Additionally, graduate students are expected to respect and appreciate the diversity of the community and to respect the rights of others be they property, privacy, opinion, or expression. Students found to be in violation of these standards are subject to disciplinary actions by the students program and/or the graduate school through the process described in the Graduate Student Honor Code. All graduate students are bound by the rules and regulations of the University of Miami that apply to them.
Students are expected to be familiar with and strictly adhere to the University of Miami’s Graduate Student Honor Code. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the Responsible Conduct of Research.
Academic misconduct is taken seriously and will result in disciplinary action. Any student who is found to have engaged in research misconduct (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism) will be dismissed from the university.
Cheating implies intent to deceive by an individual or group. It includes all actions, devices, and/or deceptions involved in committing the act. Examples include, but are not limited to, utilizing crib notes/cheat sheets on an exam and copying answers directly from another student’s exam.
Plagiarism is representing the words or ideas of someone else as your own. Examples include, but are not limited to, failing to properly cite direct quotes and failing to give credit for someone else’s ideas or materials.
Collusion is working together on an academic undertaking for which a student is individually responsible. Examples include sharing information on lab projects or homework assignments when it is stated that the projects are to be done individually.
Academic dishonesty includes any other act not specifically covered that compromises the integrity of a student or intrudes, violates, or disturbs the academic environment of the university community. Examples are attempting or agreeing to commit, or facilitating the commission of, any scholastic dishonesty violation, misrepresentation of information during the application process and supplying false information or accusing a student of a violation of academic conduct in bad faith.
Discipline Procedures
Anyone affiliated with the University, including instructors and students, may register a complaint concerning a student if they reasonably suspect that academic misconduct has occurred.
All complaints should be communicated directly to the respective instructor but accusations are otherwise expected to be kept confidential. All matters regarding investigatory and disciplinary action for alleged misconduct shall be concluded as expeditiously as possible while adhering to the principles of confidentiality and fairness.
Where misconduct warranting punitive action is alleged, the course instructor will communicate with the graduate program director who will then initiate an investigation. The investigation may include confidential, individual interviews with students and faculty, including the accused and the accuser.
Accusations of misconduct will be investigated by committee. If the accused is found not guilty, the matter is over and no record of it will be retained in which the student is identified. Upon a finding of guilty (or admission of guilt), the committee report will be forwarded to the graduate program director. A finding of guilty requires unanimous agreement by the committee's primary members which would include a recommendation for punitive action.
An accused student may appeal final decisions regarding guilt or punitive action. Appeals must be provided in writing, list specific grounds for the appeal, and be directed to the senior associate dean for graduate studies. Grounds for appeal include i) a failure to follow procedures outlined in this document, ii) newly discovered evidence, or iii) excessive penalty for the offense. Appeals can be made at any time during the process but must be declared no later than three business days after a final decision is issued. The senior associate dean shall issue a final decision on all appeals to uphold, overturn or alter committee findings and recommendations.
If no appeal is filed, all decisions of the committee are final and penalties will be enforced immediately after punitive action is decided. Penalties shall be based on the severity of the violation. Each instance of academic misconduct will result in a mandatory grade of “F”. Additional disciplinary action may consist of one or more of the following:
Disciplinary Warning
A warning serves as notice to a student that their behavior has not met university standards. This sanction remains in effect until the conclusion of graduate training.
Disciplinary Probation
Probation serves as notice to a student that his/her behavior is in serious violation of university standards. For the time period indicated in the sanction, any further violation of university policies and regulations may result in expulsion from the program even if the second violation, standing alone, might result in a lesser penalty.
Expulsion from the Program
Expulsion results in permanent dismissal without a right to future readmission under any circumstances. A student who has been expelled is also barred from campus visiting privileges.