Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct is any behavior in a credit-bearing course that violates the UCSC Student Code of Conduct. The provost adjudicates cases of academic misconduct involving affiliates of Stevenson College that are reported by instructors. The provost follows the Academic Policy for Undergraduates that is set by the Division of Undergraduate Education. If you have questions about academic misconduct, contact the Provost or College Academic Manager.
See the Academic Misconduct Workflow here.How to avoid academic misconduct
The first thing is to communicate with your instructor or TAs as early as possible if you are having trouble in a class. We see time and again that students have been struggling in a class (which is natural and normal), and then turn to academic misconduct in a moment of panic. You must seek out alternatives, such as tutoring, visiting office hours, and other resources, as early as possible. Find other ways to approach the material in the class if the teaching style is not suited to your way of learning. Your instructor will be happy to recommend other ways to learn.
If you are not sure if something would be academic misconduct, ask before you turn the work in for grading, or take the exam. Your instructor will have a very clear view of what counts as misconduct, and may have specific guidelines for you to follow.
Collaboration is a key skill you must learn as a student at UCSC. However, instructors also need to know what you have learned as an individual, so in certain circumstances they may limit the amount of collaboration they allow. Studying in groups is a great idea, but you need to ask if it's okay to collaborate on a paper, for example.
