Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person’s work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful.

Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to the following:

  • Use of materials from another author without citation or attribution.
  • Use of verbatim materials from another author without citation or attribution.
  • Extensive use of materials from past assignments without permission of your instructor.
  • Extensive use of materials from assignments in other classes without permission of your instructor.
  • Fabricating information in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
  • Fabricating sources in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
  • Fabricating quotes in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
  • Lack of full disclosure or permission from editors when controversial reportorial techniques, such as going undercover to get news, are used.

When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or collaboration, consult with your instructor. For closed-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes conferring with other class members, copying or reading someone else’s test and using notes and materials without prior permission of the instructor. For open-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes copying or reading someone else’s work.

Classroom Misconduct

Classroom misconduct includes forgery of class attendance; obstruction or disruption of teaching, including late arrival or early departure; failure to turn off cellular telephones leading to disruption of teaching; playing games or surfing the Internet on laptop computers unless instructed to do so; physical abuse or safety threats; theft; property damage; disruptive, lewd or obscene conduct; abuse of computer time; repeated failure to attend class when attendance is required; and repeated failure to participate or respond in class when class participation is required.

IMPORTANT: Entering a classroom late or leaving a classroom before the end of the period can be extremely disruptive behavior. Students are asked to arrive for class on time and to avoid early departures. This is particularly true of large lectures, where late arrivals and early departures can be most disruptive. Instructors have the right to deny students access to the classroom if they arrive late and have the right to dismiss a student from the class for early departures that result in disruptions.

Under MU policy, your instructor has the right to ask for your removal from the course for misconduct, disruptive behavior or excessive absences. The instructor then has the right to issue a grade of withdraw, withdraw failing or F. The instructor alone is responsible for assigning the grade in such circumstances.

Dishonesty and Misconduct Reporting Procedures

MU faculty are required to report all instances of academic or classroom misconduct to the appropriate campus officials. Allegations of classroom misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU’s Vice Chancellor for Student Services. Allegations of academic misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU’s Office of the Provost. In cases of academic misconduct, the student will receive at least a zero for the assignment in question.

Professional Standards and Ethics

The School of Journalism is committed to the highest standards of academic and professional ethics and expects its students to adhere to those standards. Students should be familiar with the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists and adhere to its restrictions. Students are expected to observe strict honesty in academic programs and as representatives of school-related media. Should any student be guilty of plagiarism, falsification, misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty in any assigned work, that student may be subject to a failing grade from the instructor and such disciplinary action as may be necessary under University regulations.

Audio and Video Recordings of Classes

Students may make audio or video recordings of course activity for personal use and review unless specifically prohibited by the faculty member in charge of the class. However, to foster a safe learning environment in which various viewpoints are respected, the redistribution of audio or video recordings or transcripts thereof is prohibited without the written permission of the faculty member in charge of the class and the permission of all students who are recorded. (Collected Rules and Regulations, University of Missouri, Sect. 200.015, Academic Inquiry, Course Discussion and Privacy)

University of Missouri-Columbia Notice of Nondiscrimination

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution and is nondiscriminatory relative to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. Any person having inquiries concerning the University of Missouri-Columbia’s compliance with implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, or other civil rights laws should contact the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resource Services, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1095 Virginia Ave., Room 101, Columbia, Mo. 65211, (573) 882-4256, or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.

Accommodations

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need assistance, please notify me immediately. The school will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your special needs. Students are excused for recognized religious holidays. Please let me know in advance if you have a conflict.

ADA Compliance

If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and need assistance, please notify the Office of Disability Services, S5 Memorial Union, 882-4696, or the course instructor immediately.  Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.

Religious Holidays

Students are excused for recognized religious holidays. Let your instructor know in advance if you have a conflict.

Intellectual Pluralism

The University community welcomes intellectual diversity and respects student rights. Students who have questions concerning the quality of instruction in this class may address concerns to either the Departmental Chair or Divisional leader or Director of the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/). All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.

