Student Conduct & Academic Honesty

Students are expected to abide by ethical standards in preparing and presenting material which demonstrates their level of knowledge and which is used to determine grades. Such standards are founded on basic concepts of integrity and honesty. These include, but are not limited to the following areas: 

  1. Students shall not plagiarize, which is defined as stealing or passing off as one’s own ideas or words of another and as using a creative production without crediting the source. The following cases are examples of what constitutes plagiarism:
    • paraphrasing published material without acknowledging the source. 
    • making significant use of an idea or a particular arrangement of ideas, e.g., outlines.
    • writing a paper after consulting with persons who provide suitable ideas and incorporating these ideas into the paper without acknowledging the debt. 
    • submitting under one’s own name, term papers or other reports which have been prepared by others.
    • using artificial intelligence to produce material in violation of an instructor’s AI policy as stated in the course syllabus (see Artificial Intelligence).
  2. Students shall not cheat, which is defined as using notes, aids, or the help of other students on tests or exams in ways other than those expressly permitted by the instructor; and as misreporting or altering the data in laboratory or research projects involving the collection of data. 
  3. Students shall not submit an original paper or project to more than one class without approval from the second instructor.
  4. Students shall not furnish materials or information in order to enable another student to plagiarize or cheat.
     

Plagiarism Prevention and Detection: In its commitment to academic honesty, Cypress College uses Turnitin.com software to prevent and detect plagiarism. 
The instructor reserves the right to submit student assignments to Turnitin.com to check for textural similarities between those assignments, Internet sources, and the Turnitin.com assignment database; and for AI detection. Students may be required to electronically submit their written work for plagiarism checking. Assignments submitted to Turnitin.com will become part of their database and will be used only for plagiarism prevention and detection. 
Students agree that by enrolling in a course, assignments may be subject to the above plagiarism prevention and detection processes. 

An instructor who has evidence that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred, after speaking with the student, is obligated to take the following step: 

  1. Assign an appropriate academic penalty such as an oral reprimand (as in cases where there is reasonable doubt that the student knew that the action violated the standards of honesty); or assign a failing grade “F” on all or part of a particular paper, project, or exam (for example, where there was proof that it was a one-time occurrence). In cases where a failing grade an “F” was assigned, report the incident to all appropriate personnel. (See Step 2 below.) 

In cases where the dishonesty was serious, premeditated, or part of an ongoing scheme, an instructor who has evidence that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred, after speaking with the student, can take the following steps:

  1. Request an ad hoc review board made up of at least three faculty from the department or division of the instructor involved. This review board is to be appointed by the Academic Senate President or theirhis/her delegate in consultation with the department coordinator, or if none is in place, with the members of the department. Supply to the review board the documents which are suspect and any other documents completed by the student which might help determine if academic dishonesty occurred. It would then be the responsibility of the review board to determine academic penalties as appropriate. 
  2. Report, through submission of a ChAT Conduct report, to the Dean of Counseling and Student Development, the alleged incident of academic dishonesty, including relevant documentation, and recommendations for action that theyhe or she deems appropriate. The Dean of Counseling and Student Development serves as the College’s Student Discipline Officer and will investigate the alleged misconduct and determine the appropriate response. Per Board Policy 5500, plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of academic dishonesty constitute "good cause" for disciplinary action, outlined in Administrative Procedure 5500 Standards of Student Conduct and Discipline. 

Some programs may adhere to an additional academic honesty policy that can be found in the program’s handbook.  

Approved by the Cypress College Academic Senate May 28, 2026. 

Administrative Procedures 5500 - Standards of Student Conduct and Discipline provides the process to address violations of student conduct.

While generative AI tools have valuable applications that can enhance student learning and comprehension, they can also be misused to undermine essential learning objectives. In response, Cypress College seeks to create clear, consistent policies to guide both students and instructors in navigating the ethical use of AI technology. 

Cypress College Policy Guidelines on the Use of Generative AI Tools: 

  1. Instructor Autonomy and Course Policies: Faculty members have the discretion to establish specific policies regarding the use of generative AI tools within their courses. These policies should be clearly outlined in the course syllabus and communicated directly to students. Instructors may choose to allow or restrict the use of AI tools based on their alignment with course learning objectives. 

  2. Student Responsibility and AI Use: In the absence of explicit guidelines from an instructor, the use of generative AI tools will be treated similarly to receiving assistance from another person. Students are prohibited from using AI tools to substantially complete assignments or exams, such as by inputting questions into AI platforms. Students are expected to acknowledge the use of generative AI (beyond incidental use) and should err on the side of transparency when in doubt. 

  3. Disclosure and Academic Integrity: Any substantial use of AI in coursework must be properly disclosed, following instructions on citation from the course instructor. Failing to disclose AI assistance may be considered a violation of the Cypress College Student Academic Integrity Guidelines. may be considered a violation of the Cypress College Student Academic Integrity Guidelines. 

  4. Ethical Considerations: Students and faculty are encouraged to consider the ethical implications of AI use, including issues of bias, fairness, transparency, and sustainability. 

Monitoring and Future Updates: 

Cypress College will continue to monitor the evolving landscape of AI technology and its implications for academic integrity. This policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary, and faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to provide input on the effective use of AI tools in educational settings. 

Cypress College is committed to harnessing the innovative potential of AI to enhance our students' educational experience. We believe that AI can be a valuable tool for learning and discovery when used responsibly. Our faculty and administration are working together to ensure that AI tools are integrated in a way that supports academic integrity, promotes critical thinking, and fosters a positive learning environment. 

Approved by the Cypress College Academic Senate October 24, 2024.