III. Glossary: Gervase Programs: Learning to Lead

Dismissal: The student is permanently dismissed from the University.  Dismissals are noted on a student’s permanent transcript as “Dismissal: Violation of Honor System.” This sanction is not eligible for sanction reduction.

Executive Board:  Honor Council members designated to adjudicate a case appropriate for an expedited sanction, who will use the Sanctioning Guidelines in making a recommendation of sanction to the Dean.  Typically, the Executive Board includes the Honor Council's faculty chair, a student co-chair, and the Executive Director.

"Extensive" Plagiarism or Cheating:  An assignment for which a student inappropriately uses a high percentage of unoriginal material, which therefore includes little of the student's own thought and work.   

Hearing Board:  Honor Council members designated to adjudicate a case through the hearing process, who will use the Sanctioning Guidelines in making a recommendation of sanction to the Dean.  Typically, a Hearing Board includes five Honor Council members: a dean from the accused student's school, a faculty member and student from the accused student's school, and a faculty member and student not from the accused student's school.

In Violation:  Generally, a student is In Violation of the Georgetown University Honor System if that student has been found by the Honor Council to have committed an act of academic dishonesty.  Such acts include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and cheating.  More details about specific offenses are given in the Standards of Conduct, The Honor System section III.

Letter of Censure: A Letter of Censure becomes part of the student’s Georgetown University record (student file) and, under appropriate circumstances, may be shared with persons outside of Georgetown University, such as law schools which often ask about applicants’ records.  This sanction can be reduced through the Sanction Reduction Process (see below).

Letter of Reprimand: A Letter of Reprimand is retained in the student’s Georgetown Honor Council file until he or she graduates from Georgetown University, when it is destroyed.  It may not be disclosed outside the University, and is available only to authorized University personnel who, in their professional capacity, have access to the student’s file. 

Major Paper, Project, or Test: A paper, project or test is considered “major” if it is a primary means for determining a student’s course grade.  Normally, papers or tests that count for 20% or more of the semester grade are considered major, but the cutoff for major vs. minor may vary depending on the particular professor’s grading scheme.

Minor Paper, Project, or Test: A paper, project, or test is considered “minor” if it is a secondary means for determining a student’s course grade.  Normally, papers or tests that count for between 5% and 20% of the semester grade are considered minor, but the cutoff for major vs. minor may vary depending on the particular professor’s grading scheme.

Notation on Transcript: A notation is entered on the student's official record (transcript) indicating that the student has received a sanction.  There are two levels of transcript notation.  Both notations include the text: "Censure: Violation of Honor System."

     The Level One notation for a transcript notation sanction for which the student is eligible for sanction reduction continues with the proviso: "This notation can be removed on [date] through student action." "Student action" means the successful completion of a sanction reduction plan.

     The Level Two notation for a transcript notation sanction for which the student is not eligible for sanction reduction is the basic entry: "Censure: Violation of Honor System."

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is difficult to define precisely.  Loosely speaking, plagiarism is passing off another’s words or ideas as one’s own.  When using another person’s work, proper credit should be given according to recognized styles of citation.  To be a violation of the Georgetown Honor System, plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional.

Sanction Reduction:  Students who successfully complete the Sanction Reduction Program will have sanctions of either Notation on Transcript or Letter of Censure reduced to a Letter of Reprimand, which then remains in the student’s Honor Council file until the student’s graduation, after which it is destroyed.  The sanction reduction is not effective until the last day of classes of the semester two years following the semester in which the violation occurred (e.g., violation occurred in Fall 2001; sanction would be reduced at the end of Fall 2003).  If the student has graduated by that time, the sanction of Notation on Transcript or Letter of Censure is removed completely from the student’s academic record.  Application to the Sanction Reduction Program must begin within one month of receiving the sanction. 

Suspension: Suspension from the University is a serious, high-level sanction that is intended to provide students time away from the University to reflect on and learn from their actions.  Suspension typically will be imposed for one semester, but can be imposed for two semesters, at the discretion of the Hearing or Executive Board and the Dean.  Suspensions are usually for the semester after the violation occurred, but may be immediate or be one semester later (summer not included) if there was a delay in imposing the sanction.  A suspension is noted on a student’s permanent transcript as, “Suspension: Violation of Honor System,” and is not eligible for sanction reduction.