As students, faculty, and staff of WSU's College of Business, we take personal responsibility in maintaining and promoting an environment of academic integrity, fostering the principles of fairness, honesty, respect, and responsible academic freedom¹. We will also uphold WSU's campus-wide standards of excellence and integrity². We will not engage in academic dishonesty or tolerate those among us who do.

For faculty and staff, these responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

(a) clarifying expectations for students; (b) helping students develop an appreciation for the importance of ethics and professionalism; (c) applying consistent standards as well as fair and relevant forms of assessment; (d) insisting on excellence while simultaneously treating all individuals with dignity and respect; (e) including and discussing statements in course syllabi regarding academic dishonesty (e.g., plagiarism³ and the extent of allowable collaboration) as it relates to that particular course. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to (a) fabricating data or information; (b) plagiarism; (c) facilitating dishonesty, including not challenging academic dishonesty when it occurs.

For students, these responsibilities include, but are not limited to: (a) the responsibility to clarify any doubt in expectations, either by checking the course syllabus for information about academic dishonesty or by asking the instructor about his or her expectations, particularly concerning collaboration and citation; (b) taking the initiative to prevent others from cheating on exams or assignments (e.g., shielding answer sheets during examinations, not loaning completed assignments to other students). Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to: (a) cheating on examinations by using unauthorized materials or by giving/receiving unauthorized assistance in any form, including talking, copying information from another student, using electronic devices, taking an examination for another student, etc.; (b) unauthorized collaboration on assignments; (c) facilitating dishonesty, including not challenging academic dishonesty when it occurs; (d) plagiarism; (e) giving false information about why a class requirement or scheduled examination was missed; (f) unauthorized multiple submission of the same work; (g) sabotage of others' work; (h) fabricating data, citations or other information for research products; (i) tampering with or falsifying records.

¹ academic freedom is embraced by the College of Business, provided that it does not elevate one's self-interests to the detriment of others.

² as defined by the university's guidelines for faculty, staff, and students, such as the Faculty Manual (www.facsen.wsu.edu/faculty_manual) and the Standards of Conduct for Students (www.studentaffairs.wsu.edu).

³ presenting another person's work as your own without proper acknowledgment of the source. This includes submitting a commercially prepared paper or research project or submitting for academic credit any work done by someone else.

Affirmation Pledge (signed by students upon certification):
As a member of the College of Business community, I pledge to pursue the highest standards of ethical and moral conduct, as stated in the College's Code of Academic Integrity.

Affirmation Statement (signed by students at the end of each exam or project):
I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this academic work.