Honor Code

CAMPUS RELATIONSHIPS AND POLICIES

Academic colleges, departments, and individual faculty members are responsible for establishing specific standards for academic honesty and for clearly publishing the expectations to students. When violations of the standards are observed or reported, faculty, sometimes in consultation with the department chair and dean, should work with students to resolve the reported violations and implement appropriate actions. Faculty are expected to report the violations and actions taken to the Honor Code Office (HCO) so that appropriate records may be maintained. If the violation is sufficiently egregious or if a pattern of dishonesty is discovered, the HCO may take additional action which could include suspension or dismissal.

ADMISSIONS AND RECORDS SERVICES

The HCO and Admissions/ Records Services cooperatively share information which may influence decisions regarding the admission of students, their continuing status, the withholding of their degrees, or the placing of transcript notations.

BYU BOOKSTORE

HCO and BYU Bookstore personnel communicate with each other regarding the circumstances surrounding the apprehension of students for theft.

When students have been determined to have been involved in theft from the BYU Bookstore, they are required to make restitution to the bookstore based on the cost of the stolen article(s). By agreement with the bookstore, this restitution is facilitated by the HCO as part of its interaction with students.

COLLEGE ADVISEMENT CENTERS

When necessary, college advisement centers are consulted regarding the academic standings of students.

COMPUTER SERVICES

During the investigation and determination of reported violations of the BYU Computer Network Patron Policy, the HCO works cooperatively with the following:

• Academic Computing Services
  
• Computer Science Department
  
• College of Engineering and Technology
  
• University Computing Services
  
• Marriott School of Management
  
• Humanities Lab

CONTINUING EDUCATION, DIVISION OF

The HCO consults with the Division of Continuing Education regarding students' Honor Code violation reports and concerns and current endorsement status.

COUNSELING AND CAREER CENTER (CCC)

Students may be referred to the CCC for evaluations, counseling, or other services.

Referral Process for Psychological Evaluations
Students are requested to sign a Waiver of Psychologist/ Client Privilege and Consent to Share Information form. The forms are retained in the students' HCO educational records, and copies are sent to the CCC counselors. HCO counselors may assist in making counseling appointments with the CCC appointment secretary.

If students have interacted with other psychological agencies, the CCC, upon the receipt of appropriate waivers, will interact with those agencies in order to complete its evaluation and recommendation to the HCO.

Referral Process for Counseling
If an exchange of information is desirable, students must sign a Waiver of Psychologist/ Client Privilege and Consent to Share Information form. The forms are retained in the students' HCO educational record, and copies are sent to the CCC counselors. HCO counselors may assist in making counseling appointments with the CCC secretary.

DISCONTINUANCE OFFICE

The HCO consults with and informs the Discontinuance Office when students are required to leave the university. The Discontinuance Office informs the HCO periodically of all students who discontinue from the university.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS AND STUDENT EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

The HCO works cooperatively with Employee Relations during the investigation and determination of reported Honor Code violations regarding student employees. Every week the HCO sends a Holds Placed and Cleared Report to Student Employment Services listing students who have been required to leave the university and those returned to good Honor Code standing.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY OFFICE

The HCO works cooperatively with the Equal Opportunity Office regarding the investigation and determination of reported violations of the Unlawful Sexual Harassment and Inappropriate Gender-Based Behavior policies.

GENERAL COUNSEL

The HCO interacts cooperatively with General Counsel regarding university policies and student Honor Code issues.

GRADUATE STUDIES, OFFICE OF

The HCO interacts cooperatively with the Office of Graduate Studies regarding Honor Code issues and the status of graduate students who have been determined to be in violation of the Honor Code. There is also communication to facilitate the endorsement of continuing students applying to graduate school.

HEALTH SERVICES

When students are referred to the HCO for substance abuse, they may be requested to submit to drug or alcohol testing as explained in the Drug Testing section (see section entitled Respect Others (Drug Testing). Health Services conveys test results to the HCO.

