The below policy is effective through the 2008-2009 Academic Year. For the revised
policy that goes into effect at the start of Academic Year 2009-2010,
please visit the Academic Affairs website.
Students at Columbia College enjoy significant freedom of artistic expression and are encouraged to stretch their scholarly and artistic boundaries. However, the college prohibits all forms of academic dishonesty. For present purposes, “academic dishonesty” is understood as the appropriation and representation of another’s work as one’s own, whether such appropriation includes all or part of the other’s work or whether it comprises all or part of what is represented as one’s own work (plagiarism). Appropriate citation avoids this form of dishonesty. In addition, “academic dishonesty” includes cheating in any form, the falsification of academic documents, or the falsification of works or references for use in class or other academic circumstances. When such dishonesty is discovered, the consequences to the student can be severe.
When a faculty member of the college has evidence that a student has represented another student’s work as his or her own or has engaged in any other form of academic dishonesty, the faculty member, in consultation with the chairperson of the department or the chairperson’s designated representative, may lower the student’s grade, fail the student, or apply such other sanctions as may be appropriate. The faculty member is required to notify the student promptly of the discovery. The student may meet with the faculty member to seek redress from the accusation or from any proposed sanction, but if no mutually satisfactory resolution can be reached, a written and dated appeal may be made within two weeks of the meeting to the chairperson of the department or a designated representative. A copy of any such appeal must also be sent to the faculty member. Within two weeks of receiving the appeal, the chairperson or designee will meet with the student and, if mutually agreeable, will include the faculty member in the meeting. If this meeting fails to resolve the issue, a written and dated appeal may be made within two weeks to the dean of the appropriate school. The dean’s decision shall be final and shall be rendered in a timely fashion.