Castleton University is a learning institution committed to the highest standards of scholarly conduct. The students, faculty, and administration make up a scholarly community whose integrity and success requires a code of academic honesty that promotes trust and prohibits the attempt to gain unfair academic advantage. Membership in the Castleton community means sharing responsibility for upholding and safeguarding these standards. Any violation of academic honesty will be considered cheating and will be dealt with accordingly by the appropriate authorities.
Procedures: Castleton considers all cases of academic dishonesty serious and encourages all full- and part-time faculty to treat each case with the seriousness it deserves. The recommended course of action in those cases where academic dishonesty is suspected is listed below.
Definitions of Infractions: The following list is intended to illustrate the types of behaviors that are considered academically dishonest at Castleton. It is only a partial list; other behaviors may, as well, violate the basic principles of academic honesty.
A. Plagiarizing in any form. Plagiarism is stealing. Castleton University defines plagiarism as the act of submitting someone else’s work, words, or ideas (in part or in whole) as if they were one’s own, without proper attribution of credit.
Credit must be attributed to both print and online source materials, including books, periodicals, articles, video, music, and images. The Internet has become a powerful research tool, but students should note that its power also has a double effect: the Internet makes committing and detecting and proving plagiarism much easier.
Additionally, Castleton makes no distinction in the definition of plagiarism on the basis of a student’s intent. Students are responsible for taking pains to familiarize themselves with the citation standards and practices in their respective disciplines and courses to avoid plagiarizing.
Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to the following:
Any student who is unsure whether a particular behavior is permissible under Castleton’s academic honesty policy should consult either the instructor of the course for which the work is being done, the student’s faculty advisor, or the Dean of the College in which student is registered.
Students are expected to attend University programs and every class meeting of courses for which they are registered. Each student has an obligation to contribute to the academic performance of all by participating in the work of each class. Specific attendance regulations are set for each course by the instructor.
Regular attendance in a class by individuals who are not registered students is prohibited.
It is important that Castleton classroom environments have an appropriate academic atmosphere that promotes learning and makes it possible for faculty to be effective teachers and students to be effective learners. If the behavior of an individual student is having a disruptive effect on the academic environment, the instructor of the course may require the student in question either to discontinue the troublesome behavior or to leave the classroom. When it seems in the best interest of the class as a whole, the Dean of the College may, in consultation with the instructor, inform the student that he/she may not return to the class.
When the student’s behavior is also thought to constitute a University disciplinary violation, disciplinary procedures may be initiated. Finally, if the disruptive behavior is associated with a serious medical or psychological condition, the Dean of Students may respond to the situation in accordance with the policy described in the University Handbook under the heading "Health."
Castleton University recognizes that the protection of free speech and the open exchange of ideas are essential to any academic or artistic community, and crucial for the activity of scholars and artists. The University recognizes its obligation under policy and collective bargaining agreements to respect the academic freedom of faculty members. This policy is meant neither to proscribe nor to inhibit discussion, in or out of the classroom, of complex, controversial, or sensitive matters when in the judgment of a reasonable person such discussions arise appropriately and with respect for the dignity of others. Castleton is a community of learners and as such recognizes and affirms that free, honest intellectual inquiry, debate, and constructive dialogue are vital to the academic mission of the University and must be protected even when the views expressed are unpopular or controversial.
In conformance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, Castleton University provides students the right to inspect and review their educational records and to challenge the contents of these records to insure that such records are not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights.
In addition, Castleton will not release personally identifiable records of students to any individual agency or organization without the prior written consent of the student, except as provided by the law. The University has a policy of disclosing educational records to Castleton and VSC officials with a legitimate educational interest without prior consent. The VSC has defined directory information as the following: name, home and University address, telephone listing, email address, date of birth, major, enrollment status (full-time or part-time), enrollment level (undergraduate of graduate), dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, weight and height of athletic team members, photographs, most recent and previous educational institutions attended, and participation in officially recognized sports and activities. Castleton will maintain this information and it will be available, at the discretion of University officials, unless the student notifies the University in writing that none of the directory information should be released. Students who wish to restrict access to directory information may do so by completing a Request to Withhold Directory Information form at the Registrar’s office. Upon receipt of this form, the VSC shall release no directory information to any third party without prior student consent except as may be otherwise permitted by law.
A complete statement of Castleton policy regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is available online.
The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to make available annual statistics related to our students’ continuation and graduation rates. In addition, the Department of Education requires colleges to compile statistics related to campus crime. Please contact the Marketing and Communication Office in Woodruff Hall if you would like a copy of this information.
Enrollment certification for veterans is conducted by the Registrar's Office. Veterans wishing to have enrollment certification transmitted to the Veterans Administration must contact Stephanie Cleveland, Certification Officer, in the Registrar's Office in Woodruff Hall to submit the necessary paperwork. Various forms for filing a claim are available online and at the Registrar's Office. Information for Veterans is also available online.