We, the undergraduate students of Roger Williams University, commit ourselves to academic integrity. We promise to pursue the highest ideals of academic life, to challenge ourselves with the most rigorous standards, to be honest in any academic endeavor, to conduct ourselves responsibly and honorably, and to assist one another as we live and work together in mutual support.
Plagiarism is best defined as incorporating the words or ideas of another person into a paper or presentation without properly crediting the source from which they came. Plagiarism is a violation of ethical practices. The author who commits plagiarism attempts to claim another person's work as his or her own. Thus, plagiarism is both a form of intellectual theft and intellectual fraud.
In its worst form, plagiarism may consist of directly copying large or small portions of either printed works or, as frequently happens in schools, written papers of another student. There are, however, more subtle forms of plagiarism as well. Paraphrasing, or changing an author's ideas or words, is also a form of plagiarism if the source of the idea being paraphrased is not acknowledged, and this form of plagiarism is equal to direct copying.
No matter what the cause, universities consider plagiarism to be a serious offense-the most serious academic crime there is. Faculty members react against plagiarism because they consider it an attack on one of the values that universities hold sacred-honesty in the pursuit of knowledge.
Because universities consider plagiarism a serious offense, they treat violations seriously. Roger Williams University is no exception. A first offense may result in failure of the course involved, plus an entry on the student's permanent record. A second offense is punishable by expulsion from the University.
Students are responsible for knowing and complying with the academic regulations of the University. Each college and school has an Academic Standards Committee that serves as an appeal committee for students requesting exceptions to academic policy. A petition obtained from the Office of the Registrar must be completed and submitted to the dean of the college or school in which the student is enrolled. The dean of the college or school, if necessary, forwards the petition to the appropriate Academic Standards Committee.
In cases where an academic regulation or requirement constitutes a hardship, students may submit a written petition to the appropriate dean. Forms are available at the offices of the Registrar and University College for Continuing Education. Any appeal is subject to review by the appropriate dean and designated Academic Affairs officer, whose decision shall be final.
An appeal must be filed within one semester after the semester in which the course was taken, or the event which is the basis for the appeal, occurred. Unless an appeal is filed within this period, it will not be considered.
Regular attendance in classes is expected of all students. Professors announce attendance policies to all classes by the end of the first week of classes during each semester, and by the end of the fourth day of classes during the January Intersession and summer sessions. If a student fails to comply with a professor's attendance policy, as stated in the course syllabus, the professor may ask the Registrar to administratively withdraw the student from the course.
- A student may apply to the Office of Student Affairs for a medical leave of absence from the University for one full semester. Application can be made prior to the start of a semester but no later than December 1 for the fall semester and May 1 for the spring semester.
The request must be supported by documentation from a physician or psychologist. The physician or psychologist responsible for treatment must provide a recommendation supporting readmission of the student.
Generally, a student is limited to one medical leave approval during matriculation at the University. Students are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students in the Office of Student Affairs in advance regarding the financial implications of the medical leave policy.
- Non-medical Leave: The application for non-medical leave of absence must be received by the appropriate dean's office prior to the beginning of the semester. The applicant must be in satisfactory academic standing and have no outstanding debts at the University.
A student on leave may apply for a one-semester extension only. If a leave is granted, the appropriate academic dean notifies the Office of the Registrar and the deans of Enrollment and Student Life.
Note: Record of Leave status is recorded on internal Datatel system only.
With the permission of the Office of Academic Affairs and the appropriate academic dean, a student on a non-medical leave of absence may return to the University without applying for readmission. Upon readmission, the Office of the Registrar notifies in writing the appropriate academic dean.
Students may formally withdraw from the University only by notifying the Vice President for Enrollment and Retention and the Dean of Students of their intention to do so. A student who intends to withdraw should consult the Financial Information section of the catalog for the policy on refund of tuition and fees.
A student who withdraws in good academic standing may re-enter the University by submitting a request in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs. A student on academic probation or under non-academic condition may also apply for readmission. The probation or condition is reinstituted in the event that readmission is granted.
A student who does not formally withdraw or request a leave of absence and who does not register for the subsequent semester is administratively withdrawn from the University. Students who are administratively withdrawn must reapply for admission before they are granted permission to return to the University.