University Policies

University Policies

University of Louisville policies are in addition to, or supercede, unit policies. These policies can be found at: louisville.edu/dos/students/studentpoliciesandprocedures/student-handbook

Code of Student Conduct

The Code of Student Conduct is the University's policy regarding non-academic misconduct and discipline of students. The primary purpose for the imposition of non-academic discipline in the university campus setting is to preserve and protect a quality educational environment.

The Code of Student Conduct is published at louisville.edu/dos/students/codeofconduct and through the Dean of Students Office, Student Activities Center, Room W301.

If you have any questions or would like information pertaining to reporting an alleged incident of non-academic misconduct, please contact the Dean of Students Office at (502) 852-5787.

Code of Student Rights

Purpose
The Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities is set forth in writing in order to give students general notice of certain of their rights and responsibilities at the University of Louisville. Further rights and responsibilities are set forth in other University rules and policies, including the Code of Student Conduct, Residence Hall contracts, and academic unit bulletins. It is the students’ responsibility to be aware of all University rules and policies; students should check with the Office for Student Life and with their academic units if they have any questions about the purposes or intent of these policies.

The University is a public educational institution for adults rather than a custodial institution. Consistent with the role of the University to educate its students and to stimulate student autonomy and independence, University regulation and supervision of student life on and off campus is limited. The University does not assume responsibility or liability for the conduct of its students; responsibility and liability for student conduct rests with the student as inherent attributes of his or her adult status, concurrently with the student’s freedom of choice regarding his or her presence at the University and his or her own conduct and associations.

Definitions
When used in this Code:

The term “academic dishonesty” means obtaining or seeking to obtain an unfair academic advantage for oneself or for any other student; it includes lying, cheating, stealing, or engaging in otherwise dishonest conduct in the course of or related to any academic exercise.

The term “academic exercise” means a test, quiz, examination, speech, presentation, paper, field or laboratory work, or any other academic activity on which a student is evaluated.

The term “group” means a number of persons who are associated with each other and who have not complied with the University requirements for recognition as an organization.

The term “organization” means a number of persons who are associated with each other and who have complied with the University requirements for recognition.

The term “student” means any person taking courses at the University, either full time or part time, pursuing undergraduate, graduate or extension studies on a regular quarter, semester, or summer term basis.

The term “student broadcast” means oral material published on a student operated radio or television station.

The term “student press” means either a student publication or a student broadcast.

The term “student publication” means written material published by a student organization.

The term “teacher” means any person hired by the University to conduct classroom activities. In certain situations, a person may be both “student” and “teacher.” Determination of the person’s status in a particular situation shall be determined by the surrounding circumstances.

The term “University” means the University of Louisville and, collectively, those responsible for its control and operation.

Admission and Financial Aid
All applicants for admission and financial aid to the University shall be considered without regard for race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap not affecting qualification, or political beliefs.

Classroom Rights and Responsibilities
A student shall be evaluated on demonstrated knowledge and academic performance, and not on the basis of personal or political beliefs or on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or handicap not affecting academic performance.

A student has freedom of inquiry, of legitimate classroom discussion, and of free expression of his or her opinion, subject to the teacher’s responsibilities to maintain order and to complete the course requirements.

A student is responsible for fulfilling the stated requirements of all courses in which he or she is enrolled.

A student has the right:

To be informed in reasonable detail at the first or second class meeting about the nature of the course and to expect the course to correspond generally to its description in the appropriate University catalog or bulletin;
To be informed in writing and in reasonable detail at the first or second class meeting of course requirements and assignments;
To be informed in writing and in reasonable detail at the first or second class meeting of standards and methods used in evaluating the student’s academic performance;
To be informed in writing of any necessary changes in assignments, requirements, or methods of grading during the semester with the reasons for such changes.

A student has the right to confidentiality in the student/teacher relationship regarding the student’s personal or political beliefs. Disclosures of a student’s personal or political beliefs, expressed in writing or in private conversation, shall not be made public without explicit permission of the student.

Charges of violations of these classroom rights and responsibilities shall be handled through the appropriate academic unit level procedures.

Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty is prohibited at the University of Louisville. It is a serious offense because it diminishes the quality of scholarship, makes accurate evaluation of student progress impossible, and defrauds those in society who must ultimately depend upon the knowledge and integrity of the institution and its students and faculty.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following:

Cheating

Using or attempting to use books, notes, study aids, calculators, or any other documents, devices, or information in any academic exercise without prior authorization by the teacher.
Copying or attempting to copy from another person’s paper, report, laboratory work, computer program, or other work material in any academic exercise.
Procuring or using tests or examinations, or any other information regarding the content of a test or examination, before the scheduled exercise without prior authorization by the teacher.
Unauthorized communication during any academic exercise.
Discussing the contents of tests or examinations with students who have not yet taken the tests or examinations if the instructor has forbidden such discussion.
Sending a substitute to take one’s examination, test, or quiz, or to perform one’s field or laboratory work; acting as a substitute for another student at any examination, test, or quiz, or at a field or laboratory work assignment.
Conducting research or preparing work for another student, or allowing others to conduct one’s research or prepare one’s work, without prior authorization by the teacher. Except when otherwise explicitly stated by the teacher, examination questions shall become public after they have been given

Fabrication

Inventing or making up data, research results, information, or procedures, such as:
Inventing or making up data, research results, information, or procedures.
Inventing a record of any portion thereof regarding internship, clinical, or practicum experience.

Falsification

Altering or falsifying information, such as:
Changing grade reports or other academic records.
Altering the record of experimental procedures, data, or results.
Altering the record of or reporting false information about internship, clinical, or practicum experiences.
Forging someone’s signature or identification on an academic record.
Altering a returned examination paper in order to claim that the examination was graded erroneously.
Falsely citing a source of information.

Multiple Submission

The submission of substantial portions of the same academic work, including oral reports, for credit more than once without prior authorization by the teacher involved.

Plagiarism

Representing the words or ideas of someone else as one’s own in any academic exercise, such as:
Submitting as one’s own a paper written by another person or by a commercial “ghost writing” service,
Exactly reproducing someone else’s words without identifying the words with quotation marks or by appropriate indentation, or without properly citing the quotation in a footnote or reference.
Paraphrasing or summarizing someone else’s work without acknowledging the source with a footnote or reference.
Using facts, data, graphs, charts, or other information without acknowledging the source with a footnote or reference. Borrowed facts or information obtained in one’s research or reading must be acknowledged unless they are “common knowledge”. Clear examples of “common knowledge” include the names of leaders of prominent nations, basic scientific laws, and the meaning of fundamental concepts and principles in a discipline. The specific audience for which a paper is written may determine what can be viewed as “Common knowledge”: for example, the facts commonly known by a group of chemists will differ radically from those known by a more general audience. Students should check with their teachers regarding what can be viewed as “common knowledge” within a specific field or assignment, but often the student will have to make the final judgment. When in doubt, footnotes or references should be used.

Complicity in Academic Dishonesty
Helping or attempting to commit an academically dishonest act. The academic units may have additional guidelines regarding academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to check with their teachers and academic units to obtain those guidelines.

Discipline Procedures for Academic Dishonesty
Charges of academic dishonesty shall be handled through the appropriate academic unit level procedures.

An academic unit that determines that a student is guilty of academic dishonesty may impose any academic punishment on the student that it sees fit, including suspension or expulsion from the academic unit. A student has no right to appeal the final decision of an academic unit. However, a student who believes that he or she has been treated unfairly, has been discriminated against, or has had his or her rights abridged by the academic unit may file a grievance with the Unit Academic Grievance Committee, pursuant to the provisions of the Student Academic Grievance Procedure; the Unit Academic Grievance Committee may not substitute its judgment on the merits for the judgment of the academic unit.

An academic unit that suspends or expels a student from the academic unit because the student has been found guilty of academic dishonesty may recommend to the University Provost in writing that the student also be suspended or expelled from all other programs and academic units of the University. Within four weeks of receiving such a recommendation, the Provost shall issue a written decision. Neither the student nor the academic unit shall have the right to appeal the Provost’s decision. However, a student who believes that he or she has been treated unfairly, has been discriminated against, or has had his or her rights abridged by the issuance of a decision by the Provost may file a grievance with the University Student Grievance Committee, pursuant to the provisions of the Student Academic Grievance Procedure; the University Student Academic Grievance Committee may not substitute its judgment on the merits for the judgment of the Provost.

