Information for Students about the Honor Code

Seminar in Ethics and Academic Integrity
click here to download the .pdf version of the syllabus

Purpose
To educate selected CU students about academic integrity; and generally, to increase the overall level of Academic Integrity and Honesty on the CU – Boulder campus.

Seminar Procedures, Grading Policies, and Related Issues
Students participating in this seminar have been enrolled as a non-academic sanction, applied by the CU Honor Council.

• The seminar is offered on a non-credit basis only.
• The seminar is offered on a Pass/Fail basis only. Each of the seminar requirements (which follow) will be individually graded on a Pass/Fail basis. Earning a ‘Pass’ for the entire seminar requires that all of the individual requirements have been successfully passed.
• Students failing to successfully complete the seminar requirements will be subject to a one semester suspension, following all due process requirements. In the event that the first available seminar is during the final semester of a student’s academic career, the student will not be permitted to graduate until the seminar requirements are satisfied.
• Any student participating in the seminar and found guilty (following all appropriate procedures detailed in the Honor Code Constitution and Bylaws) of violating the CU Honor Code in completing the seminar requirements will be subject to suspension or expulsion from the University.

Seminar Duration and Frequency
The seminar is offered in two meetings, of two hours each. However, there are a number of activities which must be completed outside of the formal presentation/discussion sessions.

Seminar Requirements and Associated Instructional Considerations
The seminar requirements are as follows:

• Each student will attend each session (meeting) in totality. Failure to attend any or all of the seminar meetings shall result in a failing grade for the seminar, regardless of any other considerations.
• Each student will complete all reading assignments associated with each of the meetings, prior to the meeting (a complete list of these reading assignments is included in the table which follows). Students will be required to bring downloaded copies of each reading assignment, with answers to specific questions, to each seminar meeting as evidence of having completed the assigned pre-work. Failure to bring and submit this material to either seminar meeting shall constitute a ‘Failure’ for this requirement; and, subsequently, for the Seminar.
• Each student will participate fully and positively in seminar discussions. Discussions will relate to the assigned readings and pre-work, and will be led by the Instructor and student Discussion Leaders. The Instructor shall assess each student’s participation in the two meetings.
• Each student will complete an essay of defined length on a topic related to Ethics and Integrity, of approximately 800-1000 words. The essay is to be typed and doubed-spaced, and submitted to the Instructor electronically (as an e-mail attachment), or on a floppy disk. The Instructor will individually assign the topic for each student’s essay. The seminar Instructor will grade each essay.
• Each student will pass a brief ‘final’ examination, testing his/her knowledge about the critical elements and contents of the CU Honor Code. The instructor will grade the examinations with assistance provided by designated students serving as Discussion Leaders.

Instructor
Dr. Vincent McGuire
333 UCB, Poli Sci-Political Science
Office: 303-735-3019
E-mail: Vincent.McGuire@Colorado.EDU