I. Introduction

This document is based on the Cornell University Code of Academic Integrity, but differs from it in several important details. Because participants in the Precollege Studies program are high school students rather than matriculated Cornell students, procedures for adjudicating suspected academic integrity violations by these students involve the Academic Affairs unit of SCE. And, because participants are not considered Cornell “students,” the process does not involve an Academic Integrity Hearing Board nor an appeal process. As a general note, participants in the Precollege Studies program can be referred to as “students” in this and other documents, but this does not signify the status of these participants as Cornell “students.”

If a Program Participant is found guilty of an academic integrity violation by the instructor during the formal hearing, the outcome will be referred to the Precollege Program Director for potential follow-up action, which may include dismissal from the program.

The use of the Precollege Code of Academic Integrity is limited to participants in the Precollege Studies program.

II. Principle

Absolute integrity is expected in all academic undertakings. Integrity entails a firm adherence to a set of values, and the values most essential to an academic community are grounded in the concept of honesty with respect to the intellectual efforts of oneself and others, and free and open inquiry and discussion in the classroom. Academic integrity is expected not only in formal coursework situations, but in all University relationships and interactions connected to the educational process, including the use of Cornell University resources.

The submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work was created solely by the program participant. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the program participant’s academic position truthfully reported at all times. In addition, program participants have a right to expect academic integrity from each of their peers.

III. Guidelines for Program Participants

A. General Responsibilities

  • A program participant shall in no way misrepresent their work.
  • A program participant shall in no way fraudulently or unfairly advance their academic position.
  • A program participant shall refuse to be a party to another student or program participant’s failure to maintain academic integrity.
  • A program participant shall maintain the integrity of the classroom environment and not engage in unauthorized sharing of materials beyond the course environment or record classroom lectures and discussions without the prior written permission of instructors.
  • A program participant shall not in any other manner violate the principle of academic integrity.

B. Examples of Violations

The following actions are examples of activities that violate the Precollege Code of Academic Integrity and subject their actors to proceedings under this Code. This is not a definitive list.

  • Knowingly representing the work of others as one's own.
  • Using, obtaining, or providing unauthorized assistance on examinations, papers, or any other academic work.
  • Fabricating data in support of laboratory or field work.
  • Buying, selling or otherwise distributing course materials, including exams, presentations, photos, transcripts, lecture content and notes, completed assignments such as problem sets, homework, discussion board posts, and student papers, without written authorization from the instructor.
  • Forging a signature to certify completion of a course assignment or a recommendation to graduate school.
  • Unfairly advancing one's academic position by hoarding or damaging library materials.
  • Misrepresenting one's academic accomplishments.

Note: the use of generative AI (GenAI), unless explicitly allowed by the instructor for a given assignment, often falls under examples 1, 2, 3, or 7. The use of translation apps and tools (often AI-aided) also generally falls under these categories. A Cornell transcript implies that the student or program participant has mastered the course material in English and is able to communicate it in English accordingly.

C. Specific Guidelines for Courses

1. Examinations

During in-class examinations no participant may use, give, or receive any assistance or information not given in the examination or by the proctor. No program participant may take an examination for another student or program participant. Between the time a take-home examination is distributed and the time it is submitted by the program participant for grading, the Program Participant may not consult with any persons other than the course professor and teaching assistants regarding the examination. The program participant is responsible for understanding the conditions under which the examination will be taken.

2. Course Assignments

Program participants are encouraged to discuss the content of a course among themselves and to help each other to master it, but no student should receive help in doing a course assignment that is meant to test what they can do without help from others. Representing another’s work as one’s own is plagiarism and a violation of this Code. If materials are taken from published sources the student must clearly and completely cite the source of such materials. Work submitted by a program participant and used by a faculty member in the determination of a grade in a course may not be submitted by that student in a second course, unless such submission is approved in advance by the faculty member in the second course. If a program participant is submitting all or part of the same work simultaneously for the determination of a grade in two or more different courses, all faculty members in the courses involved must approve such submissions.

3. Unauthorized Recording and Classroom Policy

The openness and privacy of classroom discussions is essential to Cornell’s traditions of open inquiry and freedom of learning, which include the right to explore, experiment, try out ideas, debate, and change one’s mind in the relative openness and safety of the classroom environment. Program participants are not permitted to record classroom lectures and discussions, in whole or in part, or related instructional spaces like laboratories or studios, without the prior written permission of instructors. Where such permission is given (for example, to support accommodations or second language learners) or where recordings or other materials are made available to all students and program participants by instructors, program participants may not share content created by the instructor, TA, or other students (lectures or lecture slides, photos, assignments or presentations, class discussions or discussion board postings, etc.) either within or beyond the course environment without prior instructor permission. Note that unauthorized sharing of classroom materials may also violate other university policies — for example, the University’s Anti-Doxxing Policy or the Precollege Code of Conduct.

In addition, program participants are not authorized to replicate, reproduce, copy, or transmit lectures and course materials, or materials derived from the course including class notes that incorporate the original content in new ways, for sale or general distribution to others without the written consent of the faculty or academic staff member or class participant who is the original source of such materials.

4. Classroom Misconduct and Other Behavior Disruptive to the Educational Process

A faculty member may impose a grade penalty for any misconduct. Examples of classroom misconduct include, but are not limited to, talking during an examination, bringing unauthorized materials into the examination room, using unauthorized electronic technology during an examination, and disruptive behavior in the classroom.

  • The faculty member must promptly notify the program participant of the reason for the imposition of a penalty for classroom misconduct and the degree to which their grade will be affected.
  • Classroom misconduct is not a violation of academic integrity.
  • This section does not limit a faculty member’s prerogative to remove a disruptive program participant from a classroom under appropriate circumstances.