Campus Expression
Students have the right of freedom of expression to the extent allowed by law.

Students may picket or demonstrate for a cause, subject to the following conditions:

The students must act in an orderly and peaceful manner.

The students must not in any way interfere with the proper functioning of the University.

Where students demonstrate in an area not traditionally used as an open public forum, the University reserves the right to make reasonable restrictions as to time, place, and manner of the student demonstrations.

Students may distribute written material on campus without prior approval, providing such distribution does not disrupt the operations of the University or violate University rules.

Students may invite to campus and hear on campus speakers of their choice on subjects of their choice; approval will not be withheld by any University official for the purpose of censorship.

The Student Press
The student press is free to deal openly, fearlessly, and responsibly with issues of interest and importance to the academic community. There shall be no prior approval of student press content by the University.

The student press is responsible for adhering to the canons of responsible journalism and for complying with the law. Student publications and broadcasts shall not publish libelous or slanderous matter, or any other content that violates the law.

All student publications and broadcasts shall explicitly state that the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the University or its student body.

Students may not be disciplined by the University for their participation with the student press except for violations of University rules that are not inconsistent with the guarantees contained herein.

University Facilities
Appropriate University facilities shall be available to organizations within the University community for regular business meetings, for social programs, and for programs open to the public.

Reasonable conditions may be imposed to regulate the timeliness of requests, to determine the appropriateness of the space assigned, to regulate time and use, and to insure proper maintenance.

Preference may be given to programs designed for audiences consisting primarily of members of the University community.

Allocation of space shall be made based on priority of requests and the demonstrated needs of the organization.

Charges may be imposed for any unusual costs for use of facilities.

Physical abuse of assigned facilities may result in reasonable limitations on future allocation of space to offending parties and will require restitution of damages.

The organization requesting space must inform the University of the general purpose of any meeting open to persons other than members and the names of outside speakers.

Use of University Name and Insignia
No individual, group, or organization may use the University name or insignia without the express authorization of the University except to identify the University affiliation. University approval or disapproval of any policy or issue may not be stated or implied by any individual, group, or organization.

Campus Residence Facilities
Students have the right of privacy in campus residence facilities.

Nothing in the University relationship or residence hall contract may expressly or implicitly give the institution or residence hall officials authority to consent to search of a student’s room or residence by police or other law enforcement officials unless they have obtained a search warrant.

The University reserves the right to enter a student’s room in a residence hall or a student’s apartment in a campus residence:

In emergencies where imminent danger to life, safety, health, or property is reasonably feared;
To make necessary repairs, improvements, or alterations in the facility;
To provide necessary pest control services; or
To inspect the facility as deemed necessary by the university.

Student Records
The privacy and confidentiality of all student records shall be preserved in accordance with applicable laws. The University shall establish and adhere to a clear and definitive records policy.

Campus Organizations
Organizations and groups may be established within the University for any legal purpose. Affiliation with an extramural organization shall not, in itself, disqualify the University branch or chapter from University privileges. A group shall become a formally recognized organization through procedures established by the Student Government Association, upon approval of the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Groups of a continuing nature must institute proceedings for formal recognition if they are to receive benefits from the University.

Recognition of an organization by the University infers neither approval nor disapproval of the aims, objectives, and policies of the organization, nor liability for the actions of the organization.

Membership in all University related organizations shall be open to any member of the University community who is willing to subscribe to the stated aims and meet the stated obligations of the organization, provided such aims and obligations are lawful.

Membership lists are confidential and solely for the use of the organization, except that names and addresses of current organization officers shall be reported to the University as a condition of continuing University recognition.

Any organization that engages in activities either on or off campus that are illegal or contrary to any University policy may have sanctions imposed against it, including withdrawal of University recognition.

Promulgation of University Rules Affecting Students
Rules and Policies affecting the students shall be published in Student Handbook, in the appropriate University bulletins, or in any other appropriate publication prior to their enforcement. Included in the Student Handbook are the following: Academic Grievance Procedure, Code of Student Conduct, Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Policy on Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages for Recognized Student Organizations, Hazing and Initiation Activities Policy, Non-academic Grievance Policy and the Sexual Harassment Policy. Copies of the Student Handbook are available from the Office of Student Life.

University Policies