Intellectual Honesty/Academic Integrity
As members of an academic community, faculty bear the responsibility to participate in scholarly discourse and research in a manner characterized by intellectual honesty and scholarly integrity. Collaborative scholarship requires the study of other scholars' work, the free discussion of such work, and the explicit acknowledgement of those ideas in any work that informs a faculty member’s own work. This exchange of ideas relies upon a mutual trust that sources, opinions, facts, and insights of faculty members in their teaching, scholarship, and service will be properly noted and carefully credited. Any breach of this intellectual responsibility is a breach of faith with the entire CHSU’s academic community. It undermines CHSU’s shared intellectual culture, and will not be tolerated. Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Knowingly furnishing false, falsified, or forged information to any member of the University community, such as falsification or misuse of documents, accounts, records, identification, or financial instruments;
- Acts of academic dishonesty, as defined in the University’s General Catalog;
- Plagiarism defined as the copying of words, facts, or ideas, belonging to another individual, without proper acknowledgment.
Use of Course Materials Developed by CHSU Faculty
Course materials – including but not limited to syllabi, lecture slides, assessments, handouts, and digital content – developed by faculty members in the course of their employment at CHSU are considered institutional resources. These materials are available for use by all CHSU faculty while employed by the University, provided such use supports the educational mission of CHSU. However, the course materials may not be used outside of CHSU without written permission from the original author and/or appropriate University authority. Upon separation from CHSU, faculty may not retain or use course materials developed by others unless explicitly authorized by the original author and the University.
Clarification Regarding Plagiarism
This policy does not contradict CHSU’s definition of plagiarism, which is: “the copying of words, facts, or ideas, belonging to another individual, without proper acknowledgement. Failure to reference any such material used is both ethically and legally improper.” The use of course materials within CHSU is explicitly permitted under this policy and is not considered unethical or improper when used for instructional purposes by CHSU faculty, Use of these materials by other CHSU faculty members does not constitute plagiarism or violate CHSU’s academic integrity policies, provided that the materials are used within the scope of University-sanctioned teaching activities. Although internal instructional use does not require formal citation, Failure to reference any such material used is both ethically and legally improper.