DRAKE  UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION

POLICIES ON PLAGIARISM AND ATTENDANCE

            The School's policy on plagiarism — representing someone else's work to be your own — is succinct: A grade of 'F' shall be given in a course to any student who has been found guilty of plagiarism.  That policy is direct for two reasons: (1) Plagiarism should not be tolerated in an academic or journalistic community; (2) The School's response to plagiarism should be uniform, not one that varies from class to class or student to student.  In addition to the grade of 'F' in a class, a student might be suspended from the School or from Drake University for plagiarism or other acts of academic dishonesty.

            The communicator's credibility suffers deservedly when he or she misleads the public.  A student learns little by copying someone else's work.  The faculty are here to work with you.  Keep up to date in class; don't get into a situation where you feel pressured to turn in someone else's work as your own.  The payoffs for that are zero.  The risks are great.  If you have any questions, please ask your instructor to elaborate on plagiarism or other policies early in the semester.

The School attendance policy;

            The University policy notes, "Students are expected to attend all classes and to be punctual in doing so.  They are also expected to complete all assignments for classes that they miss.  The individual instructor may set his or her own specific requirements in reference to each class at the beginning of the term.    Faculty members are urged to provide an opportunity for students to make up work missed as a result of legitimate absences, including observances of religious holidays."

            In the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, by faculty action, "It is recommended that journalism faculty include in course syllabi and in comments on the opening days of classes clear statements of attendance policies.

            "In such statements, it should be noted that excessive absences, as determined by the instructor, are sufficient cause for reduction of a grade in a class."

         "As a guideline for students and faculty, excessive absences will be defined as more than three unexcused absences in a class which meets three times a week, more than two for a class which meets twice a week, and more than one for a class which meets on a weekly basis."