Policies on Plagiarism and Classroom Conduct

Plagiarism

Acadia does not tolerate plagiarism; instead, it recognizes the responsibility of the individual student for her/his own education and assumes honesty and integrity in all academic work at the University. This assumption is the foundation of all intellectual efforts and lies at the heart of this community. In matriculating at Acadia, each student accepts the responsibility to carry out all academic work with complete honesty and integrity and supports the application of this principle to others. The adoption or reproduction of ideas or words or statements of another person as one’s own, without due acknowledgment, is considered plagiarism and violates this principle. Citing of false or non-existent sources is also a violation. Submission of the same or similar papers or academic exercises to two different courses for a grade without the explicit permission of the instructors in both courses is also prohibited.   All incidences of plagiarism and cheating will be dealt with according to the regulations outlined in the Academic Integrity section of the Acadia University Calendar. https://registrar.acadiau.ca/tl_files/sites/registrar/pdfs/Academic_Calendars/calendar_final.pdf.

 

Department of Politics Classroom Conduct and Freedom of Speech Policy

The mission of Acadia University is “to provide a personalized and rigorous liberal education; promote a robust and respectful scholarly community; and inspire a diversity of students to become critical thinkers, lifelong learners, engaged citizens, and responsible global leaders.” The freedom to explore, express, and evaluate different ideas is a critical part of this mission. In the Department of Politics, students are always encouraged to share their opinions and challenge accepted ways of thinking. By the same token, students should expect to have their own beliefs and values challenged, both by their instructor and by their classmates.

The free exchange of ideas can be an uncomfortable, confusing, and even upsetting experience, but it is vital to the learning process. As such, the learning process is only possible in an environment where all feel respected and dignified. A classroom is a community, one where every individual is an equal member. For this reason, uncivil, disrespectful, discriminatory, harassing, or disruptive communication and/or conduct are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. There are times when it can be hard to tell the difference between speech that is controversial and speech that is hateful. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the instructor to make this distinction, following guidelines laid out in Acadia University’s Policy on Harassment and Discrimination and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.

For more information, as well as for resources for students who believe they may be victims of harassment or discrimination, please visit Acadia’s Equity Office.