Missouri S&T's mission is to integrate education and research to create and convey knowledge to solve problems for our State and the technological world. Each student and alumni are part of that mission. S&T students and graduates are expected to solve these problems in morally responsible and transparent ways that don't tarnish the reputation of the institution or diminish the value of an S&T degree.

Each student, instructor, and staff member share responsibility for academic integrity at Missouri S&T. Learn more about academic integrity and your responsibility as a student below.

Standard of Conduct: University of Missouri CRR 200.010 Standard of Conduct

Missouri S&T Honor Code

The Honor Code of the Missouri S&T Student Body, as approved in the Constitution of the Missouri S&T Student Council. *The student honor code was approved by the Missouri S&T Student Council in 2012; it has not necessarily been reviewed or approved by the UM Board of Curators or by the University of Missouri General Counsel.

How do I report an incident I believe may violate the Academic Standard of Conduct?

To report a potential violation of the Academic Standard of Conduct by a student or student organization, please email Graduate Education at grad@mst.edu.  

 

I received a meeting request from Graduate Education, now what? What does this mean?

If Graduate Education receives a report that an academic dishonesty violation may have occurred, it is our first step to speak with you to get your personal insight regarding the incident. This letter will come to your Missouri S&T email account via Maxient, our online software. The first thing you should do is review the letter in its entirety. Some important things to look for are:

The date and a brief summary of the incident

The date, time, and location of your meeting. This time is scheduled by consulting your academic schedule

Support and accommodation resources

Once you have reviewed the letter, it is very important that you reply to the notice within two business day to confirm your meeting or request a new meeting time if a conflict arises.

 

How do I access the letter I was sent?

Most correspondence for conduct related matters will be sent to you via Maxient, our secure management platform. To ensure your privacy, all letters are secured and require you to input your Missouri S&T student ID number. If you have issues accessing your letter or wish to confirm its legitimacy, please contact the Graduate Education office by phone 573-341-4141 or email grad@mst.edu.

 

What should I expect during the meeting?

A member of the Graduate Education office will explain the alleged incident to you and allow you to provide your personal experience during the incident. The meeting will also help you to understand the violation(s) of the Standard of Conduct, should there be any, and how those actions may impact you and the community. They will discuss with you what to expect with the process moving forward.

 

Can I bring someone to the meeting with me?

Yes! You are permitted to bring someone with you to serve as an advisor. The role of the advisor is outlined in CRR 200.020.10.

If you wish to bring someone to your meeting, complete an Authorized Release of Information which is attached your letter at least one business day prior to your meeting.

 

What are the types of Academic Dishonesty?

Cheating includes the use, dependence upon or possession of unauthorized materials in class- or homework, or quizzes, tests or examinations. 

Plagiarism is the use of another person's work or ideas without proper citation, whether by paraphrase or direct quotation. Go here for some specific examples of plagiarized passages and how they could be corrected. Plagiarism includes unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. It is also the unacknowledged use of original work that has been produced through collaboration with others without release in writing from collaborators.

Sabotage is interfering with, modifying, or destroying the work or intellectual property of another member of the University without permission.

Unauthorized use of artificially generated content, includes, but is not limited to (i) use of artificial intelligence tools or other tools that generate artificial content in taking quizzes, tests, examinations, or other assessments without permission from the instructor; (ii) submitting work for evaluation as one’s own that was produced in material or substantial part through use of artificial intelligence tools or other tools that generate artificial content without permission from the instructor; (iii) using artificial intelligence tools or other tools that generate artificial content in a manner contrary to instructions from the instructor; or (iv) using artificial intelligence tools or other tools that generate artificial content in a manner that violates any other provision of these rules concerning academic dishonesty. Use of commonly available tools such as spelling or grammar checking software or features of software that propose anticipated words or phrases while text is being written will not be considered unauthorized use of artificially generated content unless such use is contrary to instructions from the instructor.

 

What is an informal disposition?

After Graduate Education has completed its investigation and has met with you, we generally will offer an informal disposition. The informal disposition includes:

A summary of the violation

A summary of the facts discovered in the investigation

Proposed resolution and developmental outcomes

An allotted timeframe to accept or reject the informal disposition

Should the informal disposition be accepted, all proposed outcomes will go into effect. If rejected, the student will meet with the Vice Provost or designee to discuss the formal hearing process. If the student does not reply to the informal disposition within ten days, the informal disposition automatically goes into effect as well as the proposed outcomes.

 

What happens if I don’t attend the meeting?

It is always our hope to gain your personal perspective of the incident and to have educational and developmental conversations with you that may assist you in your future coursework. Should you choose not to attend meetings with Graduate Education, a finding may be made in your absence based upon the information available to the Primary Academic Officer.

 

What does it take for you to find me guilty?

First, it is important to note that the academic conduct process is meant to be educational and developmental in nature, not comparable to or resembling a legal process. As such, you won’t hear terminology like verdict, guilty, trial, plaintiff, accused, etc. Instead, you will hear terms like “responsible,” “not responsible,” “academic conduct meeting,” or “hearing.” If you are unsure about certain terms, reach out to the person outlined in your meeting request letter or informal disposition.

All determinations in the conduct process are made based upon the preponderance of the evidence standard. Meaning, whether it is “more likely than not” that there is a violation of the Standard of Conduct.

 

What if I can’t complete the items in my informal disposition on time?

Communication is always the key. We can’t work with you if we don’t know there is an issue. While an extension is not a guarantee, we can work with you to develop a plan for completing the requirements.

Overdue requirements often result in a hold being placed on your student account preventing future course registrations.

 

Why is there a hold on my account?

Generally, Graduate Education will place a hold on your student account when you have outstanding requirements from an academic dishonesty matter. This hold will prevent you from registering for classes.

If you have a hold, consult your informal disposition to determine what requirements you need to complete or contact the Graduate Education office.

 

How are my records handled?

All relevant conduct records are protected under FERPA. We generally will not release your academic dishonesty records to other parties without your express consent.

 

What if my question wasn’t answered here?

If you have other questions, please contact Graduate Education via phone at 573-341-4141 or email grad@mst.edu.

Myth: Working with others isn't considered cheating

Fact: Not always, but it depends.

Assume that your academic work should be done independently unless told otherwise by your instructor. Always check with the instructor if you are not sure and acknowledge those who help you on an assignment.

 

Myth: Using old exams to study or prepare for a test isn't cheating.

Fact: You can't use old exams in preparing for or taking a test if it was not explicitly authorized by your instructor. If you come across some old exams for your particular course, ask your instructor if you can use them to study.

 

Myth: Copying ideas, copying words or paraphrasing from the Web isn't plagiarism.

Fact: Copying or using someone else's ideas or works without citation is always plagiarism, even if you've paraphrased.

If you use the Internet or any source in completing a class assignment, you should cite that source within the document and at the end in your references. Get into this habit even if it is not specifically stated by the instructor.

 

Myth: If my instructor didn't say I couldn't do it, then I can.

Fact: S&T instructors won't verbalize every unauthorized behavior. You're expected to know some of the basics of academic honesty yourself, such as:

• Cite your sources
• Complete in-class tests and take-home tests independently
• Complete your own homework assignments

 

If in doubt, produce independent work unless you are told otherwise, or ask your instructor for guidance.