Campuswide notes and policies

Academic honesty

Academic integrity is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person’s work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful.

The academic community regards breaches of the academic integrity rules as extremely serious matters. Sanctions for such a breach may include academic sanctions from the instructor, including failing the course for any violation, to disciplinary sanctions ranging from probation to expulsion. When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting, collaboration, or any other form of cheating, consult the course instructor.

Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to the following:

• Use of materials from another author without citation or attribution.

• Extensive use of materials from past assignments without permission of your instructor.

• Extensive use of materials from assignments in other classes without permission of your instructor.

• Extensive use of materials from work in a University media organization or external media organization without permission of your instructor.

• Fabricating information in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.

• Fabricating sources in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.

• Fabricating quotes in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.

• Lack of full disclosure or permission from editors when controversial reportorial techniques, such as going undercover to get news, are used.

When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or collaboration, consult with your instructor. For closed-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes conferring with other class members, copying or reading someone else’s test and using notes and materials without prior permission of the instructor. For open-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes copying or reading someone else’s work.

Classroom Misconduct

Classroom misconduct includes forgery of class attendance; obstruction or disruption of teaching, including late arrival or early departure; failure to turn off cellular telephones leading to disruption of teaching; playing games or surfing the Internet on laptop computers unless instructed to do so; physical abuse or safety threats; theft; property damage; disruptive, lewd or obscene conduct; abuse of computer time; repeated failure to attend class when attendance is required; and repeated failure to participate or respond in class when class participation is required.

IMPORTANT: Entering a classroom late or leaving a classroom before the end of the period can be extremely disruptive behavior. Students are asked to arrive for class on time and to avoid early departures. This is particularly true of large lectures, where late arrivals and early departures can be most disruptive. Instructors have the right to deny students access to the classroom if they arrive late and have the right to dismiss a student from the class for early departures that result in disruptions.
Under MU policy, your instructor has the right to ask for your removal from the course for misconduct, disruptive behavior or excessive absences. The instructor then has the right to issue a grade of withdraw, withdraw failing or F. The instructor alone is responsible for assigning the grade in such circumstances.

Dishonesty and Misconduct Reporting Procedures

MU faculty are required to report all instances of academic or classroom misconduct to the appropriate campus officials. Allegations of classroom misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Allegations of academic misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU’s Office of the Provost. In cases of academic misconduct, the student will receive at least a zero for the assignment in question.

Professional Standards and Ethics

The School of Journalism is committed to the highest standards of academic and professional ethics and expects its students to adhere to those standards. Students should be familiar with the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists and adhere to its restrictions. Students are expected to observe strict honesty in academic programs and as representatives of school-related media. Should any student be guilty of plagiarism, falsification, misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty in any assigned work, that student may be subject to a failing grade from the instructor and such disciplinary action as may be necessary under University regulations.

Intellectual Pluralism

The University community welcomes intellectual diversity and respects student rights. Students who have questions or concerns regarding the atmosphere in this class (including respect for diverse opinions) may contact your Faculty Chair or the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies; the Director of the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/); or the MU Equity Office (http://equity.missouri.edu/), or by email at equity@missouri.edu. All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course. Academic Inquiry, Course Discussion and Privacy (with regard to audio and or video recording of class)

University of Missouri System Executive Order No. 38 lays out principles regarding the sanctity of classroom discussions at the university. The policy is described fully in Section 200.015 of the Collected Rules and Regulations. In this class, students may make audio or video recordings of course activity unless specifically prohibited by the faculty member. However, the redistribution of audio or video recordings of statements or comments from the course to individuals who are not students in the course is prohibited without the express permission of the faculty member and of any students who are recorded. Students found to have violated this policy are subject to discipline in accordance with provisions of Section 200.020 of the Collected Rules and Regulations of the University of Missouri pertaining to student conduct matters.

University of Missouri-Columbia Notice of Nondiscrimination

The University of Missouri does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability or status as a protected veteran.

**Title IX **

Mizzou policies and federal law prohibit all forms of sex discrimination in education, including discrimination on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and pregnancy. Discrimination includes any form of unequal treatment such as denial of opportunities, harassment, and violence. Sex-based violence includes rape, sexual assault, unwanted touching, stalking, dating/interpersonal violence, and sexual exploitation.

Because we care about our community, Mizzou employees are required to report all incidents of sex discrimination to the Title IX Office. The Title IX Office connects students with resources and helps them decide whether they wish to file a complaint of discrimination. The Title IX Office also provides accommodations to students who need help with academics, housing or other issues. To learn more, contact title9@missouri.edu or (573) 882-3880, or go to www.title9.missouri.edu. Students may also contact the Relationship & Sexual Violence Prevention (RSVP) Center at rsvp@missouri.edu or (573) 882-6638, or go to www.rsvp.missouri.edu.

Students with Disabilities

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need to make arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please let me know as soon as possible. If disability related accommodations are necessary (for example, a note taker, extended time on exams, captioning), please register with the MU Disability Center, S5 Memorial Union, 573-882-4696, and then notify me of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations.

Religious Observance

It is the policy of the University of Missouri-Columbia to respect the diversity of our students. Students may want to observe religious holidays and days of special commemoration. Faculty members are encouraged to excuse students who have a conflict with a class period, test or activity because of these obligations. An interfaith calendar of primary sacred times for world religions is available at: www.interfaithcalendar.org.