Module 09 – Honoring the Horns

In this unit you will learn:

• What it means to Honor the Horns by revisiting the Honor Code and Core Values.
• How academic integrity is promoted and upheld on campus.
• What constitutes academic dishonesty and what happens if there is a violation of the Institutional Rules.

UT AUSTIN’S HONOR CODE and CORE VALUES

One of the first things you learn as a UT Austin student is the honor code, which states:

“As a student of The University of Texas at Austin, I shall abide by the core values of the University and uphold academic integrity.” http://www.utexas.edu/about-ut/mission-core-purpose-honor-code

The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY HELPS SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY MISSION

As a Longhorn, you have a support system in place to help you uphold the academic mission of the university. The institutional and community rules may be different from high school, and it is your responsibility to know them.

Student Judicial Services (SJS) works to support the university’s mission by upholding standards of conduct. While SJS staff meet with students who may be in violation of the Institutional Rules, their mission is to promote awareness of what it means to maintain integrity inside and outside of the classroom.

Senate of College Councils serves as “the official voice for students in academic affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.” Each college is represented as part of Senate, and works with students and administration to uphold the academic mission to keep UT Austin a top research institution. They work to put policies and procedures in place to make it easier to navigate the campus academically, and host great events such as IntegrityUT Week.

WHAT IS ACADEMIC INTEGRITY?

Understanding what is expected of you by the university, as well as your specific professors, will help you to maintain integrity in your classes. Academic integrity encompasses all aspects of your courses, including papers, tests, and group work.  It is about using appropriate citations and making sure you are using your own thoughts and ideas for your assignments.  Aside from independent work, throughout your academic career you will be asked to work in groups with classmates — whether that is to present on a topic, work on a project, or complete a research paper. Most students know that their work should be their work, and that research and information should be properly cited. However, in the digital age students often plagiarize others with without intending to do so. If you work with another person on an assignment for credit without the instructor’s permission, you are engaging in unauthorized collaboration.  Unauthorized Collaboration can often be confusing for students. It is always better to err on the side of caution and turn in coursework that you have worked on without any outside help. When in doubt, ask the professor!

WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT COLLABORATION?

The most common issue that SJS staff observes is that students are unaware of the rules or expectations regarding academic integrity and often commit unintentional violations. Students may not fully understand how to write and cite a research paper, which can lead to plagiarism. Similarly students think “helping” each other out on homework is okay, but this can lead to unauthorized collaboration. Professors may have different opinions on shared work, and the difference between collaboration and copying can sometimes be subtle. It is important to refer to the syllabus to understand each professor’s policy on what may constitute oversharing to ensure you don’t make a visit to SJS for academic dishonesty. Additional information on unauthorized collaboration can be found here: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acadint_collaboration.php

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF I COMMIT ACADEMIC DISHONESTY?

SJS will meet with a student who is found in possible violation to better understand the situation and will discuss the possible outcomes if the student is found in violation. These could span from receiving no credit for the assignment, to receiving a lower or failing grade for the course. If you find yourself meeting with an SJS staff member, it is best to be honest and forthright about your actions. Understand that they have your best interest in mind when gathering information, and that their focus is developmental rather than punitive. To understand more about both academic and non-academic violations, read about their Student Discipline Process.

BEING PROACTIVE ABOUT ACADEMICS MAINTAINS INTEGRITY

Make sure you are aware of your responsibilities for individual and group work and be sure to meet these responsibilities. That means managing your time and not leaving things to the last minute. We often bend the rules because we run out of time and still need to get things done. As a reminder, utilize these resources to help you manage your time as your studies get more intense, or if you need a little extra help finishing that paper or project:

• UT Libraries, specifically Cite your Sources 
• The Sanger Learning Center
• Undergraduate Writing Center

WHAT ABOUT BEYOND YOUR COURSEWORK?

Being a student at The University of Texas at Austin means being a part of the Longhorn community. As Longhorns, it is important that we take care of and respect one another. If you are uncomfortable with someone’s actions in or out of the classroom, speak up and tell someone. There are many resources on campus, many of which have been introduced in the course, that can help you. Representing the core values goes beyond your course work. It is about taking care of one another, and recognizing that we become stronger if we work together.