Felician University Honor Code
Preamble
Rooted in our identity as a Catholic, Franciscan liberal arts institution, Felician University fosters a vibrant learning community committed to excellence, integrity, and transformation. Guided by a mission to educate a diverse range of students through intellectually rigorous and holistic experiences, we empower learners to achieve their fullest potential with informed minds and understanding hearts.
Our enduring purpose to cultivate a love for learning, a desire for God, self-knowledge, service to others, and respect for all creation calls us to uphold the highest standards of academic and personal integrity. As members of this community, we embrace the Franciscan core values of Respect for Human Dignity, Compassion, Transformation, Solidarity with People in Need, and Justice and Peace.
The Honor Code is a living expression of these ideals. It affirms that learning is not only an academic pursuit but a moral one. By embracing this Code, we affirm that scholarship is inseparable from character and that true education is grounded in honesty, responsibility, and mutual respect.
Scope of the Code
The policies and procedures of the Honor Code apply to all members of the Felician University community. This includes all undergraduate and graduate students, whether full-time, part-time, regularly enrolled, non-matriculated, or cross-registered, as well as administrators, faculty, and staff, across all instructional modalities and academic programs.
Principles of Integrity
The Honor Code rests on the presumption of personal integrity and good faith. Students are expected to complete academic work independently unless collaboration or assistance is explicitly authorized. Faculty, administrators, and staff are expected to evaluate student work fairly, transparently, and impartially.
Unless properly cited and permitted, all work submitted in fulfillment of academic requirements must be the student’s own.
Responsibilities of Community Members
Academic integrity is a shared responsibility. All members of the Felician University community are expected to uphold the Honor Code and to address potential violations with honesty, care, and respect for due process.
If a student is uncertain how the Honor Code applies to a specific assignment, the student must seek clarification from the instructor before submission. In the absence of clarification, the most restrictive interpretation of the assignment guidelines applies.
Prohibited Conduct
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, falsification, misrepresentation, and unauthorized use of resources. The Honor Code applies to all materials submitted to meet course requirements, including examinations, research papers, essays, problem sets, artistic projects, computer programs, multimedia work, and digital or remote assessments of any format.
Cheating
Cheating includes, but is not limited to:
- Using unauthorized materials, aids, or technologies
- Copying from another student’s work
- Providing or receiving unauthorized assistance
- Accessing or sharing assessment content without permission
Cheating does not include:
- Using University learning services, tutors, or writing support when explicitly permitted for that assignment
- Studying collaboratively with peers when collaboration is allowed
- Consulting approved course materials
- Asking instructors for clarification or guidance
(Note: Resources that are generally permitted may be prohibited for specific assignments, such as take-home exams or restricted assessments. Assignment-specific instructions always take precedence.)
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the representation of another’s work, whether words, ideas, data, or creative output, as one’s own without proper acknowledgment. This includes:
- Quoting or paraphrasing without proper citation
- Submitting work purchased, downloaded, generated, or prepared by another person or service
- Reusing one’s own work from another course without prior written permission from all instructors involved
Falsification and Misrepresentation
This includes:
- Altering or fabricating research data, statistics, or results
- Fabricating records of attendance, service hours, or internship work
- Submitting work completed by another individual
- Misrepresenting academic submissions or related documents, including the submission of AI-generated or AI-assisted work as one’s own without proper disclosure or authorization
- Misleading instructors about academic performance or submissions
Procedures, Educational Responses, and Due Process
Felician University approaches academic integrity violations as opportunities for learning, accountability, and ethical development, while also upholding academic standards.
Instructor’s Role and Initial Review
When a potential violation is suspected, the instructor will notify the student in writing within ten business days and provide the student an opportunity to respond and clarify.
If the facts are uncontested and the student accepts responsibility, the instructor may resolve the matter through an educational response and an academic consequence consistent with course policy.
The instructor determines the academic penalty for the assignment or course. The Honor Code Council does not intervene in the initial review.
Referral to the Honor Code Council
If the initial review is disputed, the student contests responsibility, or the matter involves complex or repeated concerns, the instructor or student may refer the case to the Honor Code Council for review within ten business days.
The Council is responsible for determining responsibility based on evidence, ensuring due process, and recommending appropriate educational outcomes or institutional sanctions.
Student Rights and Appeals
Students have the right to:
- Receive timely written notice of allegations
- Review relevant evidence
- Respond to concerns without retaliation
- Request review by the Honor Code Council
- Appeal procedural errors or findings through the appeal process outlined in the Student Handbook
Sanctions
Violations of the Honor Code are reported through Falcon Impact. Sanctions are progressive, depending on the number and severity of violations:
- First Violation: Advisory letter and mandatory Academic Integrity Training
- Second Violation: Advisory letter, meeting with the Honor Code Chair, additional training, and possible registration hold or community service
- Third Violation: Advisory letter, referral to the Honor Code Council for formal review, and additional University sanctions, which may include suspension
Please note: In programs leading to professional licensure or certification, certain violations may be considered professional misconduct and may result in immediate referral and additional consequences consistent with regulatory standards.
