We know that the standards of academic integrity aren’t always met by members of our community. The Academic Integrity policy provides formal definitions of academic dishonesty and the procedures which faculty must follow to address issues of suspected academic dishonesty. Our Policy and Procedures page has more detail about the procedures. We also have a Guide for Instructors and a Guide for Students, where you can find guidance and important information to help you navigate the Academic Integrity Policy.
Commitment Statement for UMass Amherst Students
As a student at UMass Amherst, I understand that I am part of a community of scholars that is strongly committed to academic integrity, which is defined as completing all academic work without cheating, lying, stealing, or receiving unauthorized assistance from any other person or using any source of information not appropriately authorized or attributed. As a community, we hold each other accountable and support each other’s knowledge and understanding of academic integrity and I am an integral part of that process. As a student, I accept my responsibility to complete all my work with integrity and will follow the Academic Integrity policy in my tenure as a UMass student.
What is Academic Dishonesty?
Academic Dishonesty is the attempt to secure unfair advantage for oneself or another in any academic exercise.
Types of Academic Dishonesty
- Cheating is the intentional or attempted use of trickery, artifice, deception, breach of confidence, fraud, and/or misrepresentation of one’s academic work as well as intentional or attempted use of unauthorized materials, including generative AI tools, assistance, collaboration, information, or study aids in any academic exercise (unless explicitly permitted by instructor).
- Fabrication is the falsification and/or invention of any information or citation in any academic exercise.
- Plagiarism is knowingly representing the words, ideas, art, and/or creative works of another, including generative AI tools, as one's own work in any academic exercise. This includes submitting without citation, in whole or in part, prewritten term papers, research, art, or other creative works by others, including but not limited to commercial vendors who sell or distribute such materials.
- Lying is knowingly providing false information, submitting false documents, or misleading anyone in connection with any academic matter.
- Facilitating dishonesty is knowingly helping or attempting to help another commit an academic integrity infraction, including distributing course materials without permission, manipulating digital technologies with unauthorized course information, substituting for another in an examination, or allowing others to represent as their own one's papers, reports, or academic works.
What are the consequences of academic dishonesty?
Academic Integrity is the foundation of academic work at our institution--violating the Academic Integrity policy has serious consequences. Consequences can range from: resubmitting work; completing additional assignments; grade penalties on assignments, exams, or courses; failure of a course; University Sanctions such as probation, deferred suspension, or suspension.
Instructors lead the process when they suspect a student has violated the academic integrity policy. View our page on Policy & Procedures to learn more about the processes for resolving incidents of academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is harmful to your own education, as it encourages bad habits and limits your opportunities to learn. The best way to avoid consequences is to read the policy and follow it closely.
Academic Honesty Office
The Academic Integrity Office advises all concerned parties (i.e., undergraduate students, graduate students, instructors) about their rights and responsibilities under the Academic Integrity policy. We are housed in the Undergraduate Student Success Center, though we do work with graduate students navigating the policy as students or teaching assistants as well. We remain neutral, as we advise both students and instructors on policy and procedure. As process manager for Academic Integrity, we also maintain records related to Academic Integrity on campus, and coordinate and schedule any hearings related to the policy.
We can provide resources, clarification, and support to anyone navigating the Academic Integrity policy and process. We can answer questions via email, phone, or schedule meetings (phone, Zoom, or in-person).
Contact us at @email or 413-577-6767 with any questions or to schedule a meeting. Please note that we cannot accommodate walk-in meetings at this time.
Check out the Academic Integrity Board page for more information on the board, including how to join!
Looking for a confidential resource? The Ombuds Office is a unique place on campus, where all community members can talk confidentially and “off the record” about any concern, issue, or conflict.