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Office of Academic Integrity
Student Union I, Suite 4100
Phone: 703-993-6209
Fax: 703-993-2893
Web: oai.gmu.edu
Administration:
Pam Allen, Director
Mason shares in the tradition of an honor system that has existed in Virginia since 1842. The code is an integral part of university life. On the application for admission, students sign a statement agreeing to conform to and uphold the Honor Code. Students are responsible, therefore, for understanding the code’s provisions. In the spirit of the code, a student’s word is a declaration of good faith acceptable as truth in all academic matters. Cheating and attempted cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing of academic work and related materials constitute Honor Code violations. To maintain an academic community according to these standards, students and faculty members must report all alleged violations to the Honor Committee. Any student who has knowledge of, but does not report, a violation may be accused of lying under the Honor Code.
The Honor Committee is independent of the student government and the university administration. It is composed of students, and it has the primary duty of espousing the values of the Honor Code. Its secondary function is to sit as a hearing committee on all alleged violations of the code.
At the beginning of each semester, faculty members have the responsibility of explaining to their classes their policy regarding the Honor Code. They must also explain the extent to which aid, if any, is permitted on academic work.
The complete Honor Code is as follows:
To promote a stronger sense of mutual responsibility, respect, trust, and fairness among all members of the George Mason University community and with the desire for greater academic and personal achievement, we, the student members of the university community, have set forth this honor code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work.
Honor Committee
The Honor Committee is a group of Mason students selected to promote academic integrity as a core value for our university community. Members of the committee also serve on hearing panels established to investigate and resolve alleged violations of the code. Mason’s School of Law has an Honor Committee that is independent from the rest of the university’s Honor Committee.
Membership will be limited to 100 members who apply for membership. Undergraduate members must have no Honor Code violations, maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.66, be in good academic standing, and successfully complete the training and orientation program. Graduate members must meet all of the requirements above with the exception of maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.00.
A chair and vice chair will be elected in April of each year by the members of the committee. The term of office will be one year. A faculty advisor, chosen by the vice president for university life, will provide administrative assistance for committee business.
Student Responsibilities
Students should request an explanation of any aspect of the professor’s policies regarding the Honor Code that they do not fully understand. They also have an obligation not only to follow the code themselves, but also to encourage respect among their fellow students for the provisions of the code. This includes an obligation to report violations by other students to the Honor Committee.
Faculty Responsibilities
Faculty members are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the learning and testing process. They should explain at the beginning of each semester what would be considered a violation of academic integrity in their courses. Special attention should be given to the subject of plagiarism.
Procedures for Reporting Violations
Suspected violations should be reported to the Honor Committee in a timely manner using the online form found at oai.gmu.edu. The Honor Committee will promptly notify the involved students in writing. Those students will meet with a representative of the Honor Committee to review the information and arrange for resolution of the matter.
Hearing Panels
When a student disputes an allegation, a five-member panel of Honor Committee members, will meet with both the student and the person(s) reporting the alleged offense. Each side will present information, and the panel will determine whether clear and convincing evidence of a violation has been presented. At least four of the five panel members must judge that the evidence proves responsibility for the offense. If the student is found responsible, a sanction or sanctions will be determined by majority vote of the panel.
Counsel
The hearing panel will have an administrative faculty member present during the hearing to offer assistance when requested by the chair of the panel. All other parties may have an advisor.
Sanctions
The hearing panel may impose oral and written reprimands and other such nonacademic sanctions as it deems proportionate to the offense. It can recommend sanctions to the course professor that involve reduced grades. Recommendations for nonacademic suspension and nonacademic dismissal are forwarded to the provost’s delegate. In determining sanctions, panel members should keep in mind the nonpunitive educational purpose of the Honor Code process.
Appeals
Appeals of honor committee decisions must be submitted in writing within seven business days of the hearing. Appeals can be granted only on the basis of new evidence, procedural irregularity, or other grounds of sufficient gravity to call into serious doubt the original hearing panel’s decision. The decision to accept or deny the appeal will be made by three Honor Committee members who have had no prior contact with the case. In the event that a faculty member does not elect to follow the Honor Committee’s recommended sanction, students may appeal the faculty member’s action to the Academic Appeals Committee, via the Provost’s Office. The decision of this committee is final.
Amendments
The Honor Committee, by majority vote, may approve proposed amendments to the Honor Code. The proposed amendments will be submitted to the student population at the next spring election, and they must be approved for implementation by a two-thirds majority of those voting. |
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