Cal Poly will not tolerate academic cheating or plagiarism in any form.

Learning to think and work independently is part of the educational process.

Cheating or plagiarism in any form is considered a serious violation of expected student behavior and may result in disciplinary action.

University policy can be summarized simply:

• As a student, you are responsible for your own work and you are responsible for your actions.

All faculty and students are encouraged to review the following formal policy on cheating and plagiarism (including definitions, sanctions, and appeal procedures) found in the Campus Administrative Manual, Section 684.

684 Academic Dishonesty: Cheating and Plagiarism

The University will not condone academic cheating or plagiarism in any form. Faculty are expected to uphold and support the highest academic standards in this matter. Instructors should be diligent in reducing potential opportunities for academic cheating and plagiarism to occur.

684.1 Definition of Cheating
Cheating is defined as obtaining or attempting to obtain, or aiding another to obtain credit for work, or any improvement in evaluation of performance, by any dishonest or deceptive means. Cheating includes, but is not limited to: lying; copying from another's test or examination; discussion of answers or questions on an examination or test, unless such discussion is specifically authorized by the instructor; taking or receiving copies of an exam without the permission of the instructor; using or displaying notes, "cheat sheets," or other information devices inappropriate to the prescribed test conditions; allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent same.

684.2 Policy on Cheating
Cheating requires an "F" course grade and further attendance in the course is prohibited. However, if a student appeals the charge of cheating, s/he shall be permitted to remain in the class through the appeals process. The instructor is obligated to place evidence of the cheating in writing before the Vice President of Student Affairs with the copies to the department head of the student's major. Physical evidence, circumstantial evidence, and testimony of observation may be included. Said memorandum should notify the student that if s/he denies cheating an appeal is possible through the Fairness Board once the department head of the course of record has been consulted regarding the appeal. Instructors should be confident that cheating has occurred; if there is any doubt, the student should be consulted and/or additional information sought prior to taking action for cheating. Students' rights shall be ensured through attention to due process.

The Vice President of Student Affairs shall determine if any disciplinary action is required in addition to the assignment of a failing grade. Disciplinary actions which are possible include, but are not limited to: required special counseling, special paper or research assignments, loss of student teaching or research appointments, loss of membership in organizations, suspension or dismissal from individual programs or from the University. The most severe of the possible actions shall be reserved for grievous cheating offenses or more than one offense by an individual.

684.3 Definition of Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the act of using the ideas or work of another person or persons as if they were one's own without giving proper credit to the source. Such an act is not plagiarism if it is ascertained that the ideas were arrived through independent reasoning or logic or where the thought or idea is common knowledge. Acknowledgement of an original author or source must be made through appropriate references; i.e., quotation marks, footnotes, or commentary. Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to the following: the submission of a work, either in part or in whole completed by another; failure to give credit for ideas, statements, facts or conclusions which rightfully belong to another; failure to use quotation marks when quoting directly from another, whether it be a paragraph, a sentence, or even a part thereof; close and lengthy paraphrasing of another's writing without credit or originality; use of another's project or programs or part thereof without giving credit.

684.4 Policy on Plagiarism
Plagiarism may be considered a form of cheating and therefore subject to the same policy which requires notification to the Vice President of Student Affairs and includes possible disciplinary action (See Section 684.2.). However, as there may be a technical plagiarism, which is the result of poor learning or poor attention to format, and may occur without any intent to deceive, some instructor discretion is appropriate. Under such circumstances, notification to the Vice President of Student Affairs is not required. An instructor may choose to counsel the student and offer a remedy (within his/her authority) which is less severe than that required for cheating, providing there was no obvious intent to deceive. However, an instructor may not penalize a student for plagiarism in any way without advising the student that a penalty has been imposed. The instructor should further advise that an appeal is possible through the Fairness Board, once the department head has been consulted regarding the appeal. Instructors should be confident that plagiarism has occurred. If there is any doubt, the student should be consulted and/or additional information sought prior to taking action for plagiarism. Students' rights shall be ensured through attention to due process.

Academic Senate resolution AS/378-92/IC (PDF)