UB - University at Buffalo, The State University of New York

Academic Integrity

The academic degrees and the research findings produced by our Department are worth no more than the integrity of the process by which they are gained. If we do not maintain reliably high standards of ethics and integrity in our work and our relationships, we have nothing of value to offer one another or to offer the larger community outside this Department, whether potential employers or fellow scholars.

For this reason, the principles of academic integrity have priority over every other consideration in every aspect of our departmental life, and we will defend these principles vigorously. It is essential that every student be fully aware of these principles, what the procedures are by which possible violations are investigated and adjudicated, and what the punishments for these violations are. Wherever they are suspected, potential violations will be investigated, and determinations of fact sought. In short, breaches of academic integrity will not be tolerated.

University Statements on Academic Integrity

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering endorses and adheres to the University policy on academic integrity. Students should be familiar with that policy, as formulated in:

• UB Academic Integrity site
• Graduate School Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures
• UB Undergraduate Catalog statement on Academic Integrity

Departmental Statement on Academic Integrity in Coding Assignments and Projects

The following statement further describes the specific application of these general principles to a common context in the CSE Department environment, the production of source code for project and homework assignments. It should be thoroughly understood before undertaking any cooperative activities or using any other sources in such contexts.

All academic work must be your own. Plagiarism, defined as copying or receiving materials from a source or sources and submitting this material as one's own without acknowledging the particular debts to the source (quotations, paraphrases, basic ideas), or otherwise representing the work of another as one's own, is never allowed. Collaboration, usually evidenced by unjustifiable similarity, is never permitted in individual assignments. Any submitted academic work may be subject to screening by software programs designed to detect evidence of plagiarism or collaboration.

It is your responsibility to maintain the security of your computer accounts and your written work. Do not share passwords with anyone, nor write your password down where it may be seen by others. Do not change permissions to allow others to read your course directories and files. Do not walk away from a workstation without logging out. These are your responsibilities. In groups that collaborate inappropriately, it may be impossible to determine who has offered work to others in the group, who has received work, and who may have inadvertently made their work available to the others by failure to maintain adequate personal security. In such cases, all will be held equally liable.

These policies and interpretations may be augmented by individual instructors for their courses. Always check the handouts and web pages of your course and section for additional guidelines.

Departmental Policy on Violations of Academic Integrity

Any student accused of a violation of academic integrity will be so notified by the course director. An informal review will be conducted, including a meeting between these parties. After this review and upon determination that a violation has occurred, the following sanctions will be imposed. It is the policy of this department that any violation of academic integrity will result in an F for the course, that all departmental financial support including teaching assistanceship, research assistanceship or scholarships be terminated, that notification of this action be placed in the student's confidential departmental record, and that the student be permanently ineligible for future departmental financial support. A second violation of academic integrity will cause the department to seek permanent dismissal from the major and bar from enrollment in any departmental courses. Especially flagrant violations will be considered under formal review proceedings, which may in addition to the above sanctions result in expulsion from the University.