What does the Honor Code Mean?
The Honor code is intended to support and enforce course policies in the College of Engineering. Course instructors have exceptional latitude when preparing the policies for their courses. This can lead to variations between policies of different courses. It is the instructor’s responsibility to craft the course policies in accordance with the doctrine of the Honor Code.
Students are responsible for understanding the Honor Code and its implementation in the College of Engineering. Because the specific policies of different faculty members can vary significantly, it is the responsibility of faculty members to specify their policies in writing at the beginning of each semester. Students are responsible for understanding these policies and should consult the instructor if they are unclear. The Honor Code supports the individual course policy, whatever it may be.
If a student feels that his/her instructor is not doing what the Honor Code calls for, the student should contact the instructor or a member of the Honor Council to discuss this, and consider further steps, if needed.
Students of the College of Engineering enrolled in courses offered by other colleges must abide by the policies of the school or college in which the course is offered. Any suspected policy violations will be referred to the appropriate authorities of the school in question.
Students who are not members of the College of Engineering and who take a course offered by the College are bound by the policies of the Engineering Honor Code. Any suspected policy violations will be referred to the Engineering Honor Council and Faculty Committee on Discipline. The appropriate authorities of the school or college of the students involved will be notified.
When Taking an Examination
The Honor Code holds that students are honorable and trustworthy people and encourages them to behave with integrity in all phases of university life. During examinations, the instructor is available for questions, but the examination is not proctored.
The instructor will announce the time and place of the examination. At the start of the examination, the instructor’s whereabouts during the exam will be communicated to the class in case a question arises.
Students have the right to at least one empty seat between themselves and their neighbors. This helps ensure comfort during the examination and reduces the temptation to cheat. It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that there is adequate seating beforehand, and to obtain additional rooms if necessary.
During the examination, students are free to leave the room. Minimal essential conversation is allowed. However, no communication regarding the examination is allowed inside or outside the room. All questions about the examination should be directed to the instructor.
It is the instructor’s responsibility to inform the class prior to the examination if aids such as calculators, notes, or textbooks are allowed during the examination.
After each examination, students must write the Honor Pledge in their test books and sign their names under it. The Honor Pledge is as follows:
“I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this examination, nor have I concealed any violations of the Honor Code.”
Instructors are not required to grade tests in which the signed Honor Pledge does not appear. The Honor Code remains enforced whether or not the student signs the Pledge.
Students of the College of Engineering enrolled in courses offered by other colleges must abide by the policies of the school or college in which the course is offered. Any suspected policy violations will be referred to the appropriate authorities of the school in question.
Use of Computers and Other Facilities
Each department in the College of Engineering establishes its own general policies on the use of computers, laboratories, and other facilities. In addition, students should observe any specific instructions appearing in computer rooms, laboratories, or libraries.
Students may not submit as their own work a computer program or part thereof which is not the result of their own thought and efforts. Contributions to a program from external sources must be acknowledged and properly documented in accordance with the course policies.
Students may not attempt to access or tamper with the class account of another student unless permission to do so has been given by both the class instructor and the student to whom the account is assigned.
Computers available for students to use are the property of the University of Michigan. Software available for students to use is the property of the University of Michigan or is licensed to the University of Michigan. Any unauthorized attempt to copy software or to tamper with computers or software is a violation of federal law, as well as the Honor Code.
All laboratories, classrooms, office equipment, and libraries are meant for instruction and learning. Misuse of these facilities is a violation of the Honor Code.
Homework and Laboratory Assignments
The principles of the Honor Code apply to homework and laboratory assignments as well as to examinations. The instructor may allow collaboration among students on such assignments. The instructor is to make clear how much, if any, collaboration is permissible. The instructor may also require that students write and sign the Honor Pledge on their homework and lab reports.
It is a violation of the Honor Code for students to submit, as their own, work that is not the result of their own labor and thoughts. Work which includes material derived in any way from the efforts of another author, either by direct quotation or paraphrasing, should be fully and properly documented. To avoid plagiarism, it is necessary to cite all sources of both ideas and direct quotations, including those found on the internet. The basic principle is to provide enough information so that the original source of material can be located. The University of Michigan English Department web site provides a thorough discussion of plagiarism.
University Documents
Official academic forms and records are the property of the College of Engineering and/or the University of Michigan. Tampering, alteration, or other misuse of these documents is a violation of the Honor Code, as is submitting falsified or altered documents.
Course Registration
The University Registrar’s Office provides students with a registration date in accordance with their own policies. Registering for a course, in order to hold a seat for yourself or someone else is a violation of the Honor Code.