This web page has been created to establish one-click access to the Graduate Student Honor Code Appendix of the NKU Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities/Community Standards (originally published at this link). The text on the original publishing page should be used in case of any discrepancies between the two webpages.

Appendix E: Undergraduate Student Honor Code

1. Preamble

This Student Honor Code [the "Honor Code"] is a commitment by students of Northern Kentucky University, through their matriculation or continued enrollment at the University, to adhere to the highest degree of ethical integrity in academic conduct. It is a commitment individually and collectively that the students of Northern Kentucky University will not lie, cheat, or plagiarize to gain an academic advantage over fellow students or avoid academic requirements.

The purpose of the Honor Code is to establish standards of academic conduct for students at Northern Kentucky University and to provide a procedure that offers basic assurances of fundamental fairness to any person accused of violations of these rules. Each Northern Kentucky University student is bound by the provisions of the Honor Code and is presumed to be familiar with all of its provisions. Students also should aspire to conduct themselves in a manner that is consistent with the highest degree of ethical integrity in all matters, whether covered in the Honor Code or not. The success of this commitment begins in the diligence with which students uphold the letter and the spirit of the Honor Code.

2. Standards of Academic Conduct and Integrity and Consequences for Their Violation

1. A student at Northern Kentucky University shall not:

a. Engage in any conduct involving academic deceit, dishonesty, or misrepresentation.

b. Give, receive, or use unauthorized or prohibited information, resources, or assistance on an examination, assignment, or graduation requirement.

c. Commit plagiarism (e.g., representing another’s work, in whole or in part, as one’s own) on any examination, assignment or graduation requirement (including those involving use of the web, internet or other electronic resources).

d. Write, take, research, develop, prepare, or create an examination, assignment, or graduation requirement for another student, in whole or in part.

e. Submit an examination, assignment, or graduation requirement written, taken, researched, developed, prepared, or created by another person, in whole or in part.

f. Submit an examination, assignment, or graduation requirement that the student has or will submit for credit in another course, without express approval from the instructors’ in each of the courses.

g. Prevent or interfere with the use by other students of any library, laboratory, studio, field, or other course-related resource; or

h. Damage or impair any library, laboratory, studio, field, or other course-related resources or another student’s completed assignments.

NOTE: These prohibitions shall not preclude an instructor or department from assigning team projects, cooperative efforts, and other similar activities in a course or for a graduation requirement and are subject to modification in order to adhere to the NKU Policy on Accommodations for Students With Disabilities.  

2. A student who violates one of the above provisions will be identified to the Department Chair, Program Director, Academic Dean, and Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy.

The student may also be subject to one or more of the following consequences:

a. For the first violation, any one or a combination of the following:

i. Faculty imposed sanction(s) as outlined in the course syllabus;

ii. An oral admonition or reprimand;

iii. A written admonition or reprimand;

iv. A reduction in the grade or a grade of “F” in the course, examination, or assignment;

v. Expulsion from the course.

b. For multiple violations of the above provisions, where suspension or expulsion from the University may be warranted, the case will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct, Rights and Advocacy.

3. Academic Departmental Procedure

A. A course instructor who has sufficient information to believe that a student has violated the Honor Code shall notify the student within five (5) Days from the date of discovery of the alleged violation unless extenuating circumstances apply. If grades must be turned in during the meantime, the instructor shall give the student a grade of incomplete.

B. The instructor may take action as described in H.2.2. and shall report the incident and sanctions in writing within five (5) Days to the student, the Department Chair or Program Director, the Academic Dean or Vice Provost and Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy. An instructor is not required to report the incident or take any action if, in his/her professional judgment, the student's conduct should be dealt with outside the Honor Code as an academic or administrative matter, and the conduct is so dealt with promptly.

C. If the student disagrees with the instructor’s decision, the student may appeal in writing to the Department Chair or if no Departmental Chair exists, to the Program Director within five (5) Days of receipt of the decision of the instructor. If the appeal is not requested in the time allotted, the instructor’s action shall be final and binding. If the student’s written appeal is received by the Department Chair or Program Director within five (5) Days of receipt of the instructor's decision, the Department Chair or Program Director will meet with the student within five (5) Days of receipt of the appeal. The Department Chair or Program Director will notify the student of his/her decision in writing within five (5) Days of the meeting. The Department Chair or Program Director will forward a copy of the written decision to the instructor, the Academic Dean (or his/her designee), the Office of Student Conduct, Rights and Advocacy and will retain a copy in the department files.

D. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Department Chair or Program Director, the student may appeal to the Academic Dean, or if no Academic Dean exists to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs or his/her designee by submitting a written request of appeal within five (5) Days after receipt of the Department Chair’s or Program Director’s decision. The Academic Dean or Vice Provost or his/her designee will notify the student of his/her decision in writing within five (5) Days of receipt of the appeal. The Academic Dean or Vice Provost or his/her designee will forward a copy of the decision to the Department Chair or Program Director, the Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy and the instructor.

E. If the student is dissatisfied with the decision of the Academic Dean or Vice Provost, the student may appeal to the Academic Appeals Panel by submitting a written request of appeal in care of the Academic Dean or Vice Provost within five (5) Days after receipt of the Academic Dean’s or Vice Provost’s decision. Within five (5) days of receipt of the student’s written appeal, the Academic Dean or Vice Provost will convene an Appeals Panel to consider the appeal.

The Appeals Panel will consist of:

a. Two faculty members chosen by the Academic Dean or Vice Provost at the beginning of the academic year. These choices will be made from a group comprised of one representative from, and chosen by, each department responsible to the Academic Dean or Vice Provost.

b. One faculty member chosen by the Academic Dean from the college or Vice Provost from the program in which the appeal was initiated. Should this department or program already be represented on the panel, the Academic Dean or Vice Provost will select the third faculty panel member from the original group of department or program representatives referenced above. The faculty member whose decision is in question may not sit on the panel. Other panel members will be excused when a conflict of interest exists.

c. Two students.

These panel members plus an alternate will be chosen from the academic college by the Academic Dean or Vice Provost from the department or program at the beginning of the academic year. If these students are unavailable, the Academic Dean or Vice Provost will select two student panel members and an alternate student to serve on the committee. The student initiating the appeal may not sit on the panel. Student panel members will be excused when a conflict of interest exists.The Academic Dean or Vice Provost will convey to the Academic Appeals Panel the entire file of the case. If the Academic Appeals Panel determines that the case meets any of the grounds for appeal, the panel will proceed to a full hearing of the appeal within a reasonable time period (not to exceed 20 Days). A full hearing may include collection of evidence by the Appeals Panel through research and interview.  Insofar as possible, all persons directly involved in the appeal will cooperate by honoring the panel's requests for information. Both the faculty member and the student have the right to engage the Appeals Panel. All information relevant to an appeal will be held in strict confidence during the appeal process and upon its conclusion. The Appeals Panel will provide a written report of its decision to the Academic Dean or Vice Provost within five (5) Days of the formal hearing. The Academic Dean or Vice Provost will send notification of the Appeals Panel’s decision to the student, the instructor, the Department Chair or Program Director and the Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy.

F. Except in cases of suspension or expulsion, the Academic Appeals Panel’s decision shall be final and binding. There shall be no further appeal. In cases of suspension or expulsion, the student may decide to accept responsibility for the violation(s) but wish to appeal the sanction of suspension or expulsion. In such cases, the student may avoid meeting with the Academic Appeals Panel and file an appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost limited to the question of suspension or expulsion.

G. An appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost limited to the question of suspension or expulsion must be in writing and must be submitted within five (5) Days of the student's receipt of the decision of the Appeals Panel. The Academic Dean or Vice Provost will forward the entire file to the Provost's office at the time the appeal is made. The Provost will review the appeal within five (5) Days of receipt of the file, and determine whether to uphold the recommended sanction or to recommend a lesser sanction. The Provost will notify the student, Academic Dean or Vice Provost and Director of Student Conduct, Rights & Advocacy of his/her decision in writing.

H. If the student disagrees with the decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost, he/she may appeal to the Board of Regents by submitting a written statement of appeal to the Academic Dean office within five (5) Days after receipt of the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost’s decision.  The Board will review the file and determine whether to approve, reject, or modify an earlier decision or the consequences recommended or imposed.  The decision of the Board of Regents will be final and the sanction(s) imposed will stand. The Board will inform the Academic Dean or Vice Provost of their decision in writing, and provide these findings and sanctions to the student in writing within five (5) Days following the Board of Regents Meeting. The Academic Dean or Vice Provost shall implement the decision of the Board. 

4. Grounds for appeals

An appeal must meet one or more of the following grounds to be considered:

1. A significant procedural error was made during the disciplinary process, including but not limited to failure to hold an administrative meeting, notice of the alleged violation, and/or no opportunity to present evidence.

2. A sanction was not appropriate to the violation, and/or the sanctions were grossly disproportionate.

3. A finding was not supported by evidence, and/or significant information is presented on appeal that was not available at the time of the hearing or could not have been obtained despite the student’s exercise of reasonable diligence which materially affects the finding sanctions.