Columbia Missourian, Vox, KOMU and KBIA Policy on Fairness and Diversity

The Columbia Missourian, KOMU, Vox and KBIA are dedicated to full and fair coverage of the news, whether international, national, regional or loca. Our intent is to report the news without bias, without favor, without intimidation and without callous disregard for the impact of our reporting.

In keeping with those goals, the Missourian, Vox, KOMU and KBIA recognize that, in a democratic society, all segments of the population should have the opportunity to hbe heard. It is our intention to provide a forum for the views of the oppressed as well as the favored, for minorities as well as the majority.

To do so, we shall:

  • Avoid stereotyping in our news reports. Reporting that is racist or sexist in face or connotation will not be allowed. Reporting that demeans others–the elderly or the disabled, for example–will similarly be banned. Editors and reporters will be reminded of this policy frequently, and internal monitoring mechanisms will be implemented to ensure compliance with this directive.
  • Report race, sex, religion or age only when pertinent. No mention should be made of a person’s race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or age unless it is germane to a story. If a suspect is arrested, it is not necessary to identify him or her by these characteristics. If the police issue a description of a suspect still at large, and the description is detailed enough that someone could make an identification from it, it may be appropriate to include racial or other identification.
  • Aggressively cover news of and about minority groups. We recognize that the majority has little trouble disseminating its views and positions. Minorities may not be in a similar position. With that in mind, we are committed to covering minorities as fully and extensively as our resources allow. This will include active efforts to develop a variety of new sources among minorities.
  • Monitor and evaluate coverage of minorities on a regular basis.

We recognize that to do these things well we must first create an atmosphere in our own newsrooms in which a variety of views, including divergent ones, is encouraged.

We shall do so within the context of our significant public service roles, which demand clear and concise communication.
Toward that end, we shall:

  • Regularly and systematically solicit the opinion of those staff members who are minorities. We are fortunate to hage reporters and editors of different sexes, sexual orientation, races, religions, age and political beliefs. We encourage discussion of differing views of and approaches to the coverage of news.
  • Encourage non-American staff, faculty and students to share with us their views of the American media and the media system in their own nationals, The Missourian, Vox, KOMU and KBIA are fortunate to have journalists who are born in other countries and may have perspectives different from those of Americans. We are committed to an exchange of ideas and cultural heritage that will be mutually beneficial. It is our intention to make international students feel comfortable and welcome in our midst.
  • Eliminate nationalistic, racist, sexist and other demeaning remarks in our newsrooms. We recognize that ethnic, sexist and other insensitive remakrts can be damaging to the environment in which we work. We are committed to eradicating all such remarks, whether said in seriousness or jest, from the workplace.
  • Attempt to fill staff and media assistant positions with qualified women and minorities. We recognize the importance of the perspective such applicants can offer if hired in positions of responsibility in our newsrooms.
  • Avoid assigning minority students only to stories about minority issues.
  • Attempt to provide all students with realistic professional experiences within the capabilities of our media operations. In the broadcast newsrooms, we recognize that the news directors responsible for the sound of air work during local newscasts.

We recognize that not every student working in broadcast outlets will necessarily appear on air. But we pledge to make sure that each student is given ample opportunity to audition for on-air work. Periodic airchecks will continue throughout the student’s time in the newsroom. Criteria for air work will include clarity of diction; enunciation and elocution; well-modulated pitch and tone; lack of lisp, hiss, stutter, thickly accented speech or distracting mannerisms; correct inflection; and interpretation of delivery. The news director will provide ample opportunity for auditions and air checks. At all newsrooms we will offer help to international students as they overcome problems of language and culture.

Class Netiquette

Your instructor and fellow students wish to foster a safe on-line learning environment. All opinions and experiences, no matter how different or controversial they may be perceived, must be respected in the tolerant spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to comment, question, or critique an idea but you are not to attack an individual.

Our differences, some of which are outlined in the University’s nondiscrimination statement, will add richness to this learning experience. Please consider that sarcasm and humor can be misconstrued in online interactions and generate unintended disruptions. Working as a community of learners, we can build a polite and respectful course ambience.

All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.