Citing Sources

• The Compass Student Handbook

Section V of The Compass Student Handbook (2024-2025) states:

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a serious form of academic misconduct and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism is using the work of others and offering it as one's own. This includes the use of another's ideas or writings without proper acknowledgment, submitting a paper written by another, or submitting an examination or assignment containing work copied from someone else.

A faculty member will take disciplinary action when plagiarism is discerned. Disciplinary action may take the form of a warning or the assigning of a failing grade for the assignment, examination, or entire course. The faculty member may recommend to the Vice President for Academics that the student be expelled from class.

The following procedures will be followed in cases of plagiarism:

1. After plagiarism is discerned, the faculty member should inform the student of the alleged charge as soon as is reasonably possible. Plagiarism must be discerned, not merely suspected. If at all possible, evidence should be available.

2. Before imposing a penalty, the faculty member must, prior to the next class meeting, inform in writing the student, the student’s advisor, the faculty member’s department chair, the Dean of the School and the Vice President for Academics of the charges against the student and any disciplinary action taken against him or her.

3. As part of the process detailed in (2), the faculty member must report the incident via the “Report Academic Misconduct” online reporting tool available in Bannerweb.

4. If the student who has been accused of plagiarism wishes to appeal his or her final grade for the semester, that person shall follow the grade appeal process set forth in Section D below.

5. In extreme cases, e.g., where there is evidence of premeditation, the VPA may impose immediate suspension of the student for the semester and place the student on probation for the following semester. In lesser cases, after the student has been officially warned by the VPA, and academic misconduct of the same or different type occurs, the VPA may impose suspension for the semester and place the student on probation for the next. If further violations occur, the VPA may impose permanent expulsion from the University. Any appeal of expulsion shall be made to the President of the University, but the review is limited to ensuring that fundamental fairness guidelines have been met. If fundamental fairness guidelines have not been met, the President can refer the case back to the VPA to ensure that the guidelines are met.