HIGH-PROFILE STUDENTS: LEADERSHIP, PERFORMING, AND ATHLETIC GROUPS

Responsibilities
High-profile students (such as BYUSA leadership, performing groups, and athletic programs) are visible and significant components of the university. Thus, the university has distinct standards of behavior regarding high-profile students. When high-profile students are involved in Honor Code violations, they often come to the public's attention. Those who have responsibility for the high-profile programs have a duty to support the requirements of the Honor Code so that participants are clearly aware of the university's behavioral requirements.

Honor Code Violations
When information regarding violations of the Honor Code by high-profile students is brought to the attention of the university, it is imperative that those responsible for the programs and HCO personnel work cooperatively in the investigation of the situation. The HCO makes the final decision regarding the status of students.

When a high-profile student is placed on Honor Code probation, that student may be barred from active service, participation, performance, or athletic competition for an appropriate period of time, to be determined by the HCO with approval of the dean of students and/or the vice president of Student Life. High-profile students who are dismissed may not participate in any university-sponsored activity. High-profile students who are suspended may not participate until they are readmitted to the university in good Honor Code standing.

Media Requests for Information
Generally, Honor Code violations are not made public. In cases involving high-profile students, however, the media oftentimes learns that they have been disciplined and requests information about the specific Honor Code violation and the penalties that have been handed down by the HCO. Federal law (FERPA) restricts the information the university can release to the media. If the university does not strictly follow the law in releasing information, it can be subject to legal action from the offended student.

When a high-profile student is disciplined by the HCO, the following procedure will be followed.

1. A representative of the HCO will contact the designated person in Public Communications, who will serve as the contact point for media questions. That person will in turn communicate with Sports Information, the vice president of Student Life, and the president of the university. Communication between Public Communications and the HCO will begin when a violation of the Honor Code that could result in suspension, probation, or other disciplinary action that might result in media coverage is brought to the HCO's attention.
   
   
2. When a decision is reached by the HCO, a representative will contact the designated person in Public Communications. Working with representatives from Sports Information and the HCO--and, if necessary, the Athletic Department and Student Life--Public Communications will prepare a statement for the media. The statement will include, where appropriate, quotes from coaches and administrators. The statement will be released to the media only when the media makes inquiry about the student's status in school or future participation in university-sponsored activities.
   
   
3. The designated person in Public Communications will answer, when appropriate, all media questions regarding details of the disciplinary action.
   
   
4. In instances when an Honor Code violation by a high-profile student is brought to the university's attention by the media, the Public Communications representative will field all media inquiries. No official statement will be released until the HCO has become involved in the case. If the person who is responsible for the program decides to apply a penalty before the HCO issues its decision, such information will be released through the appropriate program office.
   
   
5. In instances where a person who is responsible for a high-profile program decides to take action for a violation of program requirements or other conduct not affecting the high-profile student's university status, such information will be released through the appropriate program office. Only matters affecting a student's university status will be referred to Public Communications.

HOUSING SERVICE

Housing Services and the HCO interact cooperatively while responding to violation reports and fostering adherence to the Honor Code, including the Residential Living Standards.

Honor Code Office Services

• To consult with and train staff
  
• To develop and implement joint student intervention programs
  
• To clear names of potential student employees
  
• To receive and investigate student violation reports
  
• To interact with student Honor Code violators
  
• To assist students to discontinue from housing and school
  
• To place financial holds
  
• To serve on the university Off-Campus Housing Committee

Violations to be Handled by On-Campus Housing Personnel

1. Minimal and single violations of the Honor Code, including the Residential Living Standards
2. Misbehavior and pranks occurring in the housing area and violations of housing regulations that are not in violation of the law

Violations to be Referred to the Honor Code Office

1. Respect for others
2. Dress and grooming
3. Residential Living Standards involving
   • Actions which compromise the safety of self and/ or others, including any open flame
   • Evidence of inappropriate sexual behavior
   • Multiple offenses of the Residential Living Standards
4. Tea, coffee, tobacco, alcohol, and substance abuse
5. Law and university policy (such as assault, vandalism, telephone harassment, etc.)

