The School of Professional Studies of The City University of New York is committed to the highest standards of academic honesty. Acts of academic dishonesty include - but are not limited to - plagiarism (in drafts, outlines, final papers, and examinations), bribery, academic fraud, sabotage of research materials, the sale of academic papers, and the falsification of records. An individual who engages in these or related activities or who knowingly aids another who engages in them is acting in an academically dishonest manner and will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the procedures of SPS and of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York.

Each member of the academic community is expected to give full, fair, and formal credit to any and all sources that have contributed to the formulation of ideas, methods, interpretations, and findings. The absence of such formal credit is an affirmation representing that the work is fully the writer's. The term "sources" includes, but is not limited to, published or unpublished materials, lectures and lecture notes, computer programs, mathematical and other symbolic formulations, course papers, examinations, theses, dissertations, comments offered in class or informal discussions, and electronic media. The representation that such work of another person is the writer's own is plagiarism.

Care must be taken to document the source of any ideas or arguments. If the actual words of a source are used, they must appear within quotation marks. In cases that are unclear, the writer must take due care to avoid plagiarism.

The source should be cited whenever:

1. a text is quoted verbatim
2. data gathered by another are presented in diagrams or tables
3. the results of a study done by another are used
4. the work or intellectual effort of another is paraphrased by the writer

Because the intent to deceive is not a necessary element in plagiarism, careful note taking and record keeping are essential in order to avoid unintentional plagiarism.

For additional information, please consult "Avoiding Plagiarism", available from the SPS Coordinator of Student Services and Enrollment or 212-817-7255.

Procedures to Be Followed in Instances of Allegations of Academic Dishonesty
Any student who has submitted a paper, examination, project, or other academic work not his or her own without appropriate attribution is subject to disciplinary charges. Such charges may result in the imposition of a grade of "F" or other penalties and sanctions, including suspension and termination of matriculation.

An accusation of academic dishonesty may be brought against a student by a faculty member, an academic officer, a dean, an administrator, or another student and must be reported to the Associate Dean of SPS.

The Associate Dean, upon initiating or receiving an allegation of academic dishonesty, shall appoint an ad hoc committee consisting of three members drawn from the SPS faculty and staff. The function of this committee shall be to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to warrant levying formal charges against the student and to make a recommendation to the Associate Dean. The proceedings of the ad hoc committee shall be conducted expeditiously. A recommendation by the ad hoc committee to levy formal charges shall be forwarded in writing by the SPS Associate Dean to the SPS Dean, who will then inform the student in writing of the nature of the allegations against him or her and initiate disciplinary proceedings.