Reports are reviewed across courses, programs, and schools to ensure consistency and fairness.
The Honor Code Council
Purpose
The Honor Code Council exists to uphold the values of honesty, integrity, and responsibility that form the foundation of the Felician University community. Its role includes:
- Reviewing contested cases
- Safeguarding against unsupported or mistaken allegations
- Ensuring due process and equitable treatment
- Promoting a culture of ethical learning
Authority
The Council serves as the adjudicating body when responsibility is disputed and may recommend educational responses and institutional sanctions, consistent with University policy.
Composition
The Council is composed of:
- The Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs (ex officio)
- The Honor Code Chair
- An Associate Dean from each School
- The Director of the Office of Community Rights and Responsibilities
Syllabus Statement | Plagiarism
As a Catholic university in the Franciscan tradition, Felician University upholds the values of scholarship, truth, and integrity as central to its academic mission. All students are expected to abide by the policies outlined in the University Catalog, Student Handbook, and Honor Code.
Maintaining academic honesty is essential to your personal and intellectual development. The following are considered breaches of academic integrity:
- Plagiarism: Using another author’s words, ideas, or work without proper acknowledgment and documentation. This includes direct quotations without quotation marks or citations, paraphrasing without credit, fabricating sources, or presenting someone else’s work, intentionally or unintentionally, as your own.
- Falsification: Intentionally altering data, statistics, or information to mislead or misrepresent. This also includes misquoting or taking information out of context to change its original meaning.
- Multiple Submissions: Submitting the same or substantially similar work for more than one course without prior written permission from all instructors involved. Each course is an opportunity to develop new ideas and demonstrate original work.
- Unauthorized Collaboration: Working with others on assignments or assessments unless explicitly permitted by the instructor. Independent work is essential unless otherwise stated.
- Misrepresentation: Having another person complete coursework or log into university systems on your behalf.
Any student found to have violated academic integrity may receive a failing grade on the assignment and/or be dismissed from the course with a grade of “F.” Such violations will also be addressed in accordance with the University Honor Code.
Upholding academic integrity reflects your commitment to learning, respect for others, and the core values of the Felician community. If you have questions about what constitutes academic honesty, please ask your instructor for clarification.
Syllabus Statement | Artificial Intelligence
While Artificial Intelligence is increasingly used across industries and professions, the heart of a liberal arts education lies in cultivating critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity, ethical judgment, and problem-solving. These capacities are central to your formation as a learner and professional and cannot be outsourced to automated tools.
[Because different courses and assignments have different learning goals, Felician University permits faculty to select from the following Artificial Intelligence usage models. The model in effect for this course will be clearly stated in the syllabus and may vary by assignment.]
Option 1: No AI Use Permitted
In this course, all submitted work must reflect your own original thinking and effort. Submitting work that is generated, supported, or enhanced by Artificial Intelligence, including assistance with outlining, drafting, writing, discussion posts, presentations, quizzes, tests, or exams, constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Such violations will be addressed in accordance with the University Honor Code.
Option 2: Limited Support Use
In this course, AI tools may be used only for limited, preparatory purposes, such as brainstorming, topic exploration, or organizational support. AI tools may not be used to draft, revise, or generate substantive content. Any use beyond these limited purposes is prohibited unless explicitly authorized by the instructor.
Option 3: Guided Use with Disclosure
In this course, AI tools may be used with prior approval from the instructor for specific assignments. All AI use must be appropriate, ethical, and transparent. Any AI-generated content or assistance must be fully disclosed and properly cited. Citations should include the name of the AI tool and the date it was accessed.
Option 4: Integrated and Critical Use
In this course, AI tools may be intentionally integrated into the learning process as objects of analysis, critique, or applied practice. Students may use AI tools as part of their work, provided that their use is transparent, documented, and accompanied by reflective analysis that demonstrates independent thinking, ethical awareness, and critical engagement.
Syllabus Statement | Intellectual Property
All materials provided in this course, including lectures, slides, assignments, quizzes, exams, discussion prompts, recordings, and any other instructional content, are the intellectual property of the instructor and/or the University. These materials are provided solely for your personal educational use as a student enrolled in this course.
Students are expected to engage in the responsible and ethical use of course materials. This includes respecting copyright and Fair Use principles and appropriately using materials made available under Creative Commons or similar licenses.
You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, sell, or share course materials outside of this course, including posting them on websites, forums, file-sharing platforms, or social media, without prior written permission from the instructor or the University.
Uploading course materials to third-party platforms, including Artificial Intelligence tools or services that retain, reuse, or train on uploaded content, is prohibited unless explicitly authorized. This includes the use of course materials to generate summaries, notes, or derivative content through AI systems without permission.
Unauthorized use, distribution, or commercialization of course materials may constitute a violation of academic integrity and/or copyright law and will be addressed in accordance with the University Honor Code.