The UOSA Integrity Council is an initiative shared by the University of Oklahoma Student Association (UOSA) and the Office of the Provost. The Integrity Council's mission is to promote academic integrity among students.

We do this by serving as a body and resource to educate students about academic integrity policies, developing programs that stress the importance of academic integrity, reviewing the effectiveness of current academic misconduct policies and procedures, and serving on and weighing in on misconduct hearings.

• AFFIRM the academic integrity of the students at the University of Oklahoma.
• ASPIRE to an environment of integrity created and upheld by the actions and values of students.
• RECOGNIZE the urgency of a commitment to the highest standards of Academic Integrity.
• RESOLVE to make academic integrity a source of pride for the students of the University of Oklahoma.

"Academic integrity is a component of one's personal integrity and honor. Citizens cannot build and sustain communities of integrity committed to justice for all without first committing to live their own lives with integrity."

Nancy Mergler,
Senior Vice-President and Provost

Academic integrity is essential for a university to succeed and be credible in its mission of educating students and contributing to academic fields through research. Professors must be able to trust that their student's work is legitimate and done honestly.

Conversely, cheating, falsification, fraud, any form of plagiarism, or assisting others in these acts are some examples of academic misconduct.

Download the integrity pledge as a PDF.

If I see someone cheating in my class, what am I supposed to do?

Any cheating you see should be reported to your instructor.

What if my instructor doesn't care about cheating or doesn't do anything about the cheating?

Contact the Integrity Council to seek what possible actions can be taken in addition to speaking with your advisor about the issue.

Do I need to submit the Integrity Pledge at the top/bottom of every assignment I turn it?

No. If your professor requires, the Integrity Pledge must be affixed to the top of all assignments worth 10% of more of your total grade for the class. It should also be affixed to the top of every exam.

I understand all these rules, but I still don't quite understand what cheating really is.

In short, cheating is taking credit for something that you didn't do; it's the academic equivalent of stealing.

But surely everyone cheats. I don't see what the big deal is.

As prevalent as you might think cheating is, less than 10% of OU students admitted to cheating on an exam or paper. If you cheat during school, not only are you robbing yourself of the education you are paying for, but you are also setting yourself up for future failures in life, when you are unable to recall things you should have learned during college.
Think about it:  would you really want to have your taxes prepared by an accountant who cheated his way through college?

What happens if I don't sign the Integrity Pledge?

It depends on the instructor. Perhaps nothing, but an instructor can refuse to accept an assignment without a signed pledge.
The pledge's main purpose is to serve as a reminder of the high standards of academic integrity at the University of Oklahoma.

If I don't sign the Integrity Pledge, will I be accused of cheating?

No. Whether or not you have signed the Integrity Pledge should NOT be used as evidence if you're accused of academic misconduct.
If you are accused of academic misconduct simply for not signing the Integrity Pledge, contact either the Integrity Council or Dr. Gregory Heiser in the Provost's Office.

What are some statistics for academic misconduct at OU?

• In 2006-2007, 55 students recieved a course penalty of an F for the semester for academic misconduct.
• In 2006-2007, 54 students were suspended for one or more semesters as a penalty for academic misconduct.

How are Penalties Decided?

This document details the considerations that go into deciding a penalty for violating the Misconduct Code.

What are the HC's Guidelines for Discussing a Case?

This document lists the rules the Integrity Council follows when discussing an academic misconduct case.