Honor Code Policies

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As a member of the University community, each faculty member has a responsibility to promote and enforce the Academic Honor Code. This responsibility involves appropriate interpretation of the Honor Code and the promotion of conditions favorable to academic honor and academic citizenship. Instructors should provide:

• Clear exposition of the values of Elon’s Honor Code and students’ obligations to uphold the policy
• The maintenance of order
• Demonstration of the importance of fairness and mutual consideration
• Uniform procedures in handling violations

The University recommends that faculty ask students to sign an honor pledge for all tests, examinations, and outside written work that is to be completed independently, indicating that they have neither given nor received unauthorized aid.

Each faculty member should indicate to their classes the policies regarding assigned work done outside of class, clarifying when and how collaboration and use of resources is acceptable.

If an instructor has reason to believe that a student has violated the Honor Code by cheating, plagiarizing, lying, stealing, vandalizing, or facilitating academic dishonesty in others, the instructor must indicate to the student that there is a problem and arrange for a meeting. During that meeting the charge will be explained to the student, and the student is asked whether they wish to take responsibility.

In cases where students take responsibility, the instructor should assign sanctions related to the course and return the completed Incident Form to the Assistant Provost for Communications and Operations.

In cases where the student does not take responsibility, the instructor should complete the Incident Form, taking it and any evidence to the Assistant Provost for Communications and Operations, who will arrange for a hearing before the judicial board.

The instructor is responsible for completing the student’s grade report for the course where the violation occurred. Before an instructor may assign an “Honor Code F” (or any reduction in grades or student credit for work), they must submit the necessary paperwork and follow the appropriate procedures to verify the Honor Code violation, and the student must be made aware of the charge.

The office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs will determine and administer any institutional sanctions (in addition to course-related sanctions given by the faculty). Institutional sanctions include, but are not limited to, probation, suspension, or dismissal from the institution for students whose violations are grievous or repeat offenses.

In order to monitor the Honor Code behaviors and record of each student, it is vital that instructors submit an incident report for each student who has violated the Honor Code, even when the instructor elects to assign only minimal (or no) course sanctions.