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES

The Honor Code Office (HCO) consults with and reports to the International Student Services Office (ISO) regarding the Honor Code standing of international students.

LIBRARY, HAROLD B. LEE

When it is determined that students have been involved in defacing or mutilating library materials, they are required to make restitution to the library based on the cost of the affected article(s) plus reasonable reimbursement for the costs of maintaining security personnel to monitor these violations. By agreement with the library, this restitution is facilitated by the Honor Code Office as part of its interaction with students.

MULTICULTURAL STUDENT SERVICES

The HCO consults with and reports to the Multicultural Student Services Office (MSS) regarding the Honor Code standing of multicultural students.

OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS

The HCO cooperates with the following off-campus programs regarding the clearance of participating students and the handling of reported Honor Code violations. When a violation occurs, those who direct off-campus programs are responsible for taking program-related action, including suspension from the program and making recommendations to the HCO for university action.

• Office of Cooperative Education and Internships
  
• Study Abroad
  
• Washington Seminar
  
• Jerusalem Center/ Travel Study

After having been warned, any student who writes a check with insufficient funds while attending the Jerusalem Center will typically be placed on Honor Code probation. If the violation is egregious, the student may be suspended or dismissed from BYU. As part of the terms and conditions of the probation, the student will be required to make restitution by paying double the amount of the check and writing a letter of apology to the person and/ or business affected.

RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS (ROTC)

The HCO consults with and reports to campus ROTC units regarding the Honor Code standing of their student participants.

SCHOLARSHIP OFFICE

The HCO reports the actions taken in regard to students on scholarship to the Scholarship Office.

When a student is placed on Honor Code probation, suspension, or dismissal, notification of the Honor Code action is sent to the appropriate office administering any scholarship currently held by the violators. In the case of suspension or dismissal, notification is automatic, effective the date of suspension or dismissal; in case of probation, loss of scholarship may also result. For scholarship students who are placed on Honor Code probation, timing of the loss of scholarship will be determined on an individual basis after consultation between the HCO and the agency awarding or administering the scholarship.

SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (SSD)

Students may be referred to the SSD Office for an evaluation or for counseling or other services.

Referral Process for Psychological Evaluations
When information provided in psychological evaluations is desirable for the selection of an appropriate HCO action, students may be referred to SSD. Students sign a Waiver of Psychologist/ Client Privilege and Consent to Share Information form. The forms are retained in the students' HCO files, and copies are sent to the SSD counselor. HCO counselors may assist in making counseling appointments with the SSD.

If students have interacted with other psychological agencies, the SSD, upon the students' signing appropriate waivers, will interact with those agencies in order to complete its evaluations and recommendations to the HCO.

Referral Process for Services or as a Volunteer
HCO counselors and students may determine that involvement with the SSD may be helpful to them. In these situations, HCO counselors may encourage or direct students to schedule visits with SSD either to receive services or to be involved in reading for the blind as a service experience.

TESTING SERVICES

Testing Services sends reports of student academic dishonesty to professors for their determinations and actions. Copies of the reports are sent to the HCO, facilitating contact with the professors. When the report is received, the HCO notifies the students and their department chairs that there is an HCO record of the incident. Subsequently, if the professor determines that no violation occurred, that record is destroyed.

UNIVERSITY DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION OFFICE

When students are referred to the HCO for the inappropriate use of substances or the consumption of alcohol, they may be requested to submit to a drug or alcohol evaluation through the university Drug Abuse Prevention Office.

UNIVERSITY POLICE

The Honor Code Office and University Police work closely together to refer and investigate students who may have committed Honor Code violations.

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

The university Computer Network Patron Policy, Housing policies, Student Academic Grievance Procedure, and Unlawful Sexual Harassment and Inappropriate Gender-Based Behavior Policy have a direct relationship with Honor Code Office policies.