D. Principles for Computer Use and Network Systems

The use of computers and network systems in no way exempts program participants from the normal requirements of ethical behavior in the Cornell University community. Use of a computer and network system that is shared by many users imposes certain additional obligations. In particular, data, software and computer capacity have value and must be treated accordingly. Although some rules are built into computer and network systems, such restrictions cannot limit completely what program participants can do. Program participants are responsible for their actions whether or not rules are built in, and whether or not they can circumvent them.

Standards of behavior include:

  • Respect for the privacy of other users’ information, even when that information is not securely protected.
  • Respect for the ownership of proprietary software. For example, unauthorized copies of such software for one’s own use, even when that software is not protected against copying, is inappropriate.
  • Respect for the finite capacity of the system and limitation of use so as not to interfere unreasonably with the activity of other users.
  • Respect for the procedures established to manage the use of the system.

E. Variances

Faculty members are responsible for informing their students, program participants, and teaching assistants of variances from this Code that apply to work in their course. These variances should be clearly stated in writing at the beginning of the course or activity to which they apply.

IV. Procedures for Addressing Violations

A. Reporting

Program participants and staff members discovering an apparent violation should report the matter to the faculty member in charge of the course.

B. Informal Discussion with Student

If an instructor suspects violation of academic integrity, they are to collect as much objective evidence as possible to determine whether to proceed with a formal hearing. The evidence should be, according to Cornell University standards, “clear and convincing”, which is a step below “beyond a reasonable doubt.” The instructor may have an initial informal discussion with the student about their work, e.g., to inquire how they came up with ideas or topics, what process they used in composing their work, ask the student to elaborate on their understanding of the concepts, and make other inquiries that may shed light on any irregularities in the work that is suspected of violating academic integrity standards. If the program participant does not respond to repeated attempts to arrange an informal discussion, the instructor may proceed with scheduling the formal hearing.

C. Formal Hearing

1. Notification

If, after investigation, possibly including informal discussion with the program participant, the faculty member believes that a student has violated the Precollege Code of Academic Integrity, the faculty member shall present the program participant with the charge in writing. The charge shall include notification of a formal hearing to be held as soon as practical after the alleged infraction has come to the attention of the faculty member.

2. Holding the Hearing and its Composition

Formal hearings are to be held by the faculty member. At the hearing, the following shall be present: the faculty member concerned, the program participant in question, and the Precollege Studies Program Director or designee as a witness to the hearing on behalf of the School of Continuing Education. The Program Participant may also bring to the hearing an advisor and additional witnesses to testify to any additional relevant evidence.

If a case involves more than three program participants, the instructor may delegate the instructor’s role in one or more formal hearings to another tenured, tenure-track, emeritus, or RTE faculty member. Any formal hearing with the instructor not present must be recorded. The instructor retains responsibility for ruling on each case and therefore may wish to engage with a program participant from whose formal hearing the instructor was absent. If such engagement takes place, it will be treated as part of the hearing.

3. Procedure

  • At the formal hearing, the faculty member shall present evidence in support of the charge against the program participant. The program participant shall be given the opportunity to respond and, if they wish, to present evidence refuting the charge.
  • The function of the Precollege representative is to observe the proceedings impartially, to advise participants as to the procedures, and to notify the Precollege Studies Program Director and the School of Continuing Education as to the case and its outcome.
  • The student’s advisor may assist the student in the presentation and questioning.
  • Any witnesses will be given the opportunity to present any relevant evidence.
  • After hearing the program participant and any witnesses, the faculty member may either dismiss the charge or, if there is clear and convincing evidence that the program participant has violated this Code, find the program participant guilty. (“Clear and convincing” as a standard of proof refers to a quantum of evidence beyond a mere preponderance but below that characterized as “beyond a reasonable doubt” and such that it will produce in the mind of the trier of fact a firm belief as to the facts sought to be established.) If the program participant is found guilty, the faculty member may impose any suitable grade penalty including failure in the course.
  • Program participants cannot appeal the decision of the faculty member in cases of academic integrity.
  • In cases of a penalty imposed for a violation of academic integrity, the SCE witness shall immediately report this action and the nature of the violation to the Precollege Program Director. In cases in which the penalty imposed is failure in the course, the Director will dismiss the student from the program unless they are concurrently enrolled in another course.
  • If the program participant fails to attend the formal hearing without a compelling excuse, the hearing may proceed in their absence.
  • A program participant charged with violating the Precollege Code of Academic Integrity in a course may not drop that course without the consent of the instructor unless the Program Participant has subsequently been cleared of the charges.
  • If the program participant is found not guilty at the Formal Hearing, they shall be notified by the instructor in writing. No other permanent record of the Hearing will be kept by SCE.

V. Note Regarding FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. Further details may be found in Cornell Policy 4.5 Access to Student Information (https://policy.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/vol4_5.pdf).

Unless otherwise indicated in writing by the student at the time of course registration, or thereafter, the university will presume that a student participant in the Cornell University Precollege Studies Program is a dependent as that term is defined in the Internal Revenue Code. Students who are not financially dependent and do not wish to permit their parents or legal guardians access to their education records should advise the School of Continuing Education in writing and provide evidence of financial independence. For the purposes of the Cornell University Precollege Studies Program, staff from the School of Continuing Education withhold the right to disclose any and all information to students’ parents or legal guardians regarding their education record, including but not limited to grades, class attendance/participation, issues of academic integrity, petitions or withdrawals, any violations of this Code or other regulations or rules, and any information related to physical or mental health wellbeing.