Bauer Academic Honesty

What is academic integrity and why is it important?

What is academic integrity?

Having integrity means doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. It means upholding the academic honesty policies set forth by the University and the Bauer College.

It means doing your own work even if your friend offers you help on a take-home exam. It means writing your own papers and properly citing your resources. It means taking an online quiz without the help from your textbooks or friends, if the quiz is supposed to be taken that way. Also, it could mean reporting someone you suspect has cheated on an exam or other assignment.

Having integrity means believing in the principles and standards of our community and making sure your behavior is consistent with those principles and standards.

Why is academic integrity important?

Having academic integrity is important for several reasons. First, having academic integrity means that others can trust you. The people with whom you deal know that they can rely on you to act honestly and to do what you say you will do. When people know that you believe in doing the right thing, and that your behavior is consistent with that belief, they trust you.

Additionally, trust is one of the key characteristics of a successful leader. These individuals develop good reputations by being honest, fair, and trustworthy, for example. Individuals who are successful in business understand the benefits of acting with integrity.

Our world (including the business community) is based on our ability to trust each other. Therefore, developing good ethical habits now, while you are in college, will help you as you enter the workplace and face ethical issues (which most certainly will happen).

Second, having academic integrity is important because it provides value to your degree. Employers prefer to hire graduates whom they believe to have high personal integrity. They would rather invest in developing the human capital of someone who will be a positive influence on the organization and on someone whom they can trust to carry out the company’s mission.

Finally, having academic integrity is important because it can offer you peace of mind knowing that you believe in doing the right thing, and always try to act consistently with those beliefs. Acting with integrity can reduce a lot of unnecessary stress in your life, making you happier, healthier, and more productive.

Note: Students who commit academic honesty violations are prohibited from being employed at Bauer and from admission into certain special academic programs.

Academic honesty policies

The University’s academic honesty policies can be found at: http://www.uh.edu/provost/policies-resources/honesty/index.php

Bauer Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct: http://www.bauer.uh.edu/business-ethics/bauer-code-of-ethics.php

Honor Pledges

All students may be asked to sign an Honor Pledge before taking exams or submitting assignments or other graded work.

Bauer Ethics Advocates

The Bauer Ethics Advocates are students and faculty members appointed by the Dean of the Bauer College to promote an ethical culture within the college. Ethics Advocates are charged with the following responsibilities:

  1. Assisting in Bauer Code revisions and approval processes;
  2. Facilitating distribution of the Bauer Code to all segments of the Bauer College communities;
  3. Assisting in the development and distribution of Bauer business ethics programs and informational materials; and
  4. Representing the Bauer College at business ethics functions sponsored by the Bauer College.

For information on becoming an Ethics Advocate, contact the Dean’s Office.

Navigating the policies

How to avoid academic honesty violations

Unfortunately, “accidentally” violating the academic honesty policies can result in the same consequences as “intentionally” violating the academic honesty policies.

Here are some ways to avoid accidental violations:

  1. Understand what constitutes cheating and plagiarism.  Read the posted Academic Honesty policies, as well as your course syllabus and/or assignment instructions carefully.  When in doubt, ask your instructor if the action is appropriate.
  2. Give yourself enough time to research and write your papers, and to study for exams.  When you wait until the last minute to write your papers or study for an exam, you are under more stress and more tempted to violate the academic honesty policies.
  3. Associate yourself with students you believe to be highly ethical.  It helps to have a network of students who encourage honest behavior!
  4. Here are some everyday rules you can use to help you make the best decisions in your academic career (and professional life):
    1. Is this against any laws, rules, or organizational policies?
    2. What would the world be like if everyone did it?
    3. Would I be embarrassed if my parents or grandparents, the university, or employer found out?
    4. How would I feel if someone did the same thing to me?
    5. What kind of person do I want to be, and does this behavior represent that type of person? In other words, if I want to be known as an honest person, does this action represent honesty?
    6. Does this action benefit or harm more people?

Resources

Academic Honesty Policy and Procedures, Frequently Asked Questions

http://www.uh.edu/provost/policies-resources/honesty/index.php

UH student contact for Waiver of Automatic College Hearing or procedural questions:

Dean of Students Office
Kamran Riaz, Associate Dean of Students
Email: kriaz@uh.edu
Phone: 832-842-6183

Avoiding plagiarism and cheating

Resources for writing papers