While the temptation to cheat on an exam or an important term paper has existed in academia for centuries, the College of Health Profession's (CHP) Honor Code promotes honesty and integrity among students. 

The CHP Honor Code supports the UDM mission statement, which emphasizes values, respect for others and academic excellence. Students entering a CHP program must sign the code that describes the accepted behavior for academic, professional and personal integrity. 

The honor code document explains that academic violations include plagiarizing others' work and acquiring any materials that may provide an unfair advantage over fellow students.

Students also learn that they compromise their professional integrity if they jeopardize the health and safety of clinical site staff, students or patients or engage in any form of harassment while working in a clinical or internship setting.

Some factors that would deem students personally unethical involve various forms of discrimination against others, tampering with documents and intentionally causing damage to University or clinical site property or resources.

While the honor code keeps integrity in check, it also gives students permission to alert authorities of inappropriate behavior without feeling a sense of guilt.  The officiating authority is the CHP Honor Council, which is comprised of three faculty and 10 CHP students.  One of the council's functions is to investigate allegations of dishonorable conduct.

"Students, who may know something but may feel they are caught between a rock and hard place, now have somewhere to go," says Assistant Professor of Nurse Anesthesiology Greg Bozimowski of the council's purpose.  "We haven't had any cases or concerns brought forward."

When the CHP launched its honor system – code and council – last fall, it became the first UDM college to institute a program of the kind. Bozimowski is optimistic that its positive impact will develop a well-rounded student beyond the classroom.

"I feel that academic integrity is the important piece of why we are here. The fact that we're making an attempt to recognize integrity is a success," says Bozimowski. "The fact that the council and code are in place is a success in itself."

The council plans to communicate with students and faculty on the topic of honor codes by organizing panel discussions and scheduling forums for guest speakers with expertise on the subject.