While writing the final eight-page term paper for your American history class, an overwhelming sense of injustice engulfs you. The writer of the reference book lying in front of you wrote exactly what you wanted to say. With only an hour to deadline and little time to find other sources, you do what you consider the only option—plagiarize, or what you would like to euphemistically call paraphrasing with no attribution. After all, you justify the action by saying the professor will not suspect it among the plethora of papers, and nobody ever gets caught, right?
However, plagiarism, even without intent, still violates the honor code and can carry severe consequences.

"Most students don't realize how severe some of the consequences are until they are accused of violating the honor code and begin the process," says John Dalton, assistant dean for judicial affairs.

At a large institution like UF, violating the honor code can be easy, especially because students aren't always familiar with the definition of cheating, he says.

That was the problem for a UF senior accused of plagiarism in an upper division sociology class. The professor had allowed the class to work in groups, but when students collaborated on their results, he accused them of violating the honor code. Consequently, the accused students received failing grades for their projects.

While the student accepted the low grade, she still swears that she had "no clue that we were cheating."

The UF honor code states: "We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity."

Implied on all work submitted to UF is the pledge, "On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment."

Violations of the honor code include not only plagiarism but also cheating, bribery, misrepresentation, conspiracy and fabrication.

Once accused of violating the honor code, students have many options and rights, says Art Sandeen, vice president of student affairs.

Faculty have a lot of discretion, and if the student admits to the violation, the faculty member can settle the matter with a reduced or failing grade and have the student sign the Faculty Adjudication Form, which is sent to the Office for Student Judicial Affairs.

However, students are prohibited from dropping the course once suspected of academic honesty violations.

According to statistics from Summer '97, about 75 percent of the academic honesty cases were settled this way—the student accepting a grade penalty and signing the adjudication form, avoiding any further proceedings.

Dalton says having professors deal with the dispute is his preference, for they have a lot of leeway.

If the accused student maintains innocence, there are several options. First, a student can have an anonymous hearing before the director for Student Judicial Affairs followed by a hearing in front of the Committee on Student Conduct, which is made up of three students and three faculty.

A hearing in front of the Honor Court, which is run by students, is another option if the accused student prefers. However, Summer '97 statistics show that only 4 percent of the students accused of academic honor code violations chose this route.
Sandeen says the consequences of the hearing, if the student is found guilty, can be a written reprimand, conduct probation, suspension for two semesters and even expulsion. The violation then goes on the student's disciplinary record in the student judicial affairs office.

Although UF destroys the disciplinary files after students graduate, many graduate schools and some employers will ask applicants about any incidences of academic dishonesty while at the university, he says.

"Failure to disclose the truth can be a reason to be rejected," Sandeen says.

To avoid possible repercussions, Dalton advises students to be "very careful in papers, give attribution to ideas that aren't yours" and be very conscious of their movements in a test-taking situation.

"Besides cases involving violence and sexual assaults, cheating is one of the most serious things in my book," Dalton says.
Sandeen says while the consequences can be severe, a violation of the honor code, if fully explained, may not hinder a student's future.

"Students aren't perfect, but most learn from their mistakes," he says. "Integrity is one of the most important things a person can have."
 
 

Cheating  The improper taking or tendering of any information or material which shall be used to determine academic credit.  Taking of information includes, but is not limited to, copying graded homework assignments from another student; working together with another individual on a take-home test or homework when not specifically permitted by the teacher;  looking at or attempting to look at another student's paper during an examination; looking at or attempting to look at text or notes during an examination when not permitted.  Plagiarism  The attempt to represent the work of another as the product of one's own thought, whether the work is published or unpublished or simply the work of another student.  Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, quoting oral or written materials without citation on written materials or oral presentations for an academic requirement; submitting a paper which was purchased from a term paper service;  submitting anyone else's paper as your own.

Bribery  The offering, giving, receiving or soliciting of any materials, items or services of value to gain academic advantage for yourself or another.  Misrepresentation  Any act or omission with intent to deceive a teacher for academic advantage.  Misrepresentation includes using computer programs generated by another and handing it in as your own work unless expressly allowed by the teacher;  lying to a teacher to increase your grade;  lying or misrepresenting facts when confroted with an allegation of academic dishonesty.  Conspiracy  The planning or acting with one or mroe persons to commit any form of academic dishonesty to gain academic advantage for yourself or another.      Fabrication  The use of invented or fabricated information or the falsification of research or other findings with the intent to deceive for academic or professional advantage.  Provided by UF Student Guide 1997, produced by the Division of Student Affairs