Statement of Academic Policy and Statement of Academic Integrity

Suspension for Academic Dishonesty

Cheating on examinations, plagiarism, or any other violations of academic integrity usually results in suspension from the College for academic dishonesty. Suspensions for academic dishonesty are for a specific period of time and such suspended students are not eligible to register for classes at CMC. In addition, academic course work taken at other academic institutions is not transferable to CMC. Transcripts of suspended students carry a notation of the ASC's action. All CMC students are responsible for being familiar with the rules on plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty. For further information, see Statement of Academic Integrity.

Students suspended for academic dishonesty may petition the ASC for readmission to the College after the term of their suspension has expired. When considering such requests, the ASC will carefully examine the students' conduct since leaving the College, and must be convinced that readmission is warranted by a change in the circumstances that led to the suspension. It is the students' responsibility to provide evidence and documentation supporting their request for readmission. The notation of the ASC's action is removed from the transcript upon readmission and return to the College.

Dismissal for Academic Dishonesty

Students may be dismissed from the College for reasons of academic dishonesty. This action is recorded permanently on their transcripts. Students found to have committed academic dishonesty twice will be dismissed from the College. Students may be dismissed on a first offense in particularly egregious cases.

Right to Refuse Registration

The College reserves the right to refuse registration to any students for unsatisfactory scholarship and/or other reasons as determined by the ASC.

Enforcement of Standards of Academic Integrity

The faculty of Claremont McKenna College is firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of academic integrity, and each faculty member has a duty to report suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the College's Academic Standards Committee ("ASC").

Whenever a case of suspected academic dishonesty is reported, the ASC will provide the student with written notice of the charges that have been made and the evidence supporting those charges. The ASC will also accord the student a reasonable opportunity to submit a written response, including a statement identifying any exculpatory evidence or any mitigating circumstances. If the student's written response disputes the facts underlying the charges, the ASC will conduct a suitable investigation, which may include interviews of the instructor, the student, and appropriate witnesses, as well as any other appropriate fact-finding activity. The student's failure to submit a timely response to charges of academic dishonesty will not impair the ASC's ability to investigate or adjudicate the case.

If, at the conclusion of its investigation, a majority of the ASC finds the student to have committed an act of academic dishonesty, the ASC will impose a suitable disciplinary sanction, which may include, but need not be limited to, academic probation, deferment of graduation, suspension, or dismissal from the College. The ASC may also recommend a grade penalty, but the imposition of such a penalty is the prerogative of the instructor. A record of the disciplinary sanction imposed will be retained in the student's permanent file. Students have the right to appeal the ASC's decision to the Dean of Faculty using the procedures set forth in Section I. (See "Appeal to the Dean of the Faculty.")

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