Student Code of Ethics

A primary function of a university is the exchange of intellectual information between faculty and students, and for students to validate their learning by submission of written work or through assessment. Academic dishonesty is a serious infraction of the Student Code of Ethics. Academic dishonesty is committed when the student provides academic content that is the product of cheating and/or plagiarism. Additionally, students should refrain from theft as defined in this Code of Ethics. Violations of the Student Code of Ethics will be subject to sanctions, including a lowered or failing grade in a course; and the possibility of an additional administrative sanction, up to and including dismissal from the university.

Cheating is the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work by using dishonest means. Cheating at FNU includes but is not limited to: Copying, in part or whole from another's examination, paper, mathematical analysis, research or creative project, or the like; Submitting as one's own work an examination, paper, mathematical analysis, research or creative project, or the like which has been purchased, borrowed, or stolen; or fabricating data; Consulting notes, sources, or materials not specifically authorized by the instructor during an examination; Employing a surrogate to take an examination, write a paper, do mathematical analysis, or complete, in part or wholly, an evaluation instrument; Aiding or abetting any act that a reasonable person would conclude, when informed of the evidence, to be a dishonest means of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work; and committing any act that a reasonable person would conclude, when informed of the evidence, to be a dishonest means of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work.

Plagiarism is the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work by representing the work of another as one's own without the necessary and appropriate acknowledgment. More specifically, plagiarism is: The act of incorporating the ideas, words of sentences, paragraphs, or parts thereof without appropriate acknowledgment and representing the product as one's own work; and the act of representing another's intellectual work such as musical composition, computer program, photographs, painting, drawing, sculpture, or research or the like as one's own. If a student is in doubt about the nature of plagiarism, he/she should discuss the matter with the course instructor.

Theft - Copying computer programs owned, leased, or rented by the University for use by the student in his or her course of studies is considered theft and will be dealt with according to the laws covering such actions and to the University norms for disciplinary actions.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty (Plagiarism and Cheating) are detailed in the syllabi for each course. Penalties for Academic Dishonesty, that include dismissal from the university, are referred to the Vice President of Academic Affairs for adjudication. Penalties for any incident of Theft, that include dismissal from the university, are referred to the Campus Deans for adjudication.