The College of Engineering is committed to the high standard of Academic Integrity established by WTAMU and strives to create a culture within it's student body committed to upholding that standard.
Academic Integrity Code
It is the responsibility of students and instructors to maintain academic integrity at WTAMU by refusing to participate in or tolerate academic dishonesty or any behavior that prevents University representatives or students from effectively furthering the mission of the University as stated in the mission statement. Any act that hinders WTAMU from maintaining the integrity of the University’s academic mission shall be treated as a serious offense against the community as a whole. It is both the right and responsibility of every member of the community to read, understand and enforce the guidelines set forth for maintaining WTAMU’s academic integrity. Sanctions for any violation of the academic integrity code may include any of those listed under the “Sanctions/Penalties” section of the Code of Student Life.
CATEGORIES OF ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Below are examples of possible violations. This listing is not exclusive of any other acts that may reasonably be said to violate the spirit of the academic integrity code. Commission of any of the following acts shall constitute academic dishonesty
a. IMPROPERLY ACQUIRING INFORMATION
• Acquiring answers for or information regarding any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source (peers, electronic resources, electronically stored data, textbooks, lab books, lecture or crib notes, former students, friends, etc.) in violation of the respective faculty member’s guidelines. Possession of crib notes, stored data (on calculators, computer files, etc.) or cheat sheets against instructor’s consent will be construed as an attempt to violate this provision of the academic integrity code.
• Working with another person or persons on any assignment or examination unless expressly permitted to do so by the respective faculty member’s guidelines.
• Observing the work of other students during any examination.
• Stealing examinations or assignments from faculty, computer files or other students.
b. IMPROPERLY PROVIDING INFORMATION
• Knowingly providing answers for any assigned work or examination in violation of the respective faculty member’s guidelines.
• Knowingly informing any person or persons of the contents of any examination prior to the time the examination is given in subsequent sections of the course or as a makeup.
c. PLAGIARISM
• Presenting work, ideas or phrasing of another, in whole or in part, as one’s own without giving credit and proper documentation of sources.
• Copying material directly from sources (including electronic media) except when the material is enclosed in quotation marks and the source is clearly identified. Failure to use quotation marks or appropriate methods of documentation shall be construed as attempted plagiarism.
• Paraphrasing too closely to the original, even when the source is identified.
• Claiming credit for work in any media (electronic, digital, artistic, etc.) where the student is not the original creator of said work.
d. CONSPIRACY
• Agreeing with one or more persons to commit any act of academic dishonesty.
• Logging on or signing in for another student for any assignment in which credit is given for participation or attendance.
• Taking an examination or completing an assignment for another student.
• Coercing others to commit any act of dishonesty or approaching others in an attempt to gain their participation in acts of dishonesty.
• Possessing knowledge of violations of the academic integrity code and not informing a University official such as a faculty member, direct supervisor, dean or vice president.
e. FABRICATION OF INFORMATION
• The falsification of the results obtained from a research or laboratory experiment.
• The written or oral presentation of results of research or laboratory experiments without the research or laboratory experiment having been performed.
• Lying about the date upon which one took an examination or handed in an assignment, the reasons for not taking an examination or handing in an assignment on a specific date, one’s reasons for challenging a professor’s assigned grade, the fact that one has handed in material or one’s contributions to a group assignment.
• Turning in a paper purchased or acquired from any media outlet, written by someone other than the student claiming credit or stolen from another student.
f. VIOLATION OF DEPARTMENTAL OR COLLEGE RULES
• Violation of any announced course, departmental or college rule relating to academic matters, including but not limited to abuse or misuse of computer access or information.
• Any violation of the “West Texas A&M University Student Rules” section of the Code of Student Life that impairs either (a) a professor’s ability to effectively deliver classroom or laboratory material or (b) a student’s ability to effectively learn or process information or perform academic work.
g. INAPPROPRIATE MULTIPLE SUBMISSIONS OF THE SAME WORK
• Students may not submit a paper or project that is substantially the same for two courses unless expressly authorized by the instructor to do so.
• Students may not provide assignments for submission by other students unless expressly authorized by the instructor to do so.