In order to protect the accuser and the accused, a faculty member bringing charges of an honor code violation has the right to decline discussion of the case with the accused, or, with the written permission of the accused, to have witnesses present at such a discussion. The faculty member will receive a copy of the case coordinator’s report summarizing the evidence in the case. A faculty member involved in a case is expected to cooperate with honor system personnel, appear before the judicial panel if requested, and maintain confidentiality. In addition, the honor system offers the following guidelines to faculty: 1. When an alleged violation is detected, the suspected student(s)’ paper should not be collected until the test is completed, as this would be contrary to the student(s)’ right of presumed innocence. However, any evidence that would be necessary in an investigation should be collected immediately. The test should be graded without prejudice and the alleged violation should be reported to the honor system. Grades should not be adjusted in a course to compensate for suspected dishonesty. 2. If a professor suspects that a student or students are cheating, it is permissible to speak with the suspected student(s)—after the test or other work has been completed—and indicate these suspicions. However, it is not permissible to penalize or berate the student(s) or to take any other action that might affect the student(s) or violate the student(s)’ rights to due process. 3. A statement is to be included on each course syllabus about the honor system and its application to the particular course. 4. Faculty members are not required to proctor quizzes, tests and examinations. Faculty are expected to personally administer the examination and to remain within reasonable proximity of the examination room to answer questions which may be raised by the students. However, it is not a compromise of the honor system to stay in the room or visit frequently, when a test is being given. In fact, precautionary measures in the spirit of reducing the opportunity for cheating are advisable, especially in large classes. Seats should be spaced in examination rooms whenever possible. Alternate test forms may be used. In some rare cases such extreme measures as requiring ID when a test is handed in may be necessary to prevent organized "paid substitutes" from taking tests for other students. Under no circumstances can measures be taken that would compromise student(s)’ rights. The responsibility for providing, explaining and disseminating information regarding honor practices and the honor system is shared by the faculty, along with the students and other university personnel. IV. 4.8.3 The Honor Pledge The Virginia Tech honor pledge is as follows: "I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment." The pledge is to be written out on all graded assignments at the university, and is to be signed by the student. The honor pledge represents both an expression of the student’s support of the honor code and an unambiguous acknowledgment that the student has, on the assignment in question, abided by the obligation that the honor code entails. In the absence of a written honor pledge, the honor code still applies to an assignment,
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