Day 3: Honor Code

CBS Fall 2009 Orientation

CBS AlumsAfter graduation, your integrity will truly be tested.

Gail McGovern ’87CEO – Red Cross

Henry Kravis’69Founder - KKR

Clifford Baxter’87CEO – Enron N.A.

Our Honor Code

Integrity"In looking for people to hire, you look for three

qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."

— Warren Buffet, MS ’51

CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

Situation• Worldwide recession exists and significant animosity is aimed at

people due in part to a lack of integrity: lenders, borrowers, bankers, regulators, politicians

• One of the world’s most diverse student body• Substantial group projects and curve-based grading system • Current Honor Code was adopted in 2007

What it is:• an enforceable code written

by students• a fundamental framework• relevant to all parts of student

life

What it is NOT:• a code instituted by the faculty or

administration• a list of specific violations• a restriction on teamwork or

collaboration

Honor discussion

• Form a group of 4-6 people • The assignment

– Review the situation– Discuss amongst yourselves for about 5 min.

how you would react to the situation– Present you thoughts to the cluster

Honor Code and Community Contract

– The Community Contract articulates the behaviors that create a learning and professional environment that students shape and maintain at CBS

– The Honor Code sets the expectations for ethical and respectful academic and personal conduct at CBS, based on our values.

Common Questions

• What does "not tolerate" actually mean?

• What are examples of "lying, cheating or stealing" as a member of the Columbia Business School community?

Examples of breaking the code: Academic• Plagiarism: to steal or pass off the ideas or

words of another as one’s own; to use without crediting the source.

• Cheating: to violate rules intentionally (such as examination rules) to effect a fraud or deceit.

Examples of breaking the code: nonacademic

• Misrepresentation of the past: Falsifying past professional experience on one’s resume or in conversation with an interviewer.

• Accepting more than one job offer: To sign job offer agreements with more then one company when searching for a summer or full-time job while at CBS and after graduation.

• Improper use of the library and its resources: theft or purposely hoarding or hiding books or materials.

Consequences for breaking the code …Any student who engages in a form of academic or personal misconduct is subject to the disciplinary procedures developed by the Business School.

Potential Punishments• Warning, a reprimand, which becomes part of the student’s official

record but is not considered a formal disciplinary action;

• Additional work such as writing extra papers, or accumulating extra credits in order to graduate;

• Probation, with or without conditions such as counseling. Failure to meet the conditions of probation is a serious matter, and will ordinarily result in suspension or dismissal;

• Suspension, requires that the student not register for a period of one or more semesters and is recorded on the student’s permanent transcript;

• Dismissal which ends a student’s connection with the University and is recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

The most common Honor Code infractions are:

• Failure to cite, particularly from web materials

• Working on an exam past time

• Not following the assignment grid for individual v group work

How do I avoid these pitfalls• Use the available resources

– Group v individual assignment grid– Citation resources available on OSA and

Honor Board site– Ask your professor about his or her

expectations• Honor Board Rep• Academic Rep

There are many options

Always remember the options available to you:

• Pull a friend aside to address the transgression directly

• Discuss the issue with the Professor

• Contact your cluster representative about the situation

• Discuss the issue with your Peer Advisors

• More formal options as well, such as the Honor Board

Several options exist, do what you think is right

What if…..

• As time winds down on your macro economics exam, you scramble to complete the final question, only to have time expire on you before you can put down your final thoughts. While you are disappointed that you did not have a complete answer, you realize that the right thing to do was finish when time was up. As you gather all of your materials before handing in the exam to your professor, you realize that one of your cluster mates, Bill, is still working on his exam.

Or…

• It is first day of class and your friend and PA Michael is unable to make it because his former boss is in town and given that he may go back and work for her, Michael thought it best to meet for lunch. The Professor announces that attendance is mandatory and that a point from your final grade is docked for every class you miss. At this point he hands out a sign in sheet. Do you sign Michael’s name?

Summary

• Honor Code is an enforceable code

• Many options exist

• If in doubt, ask

Our Honor Code

BREAK

5 min.

Be back on time

Speed Meeting

Speed meeting

• Form a group of 6 people • The assignment

– Introduce yourself to the group– Tell two truths and one lie– The rest of the group then guesses which of

the 3 statements is a lie

BREAK

5 min.

Be back on time